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Reservists seek potential vocations

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Sean M. Crowe
  • Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Public Affairs
JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. --  Approximately 600 77th Sustainment Brigade Soldiers, Airmen, Sailors and civilians searched for job opportunities at the Operation Sustainment Warrior Career Expo Aug. 6, 2013, at the Navy Fleet Logistics Support Squadron 64 Hangar here.

Employer Support for the Guard and Reserve, Heroes 2 Hired and the 77th Bde. combined efforts to host the hiring fair during which 91 employers sought to employ Army Reserve Soldiers.

The free event was part of the Soldiers' annual two-week training exercise which teaches and refreshes them on basic Soldier and life skills.

The event hosts held a formal ceremony at the beginning of the day to explain the expo's purpose and thank the participating organizations.

"The veteran employers before you are hiring on the spot today," said Army Col. Joyce B. Junior, 77th Bde. commander, to the attending Soldiers. "The expo is a great opportunity to network even if you are already employed. They took time out of their days to support the men and women who serve."

The 77th Bde. Soldiers spent the remainder of the day networking and learning more about job opportunities.

The hosting agencies gathered more than 60 nationally-hiring employers including: Bristol-Myers Squibb, UPS Inc., Schneider National Trucking, American Water, Verizon, Troops to Teachers and city police and fire departments in addition to 17 colleges and universities, 10 veteran service organizations and more.

"We tried to exclusively invite employers who could utilize the brigade's Soldiers' specific skills" said Tammy Cartagena, ESGR program support technician. "I was very happy with the number of Soldiers in attendance. Too often there are no service members to talk to the employers who we invite to these events."

The career expo was just one portion of the day for the Soldiers. The brigade members also attended briefings to provide them with useful information. The classes covered subject matter including: the GI Bill, military-to-civilian transition, education and fitness.

"One of the Soldiers told Col. Junior that this was the best annual training he's been to," said Cartagena. "He said it provided something to take back home to his family."

"Our goal was to only bring in hiring companies and colleges," said Army 1st Lt. Walter McCall, 77th Bde. chaplain candidate. "We wanted it to be a hiring event. We required them to come in a hiring capacity with specific job positions available and numbers of job openings.

"The feedback we received is phenomenal," said McCall. "A college representative told me it was the best organized and most well executed college or job fair he had ever attended. I also got similar feedback from the Secret Service, Game Stop and UPS."

This event was tailored to take care of all aspects of the Soldiers' lives, not just military life.

"I talked to many Soldiers who got better offers and networking opportunities than they currently have," said McCall. "One Soldier always wanted to be a financial planner and he got that position from an employer at the expo. The best testimony I heard was during training the next day. A specialist said he and his wife had been out of work for four months until the job fair but Merck is considering him for a job. My goal as a chaplain canidate was to help these Soldiers find a job boost their moral in the end."