Illinois Department of Employment Services thanks veterans and wishes to give back to them         

To the editor:

The Illinois Department of Employment Security would like to say a special "thank you" to the men and women who have, or are serving our country in the armed forces. Your courage, bravery, inspiration and overall dedication to duty serves as the standard from which our flag proudly flies. We see you in your uniforms at airports, bus stops and train stations… destinations unknowns. We know that when you don that uniform you represent the "best of the best of us" and are willing to give everything in your service to the greatest nation on earth! We here at IDES want to thank you for your dedication to duty and your willingness to do what has to be done in order to protect our country from those who wish it harm.

This country has asked a great deal from you, and now we wish to give something back and assist in your transition back into civilian life. Veterans of the military receive priority of service at IDES. We take a great deal of pride in our outreach and no-cost services that include one-on-one staff assistance with skills identification, resume and cover letter assistance, re-employment referrals, and much, much more. We will work with you to assess your present situation and highlight your attributes to the thousands of employers in our database.

This process of working with our nation's finest has shown us over and over that military veterans are outstanding, highly motivated and dedicated employees. We promote the hiring of veterans, and in the process businesses benefit. We understand that you will bring specialized skills and knowledge to your new position.

IDES offers resources and incentives to businesses that hire veterans, including skills-matching services designed to meet job requirements and assistance by local IDES veterans employment representatives to facilitate the hiring process. IDES encourages employers even further on your behalf, by helping them navigate avenues of hiring that may not have been previously pursued, such as the potential to earn tax credits for each eligible U.S. military veteran hired.

We have the answers, veterans have the desire, and businesses have the jobs.

You as a veteran already possess many of the people skills, organizational understanding and technical capabilities that can add immediate tangible value to a business. You are trained leaders who use delegation, motivation and inspiration to direct others. You recognize how teamwork stems from a responsibility to your fellow colleagues and how that applies to the importance of working with all people, regardless of race, gender, origin, background, religious beliefs or economic status. We believe in you, and once again, thank you for all that you have done for us!

I invite you to contact me at 217-782-3846, ext. 360, or e-mail [e-mail] to learn more about the services and programs we provide.

Sincerely,

Jay Schukai, local veterans employment representative
Illinois Department of Employment Security

(Posted Oct. 3, 2006)

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