1. Reintegration of Veterans and Hiring Disabled Veterans
Chief Michael Hall

2. Learning Objective 1
Students will learn about hiring practices and reemployment under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) of 1994.

3. Learning Objective 2
Students will acquire an understanding of the potential under utilized personnel, veterans and, disabled veterans can bring to an organization.

4. Learning Objective 3
Students will learn about the government programs providing additional resources and/or funding for the employment or reemployment of veterans and disabled veterans.

5. What is a Veteran? Vet-er-an (noun)
A person who has had long experience in a particular field
A person who has served in the military
What does our industry credit as military service or veteran status?
Past Military service and/or continued military service
How does that impact us? How does it impact the veteran/and their families?

6. Define what Military Service IS
Completion of 180 days of active military service in one of the armed forces of the United States
Each veteran should have or have access to a Defense Department Form DD214 (this document clarifies service and includes all dates of active duty service)
Membership in a reserve component of the United States military to include:
US Army Reserve or state Army National Guard
US Air Force Reserve or state Air National Guard
US Navy Reserve
US Marine Reserve
US Coast Guard Reserve
By definition from the US Department of Veterans Affairs

7. Veteran Status
Can you accept a DD214 with a Dishonorable Discharge?
What can the VA or military share with you?
Is it against the law to inquire about the discharge status of a disabled veteran?

8. Significant Questions
Are there laws that protect veterans with disabilities?
Is a military disability rating or disability rating from the VA, covered by the ADA?
Is a private employer required to hire veterans because of a disability?
What can the military or the VA share with you?
What questions can you ask about the nature of their work history?
Does an applicant have to disclose a disability before being offered employment?

9. Are there laws that protect veterans with disabilities?
Yes. There are several federal laws that provide important protections for veterans with disabilities who are looking for jobs or are already in the workplace. Two of those laws --the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) and Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) - protect veterans from employment discrimination. 

10. Laws that protect veterans with disabilities? (continued)
USERRA has requirements for reemploying veterans with and without service-connected disabilities and is enforced by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) and the Department of Justice (DOJ). Title I of the ADA, which is enforced by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), prohibits private and state and local government employers with 15 or more employees from discriminating against individuals on the basis of disability.
NOTE: Any veteran with a disability who meets the ADA's definition is covered, regardless of whether the veteran's disability is service-connected.

11. Is a military disability rating or disability rating from the VA, covered by the ADA?
Yes, you are probably covered. Although the ADA uses different standards than the U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in determining disability, many more service-connected disabilities will also be considered disabilities under the ADA than prior to the ADA Amendments Act.

12. Is a private employer required to hire veterans because of a disability?
Though it is not required to do so, a private employer may decide to give a veteran with a disability a preference in hiring. The ADA prohibits discrimination "on the basis of disability." This means that if you are qualified for a job, an employer cannot refuse to hire you because you have a disability or because you may need a reasonable accommodation to perform the job. Even if you are qualified for a job, an employer may choose another applicant without a disability because that individual is better qualified.

13. Is a private employer required to hire me because of a disability
Is a private employer required to hire me because of a disability? (Continued)
Some laws, however, require private employers to give a preference to veterans with disabilities. For example, the Vietnam Era Veteran's Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) requires that businesses with a federal contract or subcontract in the amount of $100,000 or more, entered into on or after December 1, 2003, take affirmative action to employ and advance qualified disabled veterans.

14. Other significant questions?
What can the military or the VA share with you?
What questions can you ask about the nature of their work history?
Does an applicant have to disclose a disability before being offered employment?
Recommend establishing a working relationship with the military services in your area
Consult your HR Professional

15. DoD Trained Firefighter
Goodfellow AFB, Texas is the primary location for 90% of DoD Fire Training worldwide
1,400 - DoD personnel attend Basic Fire School per Year
1,100 - DoD personnel attend Advanced Courses per year
Every year hundreds of these DoD personnel leave the military looking for consistency and roots
DoD – Department of Defense includes Air Force, Army, Navy, Marines, and civilian Employees

16. What’s next? Is the veteran and the fire service a good fit?
Are we missing an opportunity or are we preparing to face challenges we cannot yet comprehend?
Some interesting correlations…

17. Senate Moves to Change Vets’ Preference in Federal Hiring
In passing a major defense policy bill on Tuesday, the Senate also agreed to limit veterans’ preference in federal hiring.
Almost one in two hires to full-time, permanent federal jobs was a veteran in fiscal 2014, according to the Office of Personnel Management, which has not yet made more recent data public.
Where are these veterans going to be going next?

18. Most Stressful Jobs 2015 1. Enlisted Military Personnel
Overall Rating: 687 Projected Growth: 1.83% Stress:  Median Salary: $44,283
The men and women of the United States Armed Forces are tasked with protecting the entirety of the nation, both domestically and abroad, and often are placed in harm's way.
2. Firefighter 
Overall Rating: 636 Projected Growth: 8.64% Stress:  Median Salary: $45,264
Firefighters face dangerous situations in ever-changing conditions, and their work is not limited to battling blazes. Firefighters also assist with medical emergencies and natural disasters.

19. US Military LODD / Suicide Rate
Line of Duty Deaths
LODD
Suicide
2016
7,403
2015
2014
2013
2012
** Statistics not available to date
Military veterans deployed from 2001 to 2007 had a 41 percent higher suicide risk than the general population, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs

20. North America Firefighter LODD / Suicide Rate
Line of Duty Deaths
LODD
Suicide
2016 69 **
2015 68
117
2014 64
109
2013 97 62
2012 61
** Statistics not available to date
Share the Load
FIRE

21. Transitional Questions
Does the US DoD created program for stopping this dramatic rise in suicide rates have an indirect opportunity for us?
Are we seeing a similar rise in the Fire Service in suicide rates?
Could we begin to learn from the lessons the DoD and VA have had to endure?
Would having service members that have dealt with significant trauma and loss be a risk or benefit to us?
Can we help the service members by helping our own?

22. What To Do? Hiring is required by federal mandate
Warriors and emergency responders share many common purposes
Warriors and emergency responders share many anxieties and traumas
We are both team oriented and generally value driven
Reaching out to our veterans is a low cost potentially life saving process –
Truly “Share the Load”

23. Team Rubicon MISSION STATEMENT
Team Rubicon unites the skills and experiences of military veterans with first responders to rapidly deploy emergency response teams.

24. Citations www.NFPA.org www.bls.gov www.NVFC.org www.dd214.com

25. Contact Information
Michael Hall