- February 7, 2025
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The Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post 3282, organization in Port Orange is teaming up with CareerSource Flagler Volusia to help veterans find jobs through a hiring fair.
The state-sponsored event, "Paychecks for Patriots," takes place on Thursday, Nov. 16, and is the result of a collaboration between the VFW and CareerSource Flagler Volusia, which provides recruitment-related services.
"For the guys and gals that are coming back from overseas there's several challenges to reintegrating, employment is one of those challenges," John McClellan, VFW quartermaster said. "Getting employed after you've gone to Afghanistan or you've been serving in the fleet or whatever it is and you get out and then you don't have a steady paycheck or you've got to move is a big deal for any vet."
The statewide event allows veterans and their family members to meet with company officials and discuss future career options and opportunities. Last year, around 23 companies were represented at the hiring fair, according to Jose "Joe" Rosa, VFW commander for post 3282.
Rosa said not only were veterans from Port Orange present, but there were attendees from cities such as Palm Coast and Orlando.
"It's important because the VFW is trying to help, as we always do, our veterans not only with assistance with the VA but assistance helping them to stay afloat with employment," Rosa said. "We're trying very hard to make it as easy as possible for these companies to reach these veterans. And what better place than the VFW?"
This is the second year the job fair has been held at the Port Orange VFW and the fifth year it has been going on in Florida. As of Tuesday, Oct. 31, there were 25 employers signed up for the November event. The last job fair brought in 130 veterans and their spouses, according to Roger LeBlanc, local veterans employment representative with CareerSource.
LeBlanc noted that the job of CareerSource is to look at the quality of employers while also focusing on targeted occupations that need to be represented.
"When you're in the military you're in charge of multi-billion dollar pieces of equipment," Jimmie Adams, VFW senior vice commander said. "But when you get out you can't even find a job as a security guard, and that's something CareerSource is trying to avoid."
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