Southwest Veterans Chamber of Commerce (SWVCC)

Happy Thanksgiving! In this season, we have so much to be grateful for despite the challenges we face. No matter what, our military members stand ready to serve this great nation. Meet some of the Veteran's who were serving away from home and how they celebrated this special day. This 2-minute video captures their patriotism beautifully. God bless these Soldiers and their families for their service and sacrifices. Join the Veteran Champion Movement. Be a part of the win! #TrustedVeteranHiringAdvisor #VeteranTalentAcademy #Thanksgiving

Do you work in the manufacturing industry? If you haven't considered proactively attracting Veterans, you are missing a well-suited talent pool. As the industry pushes to fill more than 600,000 open roles, Veterans bring unique skill sets and leadership qualities to manufacturing careers. Military Veterans can fill the manufacturing labor gap. Manufacturing Industry leaders say companies are looking for skilled and trainable workers who can problem solve, lead or work in a team and understand safety culture — qualities many Veterans already have. “When you look at all those skills, and you look at what manufacturing is looking for on the production line ... they’re almost all uniquely aligned.” Amy Thomas, National Director of Military and Veterans Initiatives for The Manufacturing Institute’s “Our Heroes MAKE America program.” Read the full Manufacturing Dive article, here: https://buff.ly/46aa9iO Join the Veteran Champion Movement. Be a part of the win! #TrustedVeteranHiringAdvisor #HireAVeteran #VeteranTalentAcademy

At the 2024 Women Who Lead Inaugural Summit, Priti Sadler received a Veteran Champion Award for leading the Veteran Champion movement. As the Head of Military Hiring Events and Programs at Wells Fargo she: * Created Multiple talent pipelines for entry, mid, and senior-level roles * Facilitated the hiring of over 600 veterans annually * Provided crucial support for Veterans, helping them build satisfying post-military careers * Established “The Veteran Employment Transition Program” and “Boots to Banking” These programs continue to thrive, a testament to their effectiveness and Priti's visionary leadership. She has recently joined Paychex and plans to implement similar Veteran talent pipelines. This Civilian Veteran Champion Award exemplifies the positive impact that committed civilian Veteran Champions can have on the lives of our nation's Veterans. Join the Veteran Champion Movement. Be a part of the win! #VanguardVeteran #HireAVeteran #VeteranChampionAward

Have you heard of Gen. Ann Dunwoody? She believes, like many employers, that military service makes us stronger and enriches our workforce, community and country. Do you believe this to be true? In 2005 Dunwoody became the Army's top-ranking female when she received the promotion to lieutenant general. She served as the Commanding General of the U.S. Army Materiel Command for four years and retired on August 15, 2012. To learn more about the impact of military culture and how you can become a Veteran Champion, subscribe to Vanguard Veteran's monthly newsletter here: https://lnkd.in/ebZyAqM Join the Veteran Champion Movement. Be a part of the win! #VanguardVeteran #WomenVeteranLeader #HireAVeteran

4th Quarter 2024 Veteran Suicide Prevention Grants The SWVF will award multiple grants to selected organizations with active and successful programs that directly support Veteran suicide prevention. The SWVF Board of Directors will announce the recipients prior to the end of the year. https://lnkd.in/gzvGi3xh

Did you know that Eric Schimpf, the president of Merrill Wealth Management, is a Soldier? Eric started his military career after graduating from West Point Military Academy as an Infantry Officer and became a financial advisor at Merrill in 1994. Now, nearly 25,000 Merrill employees report to him, where he oversees client balances totaling $2.8 trillion, as of December 2022. Learn more about Eric, here: https://buff.ly/3vHS3YL Eric believes hiring Veterans brings invaluable diversity of thought to the workplace. Veterans, he says, “Understand the essence of teamwork and possess a unique perspective crucial for any mission.” Join the Veteran Champion Movement. Be a part of the win! #VeteranTalentAcademy #VeteranChampion #HireAVeteran

Wonder how Arizona’s Veterans feel about their current employment? Since 2017, the Arizona Coalition for Military Families, in collaboration with the Arizona State University, has surveyed Arizona’s Veteran community every other year. The purpose is to gain insight into the needs of Arizona’s military and Veteran population to assess interventions, improve care and the available resources. Information collected is used to make recommendations for suicide prevention, address basic needs, and reduce disparities. The 2023 survey received nearly 9,000 submissions, with respondents from each of Arisona’s 15 counties. Demographics include: 47.52% are 65+ years; 71.61% are Male; 77% are Veterans; 17% are Family; 2.1% are Military; and .5% are community helpers. Of the Veteran respondents who are currently employed: * 52.16% feel their position is stable * 42.68% feel they have opportunities for position advancement with their current company * 37.24% feel they have the training and education needed for their job and career interests * 32.32% feel they have the skills to find new employment if needed. * 31.1% feel they have opportunities for pay advancement with their current company * 23.69% feel their career path is clear What finding makes the biggest impression on you? Review the full survey, here: https://buff.ly/3A8Mnt5 Join the Veteran Champion Movement. Be a part of the win! #VeteranChampion #BeaPartofTheWin #VanguardVeteran Photo 61587174 | Survey ? Iqoncept | Dreamstime.com

Denise Gredler was recognized for leading the Veteran Champion movement as a civilian Veteran Champion at the Inaugural 2024 Women Who Lead Summit. In 2014, Denise Gredler from BestCompaniesAZ was approached by ASU’s Pat Tillman Center asking her to host a career fair for Veteran job seekers. In partnership with Career Connectors, she’s hosted “Vet Talks” annually, connecting Military and Veteran job seekers with military-friendly employers. Over the last decade, “Vet Talks" has helped thousands of Veteran job seekers secure meaningful careers. The Civilian Veteran Champion Award was to Denise for her dedication to creating opportunities for Veterans in Arizona’s business community and making a substantive difference for thousands of Arizona Veterans and their families. Please join me in congratulating and thanking Denise Gredler for all she does for Veterans and their families. Join the Veteran Champion Movement. Be a part of the win #VeteranChampionAward #HireAVeteran #VeteranTalentStrategy

Have you noticed that most military personnel have a direct communication style and a strong bias toward action? These traits are part of military culture and are more or less dominant depending on the military job. This is because we focus on finishing the tasks that lead to mission accomplishment - not emotion. Understanding/accommodating this difference in military hires is an important part of transitioning into the civilian workforce. Veterans may need support modifying their communication style. Certified career coach Marlo Lyons, in a Harvard Business Review article, recommends these tips that are particularly fitting for your military new hires. Encourage your Veteran employee to: * Listen more than speak * Phrase every thought in the form of a question like, “I’m curious; have we tried to do this?” To help Veterans succeed within the civilian workforce, it's important for employers to understand military culture. Vanguard Veteran offers military culture training. Click here: https://buff.ly/3mgiRHP Join the Veteran Champion Movement. Be a part of the win! #TrustedVeteranHiringAdvisor #VeteranTalentAcademy #VeteranChampion

Did you know that November is National #FamilyCareGiverMonth? Are you caring for a Veteran? If so, THANK YOU for providing this critical care day in and day out. So many families across the nation are serving in this important capacity. Pictured here is Major Darren R. Baldwin and his wife (and caregiver) who was a full-time caregiver for over a decade. Darren died from complications of injuries sustained in combat. How could you, as a neighbor, friend or coworker help ease a Veteran caregiver’s load? Join the Veteran Champion Movement. Be a part of the win! #VanguardVeteran #FamilyCareGiverMonth #VeteranChampions