DHS Secretary Napolitano Unveils New Veterans Website

WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Tuesday, Nov. 10, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano unveiled a new website designed to provide a one-stop location for veterans and veteran organizations to learn about DHS’ many veteran outreach initiatives and hiring and contracting opportunities.

“This new website reflects the shared commitment across the Department to hiring American veterans,” said Secretary Napolitano. “Veterans play a vital role in the Department of Homeland Security’s mission to protect the nation, and this website will help us build our veteran workforce to more than 50,000 Department-wide by 2012.”

The announcement came one day after Secretary Napolitano joined President Barack Obama as he signed an Executive Order on the Employment of Veterans in the Federal Government, which emphasizes recruiting and training veterans for employment at federal agencies, increasing the veteran workforce within the executive branch and assisting recently hired veterans in making the adjustment to service in a civilian capacity.

The new website – www.dhs.gov/veterans – features information for veterans about how to find employment opportunities at DHS, ways to get involved in community-based efforts like Citizen Corps, and special veteran programs such as Operation Warfighter and Wounded Warrior, which provide employment opportunities for severely wounded or recovering servicemembers to assist their transition back to the military or civilian workforce.

The website also features DHS procurement opportunities for veteran and service-disabled veteran business owners and information about DHS policies and news impacting the veteran community.

The new website is the latest step in DHS’ active engagement and recruitment of veterans and veteran-owned businesses. DHS’ civilian workforce includes approximately 47,000 veterans, comprising 25 percent of all employees – including Deputy Secretary Jane Holl Lute – in addition to the 42,000 active duty members of the U.S. Coast Guard.

On Oct. 29, Secretary Napolitano met with leaders of several veterans service organizations to discuss DHS’ ongoing collaborations with veterans on recruitment and other key DHS initiatives, such as the Service Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business contract program, which promotes contracting opportunities for veteran-owned businesses.

Secretary Napolitano also recently announced the DHS Veterans Outreach Steering Committee – a group of representatives from across the Department who will meet regularly and advise the Secretary on efforts to improve and integrate veteran outreach. At the Committee’s first meeting, held in October, she discussed plans to expand existing veterans programs and streamline the Department’s veterans outreach efforts to enhance openness and transparency – including the website overhaul announced on Tuesday.

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