U.S. military veterans represent a diverse and talented segment of the workforce; however, they are severely underrepresented in our ranks. Out of the more than 18 million former service members, more than 5 million are between the ages of 18 and 54. Those men and women are ideal candidates for jobs in the trades.

One way SMART has worked hard to recruit these veterans is through the development of programs that reach out to veterans, such as SMART Heroes.

“One of the limitations to SMART Heroes is it is currently only available at two U.S. military installations. Although we are actively working on adding additional locations, it is a process that takes time to put in place,” said Josh Moore, ITI field representative and SMART Heroes specialist. “We can only reach so many candidates through that program. But there are hundreds of thousands of military members transitioning out of the armed services every year.”

Moore said reaching service members and veterans is a challenge that every training center should take on through a number of programs available to them, such as Helmets to Hardhats.

“Military veterans possess the ideal qualities we look for in apprentices,” Moore said. “They are disciplined, hardworking, mature and know how to work as a team to get the job done.”

One of the best tools training coordinators can use to recruit veterans to their apprenticeship programs is the Post-9/11 GI Bill, Moore said.

“Almost all of our training centers are approved to provide GI Bill benefits,” he added. “That means that veterans can earn while they learn and receive a monthly housing allowance (MHA) from the GI Bill while they are in the apprenticeship program. We need to do a better job of promoting that in our communities, so that veterans who are interested in the trades know they have funds at their disposal. It could mean the difference between joining a SMART apprenticeship program or not.”

The MHA issued is calculated as a percentage of the U.S. Department of Defense Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) and is based on the locations of the training. For information on the current rates, visit the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) website.

Many veterans also qualify for Veterans Readiness and Employment (VR&E) benefits, formerly known as Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment. A veteran must have a 10% disability rating through the VA to qualify. VR&E has the same benefits as the Post-9/11 GI Bill, with the difference being the veteran is able to keep his/her Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits, which can be transferred to a spouse or dependent. VR&E candidates also qualify for grants that can pay for supplies such as boots and tools.

Veterans who haven’t yet received a service-connected disability rating can find forms and instructions on this page of the VA website.

Training coordinators need to know the steps to help veterans access the funding available, Moore said.

“The first thing a candidate must do is get a certificate of eligibility from the VA,” Moore noted. “They can apply at www.va.gov. Once they receive that certificate, they will submit it to their training center’s administrative office. The training center will submit the certificate of eligibility with the veteran’s initial submission of hours to Veterans Affairs for benefits.”

In order to assist veterans with VA benefits, each training center must have a School Certifying Official (SCO) on staff. In order to ensure there is one on staff, or to train and certify an SCO, reach out to Moore at jmoore@sheetmetal-iti.org.