SHARED INTERESTS ON WAYS TO ADVANCE, EXPAND, AND IMPROVE THE WAY WE MUTUALLY SERVE VETERANS WITH SERVICE-CONNECTED DISABILITIES.

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1 HI. I'M JACK KAMMERER AND I'M THE DIRECTOR OF VA'S VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION & EMPLOYMENT SERVICE. AND I'M BILL METHENY, DIRECTOR OF FIELD OPERATIONS FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR'S VETERANS EMPLOYMENT & TRAINING SERVICE. AND WE'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR TAKING THIS TIME TO INVEST IN THIS VERY IMPORTANT TRAINING. KAMMERER: AS A MEMBER OF THE VA/DOL STATE WORKFORCE AGENCY TEAM, ALL OF YOU HAVE AN IMPORTANT AND CRITICAL ROLE IN ENSURING THE SUCCESSFUL WORKFORCE INTEGRATION OF ONE OF OUR NATION'S MOST VITAL ASSETS-- THAT'S VETERANS WITH SERVICE- CONNECTED DISABILITIES. THE TRAINING WAS DESIGNED TO BE RELEVANT TO YOUR ROLE AS A KEY MEMBER OF OUR JOINT TEAM, TO HELP YOU BETTER ASSIST VETERANS IN OUR PROGRAM WITH SERVICE-CONNECTED DISABILITIES OBTAIN SUITABLE EMPLOYMENT. IT'S ALSO INTENDED TO BE USEFUL IN YOUR DAY-TO-DAY ACTIVITIES SERVING OUR VRE PARTICIPANTS THAT ARE IN OUR PROGRAM UNDER CHAPTER 31. METHENY: THE PURPOSE OF THIS TRAINING IS TO UPDATE AND EDUCATE STAFF ON THE REVISED MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT THAT GOVERNS THE VA AND DOL PARTNERSHIP AND THE UPDATED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE GUIDE, OR TAG, THAT OUTLINES THE CONDUCT OF OPERATIONS FOR THOSE SERVING CHAPTER 31 VETERANS. KAMMERER: THE DEPARTMENTS OF LABOR AND VETERANS AFFAIRS AGREE THAT THE SUCCESSFUL TRANSITION OF VETERANS WITH SERVICE-CONNECTED DISABILITIES INTO OUR CIVILIAN WORKFORCE IS A MUTUAL RESPONSIBILITY AND CONCERN BETWEEN THE AGENCIES. METHENY: BOTH AGENCIES MET IN 1995 TO FORMALLY ACKNOWLEDGE OUR

2 SHARED INTERESTS ON WAYS TO ADVANCE, EXPAND, AND IMPROVE THE WAY WE MUTUALLY SERVE VETERANS WITH SERVICE-CONNECTED DISABILITIES. THE FIRST MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT BETWEEN OUR TWO AGENCIES WAS ENACTED IN AUGUST OF THAT SAME YEAR. KAMMERER: SINCE WE ENTERED THE AGREEMENT, THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF VETERANS WITH SERVICE-CONNECTED DISABILITIES HAVE BENEFITED FROM THE INCREASED COOPERATION BETWEEN THE VA AND DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AS WELL AS OUR STATE WORKFORCE AGENCY PARTNERS. METHENY: AN MOA SIGNED IN 2005 PROVIDED FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A JOINT WORKING GROUP, OR JWG, WITH RESPONSIBILITY OF IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF EMPLOYMENT SERVICES AND OUTCOMES FOR VETERANS WITH DISABILITIES SERVED BY OUR RESPECTIVE AGENCIES. THE JWG DEVELOPED THE FIRST TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE GUIDE, OR TAG, IN IT PROVIDED GUIDANCE ON IMPLEMENTING AN EFFECTIVE REFERRAL PROCESS; IT ESTABLISHED DATA COLLECTION AND SHARING; IT DEVELOPED JOINT REPORTING RESPONSIBILITIES; AND IDENTIFIED STRATEGIES TO AID IN DEVELOPING JOB OPPORTUNITIES AND SECURING SUCCESSFUL OUTCOMES FOR VR&E PARTICIPANTS. VA AND DOL RECENTLY REAFFIRMED OUR LONGSTANDING PARTNERSHIP TO EXPAND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR VETERANS WITH SERVICE-CONNECTED DISABILITIES, SIGNING A NEW MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT IN FEBRUARY 2015, AND CONCURRING ON A REVISED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE GUIDE, OR TAG. THESE UPDATED DOCUMENTS WERE PROVIDED TO THE STATE WORKFORCE

3 AGENCIES THROUGH VETERANS PROGRAM LETTER 01-16, WHICH WAS RELEASED ON OCTOBER 30, KAMMERER: OUR NEW AND IMPROVED NATIONAL MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND THE VA INCORPORATE ELEMENTS FROM THE WHITE HOUSE'S JOB-DRIVEN TRAINING INITIATIVE, SUCH AS THE EMPLOYER ENGAGEMENT, PRIVATE-PUBLIC PARTNERSHIPS, AND LABOR MARKET CAREER INFORMATION. FURTHER, THE AGREEMENT EMPHASIZES THAT WE ARE A JOINT TEAM AND A JOINT APPROACH. IT ALSO EMPHASIZES IMPROVED QUALITY OF EMPLOYMENT SERVICES TO ENABLE BETTER OUTCOMES FOR OUR VETERANS AND SERVICEMEMBERS. AND IT MORE CLEARLY DEFINES THE PROCESSES BETWEEN US TO ADDRESS MUTUAL ISSUES AND CONCERNS. THE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE GUIDE, OR TAG, DETAILS A MORE UNIFIED JOINT TEAM APPROACH BETWEEN THE VOCATIONAL REHAB AND EMPLOYMENT AND EMPLOYMENT ORGANIZATION, THE VETS' ORGANIZATION AT DOL, AND OUR STATE AGENCY STAFF PARTNERS TO [INDISTINCT] PROVIDE A SEAMLESS, POSITIVE EXPERIENCE FOR OUR CHAPTER 31 VETERANS IN THE PROGRAM. HIGHLIGHTS OF THE REVISED TAG INCLUDE ENHANCED INFORMATION SHARING, REPORTING, A REVISED PROCESS FLOW CHART FOR THE LABOR MARKET INFORMATION, AND EMPLOYMENT SERVICE DELIVERY. 100% VETERAN REFERRAL CRITERIA FOR THE VETERANS IN OUR PROGRAM, A BETTER CLARITY OF ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES, NEW REDRESS PROCEDURES, AND FINALLY, ENHANCED PROGRAM ACCOUNTABILITY. METHENY: THE PARTICIPANT TRACKING REPORT, OR VETS 201 REPORT, HIGHLIGHTS THE IMPORTANCE OF DATA

4 COLLECTION AND INFORMATION SHARING BETWEEN VR&E AND VETS AND STATE WORKFORCE AGENCY STAFF. THE VETS 201 REPORT SERVES AS A PRECISE TOOL TO ENABLE ALL PARTNERS TO TRACK, SHARE, AND COORDINATE SERVICE DELIVERY INFORMATION ESSENTIAL TO THE SUCCESS OF EACH CHAPTER 31 VETERAN. THE ONLINE TRAINING OFFERED THROUGH THE NATIONAL VETERANS TRAINING INSTITUTE WILL CONSIST OF 3 MODULES TITLED THE SAME AS THE WEBINARS AND WILL BE ACCESSIBLE 24 HOURS A DAY, 7 DAYS A WEEK TO ALL PARTNER STAFF. STAFF CAN EXPECT TO RECEIVE INFORMATION ON ACCESSING THOSE TRAINING MODULES AS THEY ARE RELEASED. KAMMERER: AS EACH OF YOU BEGINS ON THIS TRAINING, WE WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT YOU PLAY A VITAL ROLE IN ENSURING THE SUCCESS OF EACH OF OUR CHAPTER 31 VETERANS IN GAINING OR REGAINING EMPLOYMENT. WHETHER YOU'RE PROVIDING LABOR MARKET INFORMATION, INTENSIVE SERVICES, SERVING AS A DISABLED VETERAN OUTREACH PROGRAM SPECIALIST, OR AS A VA VR&E EMPLOYMENT COORDINATOR OR AS A VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION COUNSELOR, EACH MEMBER OF OUR COLLECTIVE TEAM MUST WORK TOGETHER TO MAXIMIZE THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF OUR PARTNERSHIP. THAT'S CAREER SELECTION AND PLACEMENT OF OUR CHAPTER 31 VETERANS INTO SUITABLE EMPLOYMENT AND MEANINGFUL CAREERS. METHENY: WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER AS A SINGLE UNIFIED TEAM TO PROVIDE THE SEAMLESS, POSITIVE EXPERIENCE THAT EACH CHAPTER 31 VETERAN HAS EARNED THROUGH HIS OR HER MILITARY SERVICE.

5 THANK YOU FOR TAKING ON THIS CHARGE AND RESPONSIBILITY, AND FOR ALL THE GREAT WORK THAT YOU DO IN SUPPORT OF THIS JOINT EFFORT.