American Legion convention to feature career events for veterans

The country’s largest wartime veterans organization meets Aug. 26-29 in Houston

The American Legion is featuring four career events for veterans and servicemembers during its 95th annual national convention in Houston later this month.
Three of the events will be held Aug. 26-27 at the Hilton Americas Houston Hotel:
• The American Legion’s Employment Transition Workshop will offer information and opportunities for training in a variety of careers. Companies such as General Electric, 1st Command Bank, SAP, Sallie Mae and Nextstar will participate.
• The Women’s Small Business Workshop, conducted by staff from the Small Business Administration, is specifically designed to help women veterans identify opportunities, write business plans and launch their enterprises.
• The Legion’s first Empowering Conference Career & Benefits Center aims to provide veterans with information they need to obtain careers in a variety of industries, and help them to understand their employment benefits.

The American Legion is also co-sponsoring a job fair with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce on Aug. 27 at the George Brown Convention Center downtown. The Hiring Our Heroes Transition & Benefits Job Fair is open to veterans, active-duty military, National Guard and reserve members, and eligible spouses.
All of the events are free of charge. To register, contact Jasmine Davis at (202) 263-5771 or by email: jdavis@legion.org; or register online at www.legion.org.
Besides the career events, the Legion’s convention will include a variety of featured speakers, including Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (18th District) and representatives from the departments of Defense, Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security.
Representatives from the following organizations will also be speaking at the Legion’s convention: Mercy Medical Airlift, Children’s Organ Transplant Association, Joe Foss Institute, Childhood Leukemia Foundation and the American Petroleum Institute.