REALifelines: Veterans Employment Program

[REALifelines, is a comprehensive program to provide individualized job training, counseling and re-employment services to each and every veteran seriously injured or wounded in the War on Terrorism.]

WASHINGTON, Nov. 10, 2005 – About 300,000 wallet-sized cards and key fobs with critical employment and job-training information will be distributed to military personnel and veterans over the next six months, the U. S. Department of Labor announced today at its annual pre-Veterans Day salute.

The department also unveiled the Recovery and Employment Assistance Lifelines -- REALifelines -- Advisor. This new online tool will provide valuable information and resources to help returning wounded and injured veterans successfully transition into civilian employment, Labor Department officials said.

"The 'Key To Career Success' cards and REALifelines online advisor are part of our outreach efforts to help veterans and returning soldiers access good job opportunities and develop new career pathways," Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao said. "Our servicemen and women have put themselves in harm's way to protect our homeland and help other countries achieve freedom and democracy. We want to do everything we can to welcome them home and facilitate their reintegration into civilian life. "

The Key to Career Success card will be attached to a brochure for demobilizing and transitioning servicemembers as they go through the joint DOL, Department of Veterans Affairs, and Department of Defense Transition Assistance Program. For veterans who have already made the transition, additional information and professional staff guidance will be available at the nearly 3,500 One-Stop Career Centers nationwide.

The card will help veterans access local One-Stop Career Center services connecting them to employers seeking men and women with the unique skill sets and experience characterized by military service. It will also highlight veterans' special status so that, upon arrival at One-Stop Career Centers, they will receive priority service as required under the Jobs for Veterans Act. The back of the Key to Career Success card and key fob features a toll-free phone number, (877) US2-JOBS (TTY: 877-889-5627), and Web link, www. servicelocator. org, to help veterans speak with a service representative or locate the nearest One-Stop Career Center and download a map and driving directions.

A key feature of the REALifelines Advisor is that it offers one-on-one assistance through the department's state directors for DOL's Veterans' Employment and Training Service. These directors will help the transitioning service member or veteran find meaningful employment through the One-Stop Career Centers and arrange for assistance to help determine what services and programs are best suited for them.

The REALifelines Advisor is one of a series of online tools called "elaws" for Employment Laws Assistance for Workers and Small Businesses, which are interactive Web sites providing information about major federal employment laws and issues.

(From a Department of Labor news release. )