Burke connected with Taleisa Jones, a counselor for the Dayton VA vocational rehabilitation program, who connected him with Goodwill Easter Seals Miami Valley, where he works today in loss prevention and safety.
“I’ve never been happier,” Burke said in an interview. “I love my job. It’s because of voc rehab (VA vocational rehabilitation). They helped me get it.”
Burke isn’t alone. According to a 2023 U.S. Department of Labor report, more than 200,000 military service members transition to civilian life each year.
There are nearly 700,000 veterans and service members who call Ohio home, amounting to the sixth-largest such population among the 50 states.
Kevin Fields, vocational rehabilitation program manager for Dayton Veterans Affairs, called jobs that are ready and open “the low-hanging fruit.” Usually, finding the right jobs takes more digging.
Jones said occasionally local employers will contact her office, but most of the time, she has to go to employers.
“It would have to be an employer the veteran is interested in or an occupational goal that the veteran is interested in,” she said. “And then our job is to go out and talk to those employers.”
It takes more than a phone call, much of the time.
“Our first option, we actually walk into the businesses,” Jones said.
The typical reception? Jones put it at “75-25.”
“Most people are open to talking with us,” she said. “However, we do have some who are a little bit reluctant. Once they find out what we’re doing, they usually are pretty open to talking with us.”
The goal is to bridge employers who need trained employees able to think on their feet and take direction — and veterans who need an opportunity, Fields said.
“It’s a solution-focused mindset on process improvement, where sometimes we can create jobs out of thin air,” Fields said.
He said his office tries to broker an “informational meeting,” getting the right veteran in the room with the right employer.
That’s when the magic happens.
“We just make the introduction,” he said. “The two of them just start talking their industry-speak. We step back — and just let them do their thing.”
The VA office can help with discussions on hours, pay and logistical arrangements.
The Dayton VA vocational rehabilitation office can be reached at (937) 268-6511, ext. 1517, or kevin.fields@va.gov.
‘The right jobs at the right employers’
Ohio government also has services for veterans. David Stonerock, program administrator for veterans services at the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS), said there are 88 county centers devoted to helping veterans (and other residents) find job.
Such centers provide comprehensive assessments. State employees there will direct veterans to job leads and contacts.
“Our program is not just about finding jobs for veterans; it’s finding the right jobs at the right employers,” Stonerock said.
Veterans can get the ball rolling by simply visiting a local job center or visiting https://jfs.ohio.gov/.
“We want to come up with a plan,” Stonerock said. “It’s not just hey, I’m looking for a job, can you get me a job? It’s getting you the right job.”
ODJFS was able to help Centerville resident and Army veteran Matthew Schlosser, 45, land a government contracting job as a project manager that dovetailed with his Army career field, security cooperation. The job involved spending three months in Germany, among other tasks conducted remotely from Centerville.
Today, that contract has expired, and he’s looking for another position.
“Even though I’m fairly self-sufficient when it comes to looking for work, they (ODJFS) have resources and accesses that have been fairly helpful,” he said. His contact at ODJFS “has a rolodex full of hiring managers.”
The state directed him to useful job leads, pointing him toward openings posted two or three days before they hit open job boards, such as Monster.com.
“Services like that were extremely helpful to me,” Schlosser said.
State services are probably more useful for younger enlisted workers looking for direction, rather than, say, a retired experienced officer, Schlosser believes.
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