American GI Forum National Veterans Outreach Program Supports SB 327
By Carlos Martinez
The National Veterans Outreach Program supports Senate Bill 327. As the President of the organization I hope this statement will clarify any confusion that State Representatives may have with other similar" Bills and will encourage the Calendars Committee of the Texas House of Representatives to move forward on Senate Bill 327. SB 327
does not create a Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) category.
As a Veteran Service Organization (VSO) The American GI Forum-
National Veterans Outreach Program Inc. or NVOP as many refer to it is a 39 year old organization that has served veterans with special challenges to employment since its founding in 1972. It is an organization that has cobbled many opportunities together to create an extensive continuum of care for veterans considered by many across the country as unique and innovative.
We at the NOVP provide services for veterans from active outreach in the streets and under bridges through case management for stabilization through transitional and permanent housing.
The NVOP is a specialist in job placing veterans with barriers to employment and is committed to an extensive follow-up system that maximizes opportunity for success of the client. We serve recently separated veterans homeless veterans disabled veterans and other veterans with special challenges to employment.
Since 1972 the NVOP has served over 450000 veterans headquartered in San Antonio Texas with five field offices throughout the State of Texas. However our experience with todays newly discharged veteran come with a set of different needs and expectations than when the NVOP first began to service the Vietnam and Post-Vietnam Veteran.
Let us remind ourselves of todays men and women currently serving in Iraq and Afghanistan approximately 50 come from the Reserve and Guard.
Having said this our newly discharged veteran is:
- a more mature veteran than previous
- may already have a familywhich stretch resources
- prior to deployment may have already had a job and a life"
- comes back with greater work placement expectations
- hence todays veteran returns with a higher" expectation of job than previous and rightly so!
Even with todays population of newly discharge veterans therein lies a varied population of veterans; some of the past demons" (if you will) continue to haunt todays veteran.
- Re-socializing
- Homelessness
- Substance abuse
This is a
hard to place" veteran which requires an initial stabilization phase and various support services including housing VA medical and counseling services prior to job training and placement.
As a Veterans Service Organization The American GI Forum-National Veterans Outreach Program (NVOP) works with every mentioned level of skill veteran; the NVOP recently placed an Air Force veteran as a test Pilot an Army infantryman as a Weatherization Technician through an OJT contract also helped another veteran first find a job in construction and installation of solar panels which led him to begin his own small business enterprise installing residential solar systems.
In expanding the work opportunities for more veterans as well as creating an economic generator for Veteran Service Organizations I encourage the Calendar Committee including all members of the Texas House of Representatives to support Senate Bill 327
which would enable a Non-profit (501-C-3) Veteran Service Agency to be categorized as a small business" for the purpose of bidding on State procurement opportunities only!
Senate Bill 327
does not create a Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) category.
This type of legislation if enacted would enhance the NVOPs job training and employment of the hard to place" veteran described earlier and offers veterans employment opportunities as part of our continuum of care. This type of legislation would allow our enterprises truly small business entities with an equal opportunity to compete for work which in turn would offer veterans with special challenges an opportunity for employment and work where other employers may be hesitant to hire them.
In example we serve homeless veterans some of which have not worked regular employment in months years or even decades. Not only are many employers hesitant to hire these individuals but the veterans themselves are also afraid to commit to a regiment that is stressful for them. Our companies understand this dilemma and we make accommodations to transition them into the workforce.
In the hope of expanding these sheltered work shops we have attempted to apply as a small business but we were rejected because we are not a small business by the States definition and therefore not a priority to the procurement offices. We chose to create our businesses as non-profit entities because all the proceeds that are derived from the sales and services are reinvested back into the services for veterans.
Legislation to expand the definition of small business" to include Non-Profit Veteran Service Organizations offers our organization an
opportunity to compete fairly with other small businesses like ours and at the same time create a new vein of service for Texas veterans. Senate Bill 327
does not create a special" preference or a HUB category for a Veteran Service Organization.
The economics of today and in Texas continue to call for a Entrepreneur Vision and a skilled yet varied workforce. The Veteran of today comes to us with varied needs. The American GI Forum-National Veterans Outreach Program as a Veteran Service Agency continues to serve the veteran yet seeks to expand their base of service to allow the creation of more jobs in sheltered environments that can serve veterans with special challenges to employment.
I applaud you each State Representative on this Committee including all members of the Texas House of Represeentatives for their heartfelt effort and actions to continually
provide the Best for our Veterans and their families.
I urge you to allow Senate Bill 327 to be set on the General Calendar have a 2
nd Reading with a vote before the Body provide a 3
rd Reading with a vote on the House floor and moved passage for the Governors Signature!
God Bless this Great State of Texas!
Carlos Martinez is President & CEO of the National Veterans Outreach Program.
