Monthly Archives: October 2016

FMCSA amends its commercial driver’s license (CDL) regulations

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The following information is of value to transitioning veterans and transitional military personnel who operated commercial motor vehicles while serving.  The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has extended the period of time required to apply for a skills test needed to obtain a civilian Commercial Driver’s License (CDL).  Members who operated tractor trailers can simply take a test for their Class A licensing.  Please review this below information and please inform veterans of this most valuable information.  This will indeed assist them in making the transition into civilian life easier to manage.

SUMMARY:

FMCSA amends its commercial driver’s license (CDL) regulations to ease the transition of military personnel into civilian careers driving commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) by simplifying the process of obtaining a commercial learner’s permit (CLP) or CDL. This final rule extends the period of time for applying for a skills test waiver from 90 days to 1 year after leaving a military position requiring the operation of a CMV. This final rule also allows a State to accept applications from active duty military personnel who are stationed in that State as well as administer the written and skills tests for a CLP or CDL. States that choose to accept such applications are required to transmit the test results electronically to the State of domicile of the military personnel. The State of domicile may issue the CLP or CDL on the basis of those results.

DATES:

This final rule is effective December 12, 2016.

Kirk, Mark Steven

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Mark Steven Kirk, Republican for United States Senator

Mark Steven Kirk“The VA has become a corrupt, political and bureaucratic mess on many levels – the more we learn, the worse it is. As Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, I am confronting the VA at every level. I stand with those who shine light on the corruption, like at Hines VA Hospital. Too many of our health care workers are failing our vets, and the few who stand up to protect them are ignored and punished. I have enacted new laws to protect whistleblowers from retaliation and firing.

I continue to prioritize holding the VA accountable. Earlier this year, I called on the VA to address black mold festering at a Hines VA Residential Care Facility after whistleblowers informed me that the VA had failed to address the problem in a complaint filed in August of 2015 and sent a letter to the VA demanding immediate action and answers as to how this issue has gone untreated. In April, I demanded the VA take steps to address reports of cockroaches in the Hines VA kitchen after hearing complaints from whistleblowers that contamination has been going on for years. Most recently, I introduced legislation to address whistleblower reports that indigent veterans’ remains are consistently left in the Hines VA morgue for over 30 days. On numerous occasions, bodies of indigent veterans or veterans without next of kin, are left in the morgue without proper and timely post mortem care, allowing their bodies to badly decompose. Specifically, whistleblowers report that in the month of August, 2016, there were two veterans who had been left in the morgue for upwards of 45 days. I will continue to fight on behalf of our veterans upon my re-election.”

Website: https://kirkforsenate.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KirkForSenate/

CVO is 501(c)(3) organization, so we do not endorse candidates. Our request for candidate inputs will be put on our website, so that veterans can educate themselves on the candidates.

Mandell, Gary

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Gary Mandell, Republican Candidate for State Representative, Illinois District 11

I fully support government benefits for those that have served to defend our country and our freedoms, and that our history of doing so has been shameful. I look forward to working with Veterans groups to address their needs including, but not limited to, medical (including addiction treatment), mental health, homelessness, unemployment and job training. In addition, I applaud the efforts of the many organizations that support the training and hiring of veterans.

We are working hard in the State House District 11 race to unseat my opponent who votes for unfunded spending bills that can never be implemented without tax increases. We believe that we must balance our budget by making Illinois a better place to open a business, employ workers to the state who live nearby, who live in Illinois but work in a neighboring state and pay taxes to that state, as well as reduce our staggering unemployment rate here. This will allow us grow our revenues by expanding our tax base, and not by adding to the high tax burdens that our citizens already face, and are causing many of them to leave.

Website: www.mandellforstaterep.com

Entrepreneurship Training for Chicago Veterans & Military Families to Be Held November 7-8

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Boots To Business
On November 7-8, a free Boots to Business Reboot entrepreneurship training program for veterans, service members and spouses will be held in Chicago in celebration of National Veterans Small Business Week. The theme for 2016’s NVSBW is “Veteran Entrepreneurs: Success Across Generations.”

Boots to Business Reboot is a unique two-step entrepreneurship program from the U.S. Small Business Administration that helps participants unlock the skills, tools and resources necessary to launch and maintain a successful business.

Who: Open to veterans, service members (including members of the Guard and Reserve) and military spouses who run a business or are interested in learning about starting a small business.

What: Registration is now open for Boots to Business Reboot, the entrepreneurship training program offered by the U.S. Small Business Administration. This two-step program begins with an in-person course, where participants learn the fundamentals of business ownership, including evaluating business concepts, legal and financial practices. Participants will meet local SBA partners who can assist them after the course.

When: November 7, 2016 at 8:00 am CST – November 8, 2016 at 4:30 pm CST

Where: Womens Business Development Center, 8 S. Michigan St., Suite 400, Chicago, IL 60603

How to Sign Up: To sign up for the Boots to Business Reboot course, interested participants must fill out the Boots to Business Reboot registration form for the Chicago course at the http://boots2business.org/rebootapply/.

Additional Details: Boots to Business Reboot is offered by the U.S. Small Business Administration through a public private partnership with the Institute for Veterans and Military Families, the Marcus Foundation and First Data Corporation. After completing the training, participants can register for “Foundations of Entrepreneurship,” an eight-week, online course led by instructors from Syracuse University’s Institute for Veterans and Military Families.

Ed Miniat & South Chicago Packing jobs – updated October 2016

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Several open positions at plants, Ed Miniat LLC (South Holland, IL) and South Chicago Packing LLC (Chicago, IL).  Please visit the job links below and to  www.miniat.com and http://southchicagopacking.com/ to learn more.

Ed Miniat Job Openings (South Holland, IL)

Maintenance Mechanic, 2nd Shift – This is an EXTREMELY HOT JOB and I need qualified talent immediately => http://chm.tbe.taleo.net/chm01/ats/careers/requisition.jsp?org=MINIAT&cws=1&rid=440
Maintenance Mechanic, 3rd Shift – This is an EXTREMELY HOT JOB and I need qualified talent immediately => http://chm.tbe.taleo.net/chm01/ats/careers/requisition.jsp?org=MINIAT&cws=1&rid=423
Sanitation Laborer, 3rd Shift (this may be a good position for the OTJT) => http://chm.tbe.taleo.net/chm01/ats/careers/requisition.jsp?org=MINIAT&cws=1&rid=434
Trimmer, 2nd Shift => (this may be a good position for the OTJT) => http://chm.tbe.taleo.net/chm01/ats/careers/requisition.jsp?org=MINIAT&cws=1&rid=420

South Chicago Packing (Chicago, IL)

Maintenance Mechanic /Journeyman, 3rd Shift This is an EXTREMELY HOT JOB and I need qualified talent immediately => http://chm.tbe.taleo.net/chm01/ats/careers/requisition.jsp?org=MINIAT&cws=1&rid=391

 

Veterans Strike Force presents A Tribute to the Veterans

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Support Veterans Strike Force By Attending their Upcoming Event!
—SATURDAY NOVEMBER 12TH—

Purchase Tickets at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/tribute-to-the-veterans-starring-melba-moore-the-fabulous-drifters-and-ronn-easton-tickets-27765460239?ref=enivtefor001&invite=MTA3NTgzNjUvYnJ1Y2VAY29hbGl0aW9ub2Z2ZXRzLm9yZy8w&utm_source=eb_email&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=inviteformalv2&utm_term=eventpage

Download (PDF, 330KB)

Veterans Strike Force Events for November 2016

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Support Veterans Strike Force By Attending their Two Upcoming Events:

Strike Force Veterans Day | November 11, 2016

Please Veterans Strike Force as they remember and give thanks to those who served. Family and friends are invited to spend time commemorating and celebrating our veterans.

The commemoration will close with a light lunch and music provided by In Full Swing, a 15 piece swing band.

November 11, 2016 – 11AM – 1PM
Jesse Brown VAMC

more info

Veterans Strike Force presents A Tribute to the Veterans | November 12-13, 2016

ONE NIGHT ONLY!!!!!!!

A TRIBUTE TO U.S VETERANS A NIGHT OF MUSIC FEATURING MELBA MOORE, THE FABULOUS DRIFTERS, RONN EASTON AND MANY OTHER GUEST!

Sat, Nov 12, 2016, 6:00 PM – Sun, Nov 13, 2016, 12:00 AM

Cost:    $35 – Show Only | $50 – VIP Dinner and Show

more info

 

Strike Force Veterans Day

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Download (PDF, 697KB)

Please Veterans Strike Force as they remember and give thanks to those who served. Family and friends are invited to spend time commemorating and celebrating our veterans.

The commemoration will close with a light lunch and music provided by In Full Swing, a 15 piece swing band.

November 11, 2016 – 11AM – 1PM
Jesse Brown VAMC

820 S Damen Ave.
Chicago Il 60612

Kizer Conference Center
2nd Floor of the Damen Pavilion