Legion proposes changes to veterans training program

In January, the Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission released a comprehensive report reviewing military compensation and retirement benefits. In its report, the commission recommended 15 recommendations that would modify benefits for future troops and the systems already in place for men and women currently serving.

Among those recommendations was one to “better prepare servicemembers for transition to civilian life by expanding education and granting states more flexibility to administer the Jobs for Veterans State Grants (JVSG) Program.”

Davy Leghorn, assistant director of The American Legion’s National Veterans Employment and Education Division, presented testimony on behalf of the Legion regarding The American Legion’s thoughts on the president’s Department of Labor (DoL) Veterans' Employment and Training Service (VETS) budget, and the recommendations offered by the MCRMC regarding DOL-VETS, to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs' Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity during a hearing Feb. 12. The subcommittee convened to discuss the president’s fiscal year 2016 budget request for VETS.

In his opening remarks, Leghorn conveyed The American Legion’s sentiments to support recommendations and improvements to the Transition GPS portion, or the Transition Assistance Program. “We would, however, recommend that Congress consider adding the DoL and the Small Business Administration to those who review the TAP curriculum, given that they contribute important content to the curriculum, and they maintain expertise in those areas covered by that content,” he said.

The American Legion agrees with the recommendation that Congress amend the relevant statutes to permit state departments of labor to work directly with state veterans affairs, we would add that those departments should work together to meet or exceed the federally mandated priority of service for eligible veterans.

“We find that the model employed by Texas – consolidating veterans employment services within a state veterans commission – is effective in addressing the needs of veterans," Leghorn said. "Texas currently boasts the lowest unemployment rate for veterans of any state in the union, and as such we would encourage Congress to examine that model and to consider touting it as an example to other states who are looking to effectively serve their veteran population. Bluntly stated, we were very disappointed when we examined the budget request offered by the administration on behalf of DoL-VETS. We were even more disappointed when we compared the request with the request on behalf of VA. The latter represented a nearly 8 percent increase from the previous year, while the former represented a miniscule increase over previous years, with JVSG and the Homeless Veterans’ Reintegration Program receiving no increase in funds.”

Compared to SBA’s veteran program budget, which has increased over 400 percent since fiscal 2013, DoL-VETS budget requests have been nearly flat lined, even as other portions of the DoL budget requests have increased, indicating that the department is either unwilling or unable to fight to secure the money needed to properly fund its programs.

Leghorn concluded his testimony with a proposal to transfer the JVSG and HVRP positions of the program to the Department of Veteran Affairs, stating the belief that there is a place for the programs with DOL, but they would be better served if located within the VA.

“The American Legion understands that our proposal is neither an easy task, nor is it amenable to all the stakeholders, but we know that this is the right thing to do, and the right time to do it because, frankly, our veterans deserve better,” he said. “The American Legion is ready to work with the DoL, VA and especially this subcommittee to ensure that the inter-agency transition of JVSG and HVRP programs occur as seamlessly as possible.”