by Steve Gagnon
Let’s talk. I’m not sure if you’re aware of all the services available to you in this great County we call Aroostook. You have the services of the Maine State Veterans Service Officer; the Maine Veterans Center; the Caribou VA Medical Clinic at Cary Medical Center; the Homeless Veterans Program and the Maine Veterans’ Homes. As for my services as the Maine Dept of Labor’s Veterans Representative, I provide assistance with employment services; job searching techniques, networking, resumes, cover letters, interviewing, thank you notes and so on.
Now, that’s a lot of people and a whole lot of programs just for you as a Veteran!
In my travels around the County, I am constantly amazed at how many Veterans tell me that they don’t use any of these available services because they feel other Veterans may be more deserving or be more in need of these services than they are. They seem to feel that they would be using up the resources and by doing so would deprive someone else.
Here’s the long and the short of it. All of these services provided by the above Veterans groups are yours and yours alone. They cannot be shared. They cannot be transferred. They cannot be given away. They can only be given to you and used by you and you alone. Nobody is more deserving than you.
All of the Veterans benefits that these folks provide must be earned. They can only be earned if you served on active duty for at least 180 days for reasons other than training and you received a discharge from military duty for reasons other than dishonorable. If you have any questions, please call me at 760-6322 or 1-800-635-0357. I’ll be more than happy to discuss them with you.
Let’s see, over the last couple of months we’ve talked about resumes, cover letters, job searching, networking, CareerCenter resources and available workshops covering the these subjects. What we haven’t talked about is anything to do with unemployment.
If this is a topic you’d like me to discuss, something you feel is timely and should be addressed or if it’s a topic you’d just like to gain some insight into, then please give me a call at 760-6300 or 1-800-635-0357.
Just say whether or not you want the Veterans Corner to discuss areas of unemployment. If I don’t hear from you, then I’ll know you’re not interested and I’ll know to leave it alone. I’m really looking forward to hearing from you, so don’t be bashful, get on the horn and express your opinion.
Steve Gagnon is the Aroostook County Veterans Representative for the Maine Dept of Labor and is responsible for identifying and removing, where possible, significant barriers to employment, developing job opportunities and meeting the employment and training needs of Veterans. He has over 11 years of State government experience, having worked with the Unemployment Office, the Reemployment Eligibility Assessment Program as well as providing services as a CareerCenter Consultant. His military background includes four years as an aircraft hydraulics mechanic and 20 years as a personnel specialist having retired from the U.S. Air Force as an E-7, Master Sergeant.
