WorkSource for Veterans and Military Families By Debby Pattin priority for service through ESD. Chair of 22nd LD Democrats Incentives are provided to local employers to encourage them to hire veterans, and a Work- ith so many thou- Source Center can be found in sands of active duty Tumwater. Additional WorkSource military, military fami- W Centers are in cities in neighbor- lies, and veterans living here in ing counties, and include Chehalis, Thurston County, the topic of job Aberdeen, Shelton, Tacoma and placement and retraining of veter- Lakewood. Additional outstations ans – and their spouses – is sig- are located in neighboring county nificant to our local economy and locations including Belfair, Ray- the quality of life in our county. mond, Long Beach, at the JBLM At the March 25th meeting of and American Lake. the 22nd Legislative District Demo- emphasis WorkSource is putting case managers who coordinate Coordination with registered WorkSource provides the crats, we had the honor of hearing on transferable skills and cre- a variety of services. Spouses of apprenticeships in the building largest inventory of jobs within a presentation from Todd Dixon, dentialing so that when service veterans who are 100% disabled trades, through programs such Washington State, with an on line Manager, and Michael Hester, members leave the military, the can also partake in the “Heroes as Helmets to Hardhats help vet- registration for Job Hunter work- Veterans Employment Represen- skills and training they gained in at Home’ program for college, job erans transition into good, family shops, and provides free online tative, from the Washington State the military can be put to use in training, job placement, and the wage jobs, and oftentimes union computer training on all Microsoft Employment Security Depart- the civilian job market with the on site Stone Education Center at jobs. Office programs. These online ment. (ESD). fewest hurdles. JBLM. Additionally, there are grants courses are available for free to What we learned will be of Veterans and military fami- With the Vow to Hire Heroes through the Defender’s Fund to all citizens of Washington, so vet- interest to the public, as well as lies can be assured that veteran Act having a special emphasis provide assistance with financial erans and the general public alike to Democrats here in Thurston representatives are located at all from the Obama administration, hardships such as rent, utilities, are welcome to participate. County. Mr. Dixon and Mr. Hester of the Work Source and outsta- veterans can expect seamless and gas money while waiting for Veterans can apply for jobs informed us that veterans receive tion branch offices. These Local transitions to federal jobs, assis- the first paycheck to arrive. and create portfolios, as well as Veteran Employment Representa- tance from the Department of As of March 25, 2013 there apply for unemployment insur- tives are former military members Labor with civilian licenses and were 21,854 veterans using their ance. They can be assigned a themselves with resources avail- certifications, and additional GI training benefits here in Wash- coach who will provide career able to provide outreach for education and training under the ington State. And in Thurston counseling, job referrals, teach federal and state jobs, in addition Montgomery GI Bill. Additionally, County, Work Source is currently job preparation skills, train on how to private sector employment. this act provides employers with serving 1,400 veterans. So f you to research the labor market, and Additionally, they can translate tax credits of up to $9,600 per have friends, family members or mentor in job preparation skills Military Occupational Specialty veteran that they hire. neighbors who are veterans, or and interviewing skills. codes (MOS) into civilian language Older veterans from previous about to become veterans follow- WorkSource also offers hiring to help sell a vet’s skill set to a conflicts can also take part in the ing discharge, please share with PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE PAID WA OLYMPIA, 107 NO. PERMIT events and employer networking, prospective employer. Veterans Retraining Assistance them the programs that Washing- and teaches how to do a personal Of paramount importance are Program, a program geared ton State’s Employment Security “60 Second” commercial to sell the efforts being made on behalf toward unemployed veterans who Department has to offer them, one’s job skills. of disabled veterans. These dis- are struggling to find work and and be sure to let them know that Especially of interest to vet- abled veterans are assigned provides up to a year of Montgom- a fellow veteran is available to erans and military families is the ery GI Bill benefits to them. assist them in each office. Sequestration Hurts Us All By Denny Heck National Park. As many as 85,000 These cuts at Mount Rainier before cutting it, a key aspect Congressional Representative, WA-10 people visit the center each sum- are but one example of how of responsible budgeting. Finally, mer before setting out on day sequestration is going to affect sequestration doesn’t ask high- hikes or overnight camping trips. the South Sound this summer. income Americans to contribute ount Rainier’s east For some South Puget Sound fam- Other examples include the loom- to reducing the deficit or paying side is the Pacific ilies, a trip to Ohanapecosh is a ing furloughs of civilian employees down the debt. Instead, it makes Northwest as nature summer tradition. at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, as cuts that will primarily affect mid- OR CURRENT RESIDENT CURRENT OR M intended it to be. Drier and sunnier This summer, however, the well as the shuttering of the con- dle and working class families. than the west, the east side of the Ohanapecosh Visitor Center will trol tower at Olympia Regional Sequestration just doesn’t make mountain is thickly covered with be closed. Like most of the fed- Airport. Let there be no doubt in sense. centuries-old western hemlocks, eral government, Mount Rainier your mind: our local economy and I favor replacing sequestra- western cedars and Douglas firs. National Park saw its budget our quality of life will be affected tion with a balanced alternative to Nestled in this beautiful old- sharply reduced on March 1st by sequestration. reducing our debt. Such an alter- growth forest is the Ohanapecosh when across-the-board spending Some say that sequestration, native will need to include tough, Visitor Center, one of four visitor cuts, known as sequestration, while painful, is a necessary step targeted spending cuts, as well centers located in Mount Rainier went into effect. As a direct result towards dealing with our national as additional revenue. These cuts of the sequestration cuts, Mount debt. I disagree. While we do need and revenue increases will need to Rainier no longer has the money to deal with the very real problem take place over the long-term in a to keep Ohanapecosh open. of our national debt, there are way that doesn’t cause a sudden Unfortunately, sequestration three big reasons why sequestra- shock to our economy. is going to impact Mount Rainier tion is the wrong way to do it. In Congress, I have voted in other ways as well. Two of the First, sequestration means cut- five times in favor of sequestra- park’s campgrounds will have backs in government purchases of tion replacement proposals that a more limited operating sea- private sector goods and service. fit these criteria. Unfortunately, son because of sequestration. It also means public employees the majority of U.S. House mem- Unfilled staff positions at the park will have less money to spend bers have thus far chosen to let will remain vacant through the at local businesses. In other sequestration take effect. I hope summer. That means park rang- words, sequestration will hurt our they will soon reconsider. Until ers will be able to provide fewer economy just as it is beginning then, I will continue to speak out educational and recreational to recover. Second, sequestra- against this wrongheaded policy. opportunities for youth groups, tion won’t consider the value or hope you will as well. families and other visitors. merit of a government program Thurston CountyDemocrats Thurston 164 Box PO 98507-0164 WA Olympia 2 THE DEMOCRAT April 2013 Editorial Standing Up Against Voter Suppression By Roger Erskine Yet today, in our own state This year, 2013, Thurston candidates interviewed by the Mary is passionate about con- Chair of Thurston County legislature, there are proposals County voters will have a chance commissioners. Neither Alexan- ducting fair, open, honest and Democrats which seek to weaken our vot- to elect a new County Auditor. der nor Hall was required to leave transparent elections when every ing rights. These attempts arise This is a very important elec- his regular job as state represen- voter’s rights are protected. It will directly from the rightwing Ameri- tion! tative and mayor. be her only job!!! can Legislative Exchange Council When our former auditor, Kim We, the voters of Thurston It is clear to me that we can- e the People” – (ALEC), but they are “authored” Wyman, was elected to be Wash- County deserve much better. not afford to have uncertified and that means you by Washington State Republican ington’s Secretary of State, the We need a full time Thurston unqualified part-time state rep- “Wand I – believe Representatives, including Rep. law dictated that the vacancy she County Auditor, and that’s why my resentatives and local mayors in in an election process that will Gary Alexander, who has been left behind would be filled by our personal support goes to a fantas- charge of our election process.