Transition-e-news Volume 2  Issue 34   

Transition Insight

"Do not trust people. They are capable of greatness."
 - Stanislaw Lem

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By Army Capt. Maggie White Special to American Forces Press Service
 
CAMP TAJI, Iraq, May 18, 2009 – Iraqi National Police, working with Pennsylvania National Guardsmen, distributed more than five truckloads of food and household supplies to needy women in the Taji area, north of Baghdad, May 16. Learn More
 

Barbara Adams, CPRW, CEIP, CMRC, CFRW
www.militaryresumewriters.com and www.careerproplus.com

Federal agencies fill job openings like the private industry: most agencies are responsible for their own hiring actions, and often deploy “hiring sprees” in order to fill a large number of essential positions rapidly.

Important tip for federal job seekers: keep on track of the agencies that hire the most, and what positions they are hiring for. Since the federal government keeps track of the job vacancies at each agency, we can give you an accurate picture of where the most job openings are. All job vacancy announcements for each agency can be found at www.usajobs.opm.gov.

Read each vacancy announcement carefully. The vacancy announcement will explain the job duties and other specialized experience required. If you meet at least 90% of the experience, skills and level of education and can document it properly on your federal resume, there is a good chance you will be best qualified for the job vacancy of interest. If the job vacancy requests KSAs (knowledge, skills and ability statements) then they must be addressed or you will not qualify.

I recommend you take a practice run through the federal job application of a specific vacancy by hitting the apply now button. Answer all the questions and determine if there are KSAs and what the character count limits are on your federal resume and KSAs. You don’t have to submit your application right then, but you can save it for later and think about your answers and make any changes before you actually apply.

Below are the top five federal agencies for federal jobs in May and Summer of 2009:

1) Veterans Affairs/Veterans Health Administration (Jointly)
Job Postings: 3,731
Job Descriptions: Clinical Psychologist, Contract Specialist, Health Technician

2) Army Corps of Engineers
Job Postings: 3,671
Job Descriptions: Civil Engineer, Environmental Engineer, Social Scientist, Environmental Scientist, Ecologist

3) Veterans Health Administration
Job Postings: 3,435
Job Descriptions: Medical Supply Technician, Nurse Practitioner

4) Air Force Personnel Center
Job Postings: 1,831
Job Descriptions: Pharmacy Technician, Intelligence Specialist, Dental Assistant, Medical Technician, Attorney

5) Army Medical Command
Job Postings: 1,743
Job Descriptions: Medical Technician, Nursing Assistant, Medical Support Assistant, Licensed Practical Nurse

Keep checking www.usajobs.opm.gov as the website is updated daily and new job vacancies are posted. Don’t be afraid to ask a professional for help in developing your federal application, as they can be daunting.

Barbara Adams, President & CEO of CareerPro Global, the parent company of www.careerproplus.com and www.militaryresumewriters.com has been a member of the careers community for the past 17 years. Ms. Adams holds four prestigious industry certifications and is the author of the Certified Military Resume Writer credential. Barbara's team of Certified Professional Military and Federal Writers assist thousands of veterans applying for and gaining federal and corporate employment each year. Questions may be emailed to service@careerproplus.com.

All Copyrights Reserved 2009
 

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By Army Sgt. Carlos Valdez Special to American Forces Press Service

BAGHDAD, May 18, 2009 – A father and son serving together in Multinational Division Baghdad on Camp Liberty, Iraq, epitomize their family's tradition of service.

Army Spc. Allen Heredia is a military police soldier with the 810th Military Police Company, Task Force 91 Military Police, 8th Military Police Brigade. His son, Army Pfc. Steven Allen Heredia, is a supply specialist assigned to the MP brigade's Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 93rd Military Police Battalion.

Both father and son feel strongly about their family's military history; five generations of Heredia men have served in the military since the Spanish-American War.

Steven Heredia said he's always known he would follow the family tradition.

"Joining the military is something that I always wanted to do," he said. "Since I was a child, I have never thought about doing anything else. My father was never overbearing about my decision to join the Army; he always told me it was my decision to do whatever I wanted to do in life."

The elder Heredia was born in Bronx, N.Y., and joined the Army in 1977, as an infantryman so he could stay off the streets at a time when gangs, drugs and organized crime were at their peak. He was hanging out with the wrong crowd, he said, and could see that if he continued on that path it would lead him nowhere. He served six years in the military and received an honorable discharge in July 1983.

"I regret ever getting out of the Army," he said. "It was one of the best things I have ever done and enjoyed doing. So when terrorists attacked the Twin Towers on Sept. 11, 2001, I felt compelled to do what was right and rejoin the U.S. Army."

But it wasn't that simple; he was too old at the time to join the military. After waiting for four years, he was able to join an Army Reserve unit in Tampa, Fla., in July 2005.

The Heredias both said that being stationed at the same installation in Iraq is one of the best things that could have happened, since they live in different parts of the country back home.

"We see each other at least twice a week and speak to each other every other day on the phone," the father said. When they have time, they enjoy having lunch together.

Also, Allen Heredia said, he doesn't worry about his son much now, because he is able to see him every week.

"I am proud of both of my kids; they are the pride of my life," said the elder Heredia, whose daughter also serves in the Army. "The only thing I would do to change this whole situation would be that I would have loved to work with my son and go on missions together."

(Army Sgt. Carlos Valdez serves in Multinational Division Baghdad with the 93rd Military Police Battalion, 8th Military Police Brigade.)
 

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By Sharon Foster/American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, May 15, 2009 - For the last five years, the California-based troop-support group, Their Angels, have met every first Saturday, monthly, to pack civilian care packages and write letters of support to send to deployed troops. On May 2, the volunteers brought together 100 people in honor of Military Appreciation Month.

"We decided to extend an invitation to our active-duty military personnel, their families and veterans to come and be our honored guests," said Marva Lyons, president of Their Angels. "We also offered a special prayer on behalf of those that have paid the ultimate price for our freedom. We just wanted to salute them all for their service."

Nearly 100 people gathered at the Hilltop Church of Christ in Richmond, Calif., for the celebration. Contra Costa County Supervisor John Gioia spoke to the group about the importance of being involved with troop-support groups.

Students from Tara Hills Elementary in San Pablo recited a poem, "The Pride of Our Country." Military families gave updates on their deployed family members and veterans had the opportunity to introduce themselves and tell when and where they served.

"I really enjoyed the event," said Denise Marshall-Thomas, whose son participated. "It was a good learning experience for the students – to meet the troops and the veterans, to hear about their experiences. I was so happy the event included young people. My son, Isaiah, loved it."

Army Sgt. First Class Luis Green, who served a tour in Iraq, along with others, was welcomed with hand shakes, tears, hugs and thanks as the guests waited in line to express personal gratitude for their service.

"As a special surprise, we prepared special notes of thanks that were distributed to the veterans," Lyons said.

Following the reception, about 80 attendees gathered to pack 500 care packages, each with a special note tucked inside. The packages included razors, Band-Aids, wet wipes, pencils, candy, Kool-aid, cookies, crackers and granola bars, among other things.

"We work tirelessly each month to continue this tradition," Lyons said. "While the work we do on behalf of our troops is appreciated, we continue to look for ways to fund our monthly packing."

For the groups' efforts in arranging the Military Appreciation Month program, the Diablo Corvette Club presented them with a $750 check for their continued support of deployed troops.

Their Angels has assembled and shipped more than 14,000 care packages to deployed troops since 2004, according to the group's Web site.
    

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By Army Capt. Maggie White Special to American Forces Press Service

CAMP TAJI, Iraq, May 18, 2009 – Iraqi National Police, working with Pennsylvania National Guardsmen, distributed more than five truckloads of food and household supplies to needy women in the Taji area, north of Baghdad, May 16.

Women lined up with their children to receive food donated by the United Nations that was made available to them at the Taji Council building. Many of them said they had lost husbands in the war and have been struggling to provide for their young children.

Soldiers of the Pennsylvania Guard's 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team discovered the food in a warehouse here when the unit took over operations in February. Civil affairs soldiers and members of embedded Provincial Reconstruction Team 5, also based here, worked with the police to make the food available to needy women and children.

Women patiently lined up for several hours to receive their share of food and goods, which included rice, lentils, diapers, canned goods, and household cleaning supplies. Forty-five families received food, with enough left over for another 50.

Sosun al-Ergaz, president of Services for Women and Children of the Taji Area, inspected all of the food before distributing it to ensure that everything was in good condition. She gently called the women forward and took down their names as they piled everything into large sacks to carry home.

"I feel good about this, to help a lady whose husband has died get food for her family," Ergaz said. "Islam teaches us to help others, and it was the way I was brought up."

Iraqi National Police worked with Taji officials to coordinate the distribution. Army Capt. Maria Claus, a 56th SBCT soldier who works with the Iraq security forces, said this operation set a good precedent for the people of Taji.

"The people here see that they are working hard to take care of the [neighborhood] and the people of Iraq," she said.

Army Maj. James Fluck, the brigade's civil affairs officer, said he hopes the project will be the first of many that help the citizens of Taji. He stressed that the role of the civil affairs soldiers and PRT members is to mentor the Iraqi officials so they can operate independently.

"We want to help the national police with civil affairs and humanitarian aid training; it's a good partnership between us and them" he said.

(Army Capt. Maggie White serves in Multinational Division Baghdad with the Pennsylvania National Guard's 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team public affairs office.)
        

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TechExpo Top Secret Job Fair Linthicum, MD - May 19, 2009
 
TechExpo Top Secret Career Fairs McLean, VA - May 20, 2009
 
TechExpo Top Secret Career Fairs Huntsville, AL - May 21, 2009
 
TECHEXPO Top Secret Career Fair Baltimore, MD - June 16, 2009

Click here for a complete listing of
Military Job Fairs
   

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Northrop Grumman
What does it mean to work at Northrop Grumman? It means becoming an important part of an extraordinary company. Northrop Grumman is the world's largest shipbuilder, a leading systems integrator, a pioneer in space systems, and the U.S. government's largest provider of information technology. We are a company committed to the highest standards of business conduct and technical excellence in each of our distinct segments of business. These segments of business are also known as operating sectors: electronic systems, information technology, integrated systems, mission systems, Newport News, ship systems and space technology. Please click here.
U.S. Citizenship is required for most positions. EOE M/F/D/V,
 

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EG&G Technical Services, Inc.
Do the Best Work of Your Life! URS is the top Engineering and one of the top Defense firms in the United States!

EG&G Technical Services, Inc. and Lear Siegler Services, Inc.(both divisions of URS) consolidated to become one of the nation's leading U.S. federal government contractors providing operations and maintenance, systems engineering and technical assistance, and program management, primarily to the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security.

We are currently looking for Engineers, Logistics Analyst, Technicians, Aircraft Mechanics, Program Managers, Acquisition Analyst and more! We have opportunities in the US as well as overseas!

If you want to join a team of dedicated professionals who are among the best in their field, in a diverse work environment that fosters integrity and trust, then take some time to explore URS Corporation career possibilities. To learn more about URS Corporation, please visit our Web site at www.urscorp.com.
 

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FirstEnergy
Serve your community as a FirstEnergy employee the same way you served your country. FirstEnergy, a diversified energy company, has opportunities within our Energy Delivery, Fossil and Nuclear Power Generation, and Corporate Services organizations that are ideal for many levels of skill and expertise acquired during military service. These include all engineering disciplines, Navy Nuclear, Naval Electricians and Machinists Mates, Logistics, Technicians, and many other enlisted experiences. For example, Navy Nuclear or Naval Electricians Mates offer great transferable skills for electric distribution dispatchers, fossil and nuclear generating plant operators. Please visit our website www.firstenergycorp.com for a list of opportunities in areas such as Plant, Substation, overhead/underground line and more. FirstEnergy provides competitive pay plus incentive compensation; a Company-sponsored pension plan; 401k savings plan with company match and performance bonuses; a choice of medical, prescription, dental, vision, and life insurance programs; and educational assistance programs. We also provide employees called to active duty with 540 days (approximately 18 months) of differential pay and health coverage to support you as you serve our nation. Join a company that emphasizes volunteerism, professionalism, and team work - and rewards the skills and discipline you developed in the service. Click here for more information.
 

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L-3 IS Joint Operations Group
L-3 IS Joint Operations Group is the most capable and dependable aircraft modernization and mission systems integration company in the world. We are recognized internationally as a systems integration organization specializing in the study, design, development, and integration of mission systems, plus the modernization and maintenance of aircraft. We have modified more than 15,000 aircraft of more than 125 types, and more than three aircraft per year using our Quick Response Capability, and L-3 IS has delivered integrated real-time reconnaissance systems that contain more than 2 million lines of code. To see our opportunities click here!
 

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SAIC
Own Your Future
SAIC has worked with the Department of Defense since our inception over 35 years ago. That is how we know what disciplined, mission-focused leaders can accomplish. As an employee, you'll find the same dedication and commitment to accomplishing goals at SAIC that you found in the military. Take ownership of your future! As an employee- owner, you'll have the opportunity to achieve success within an environment that understands the needs of servicemen and servicewomen who are separating from the military. SAIC offers a competitive salary and benefits package. For immediate consideration, apply online by clicking here. Please let us know that you heard about SAIC from TAOnline.com when submitting your resume.
  

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Raytheon
Software Engineering / Systems Engineering
Challenge yourself, develop your skills AND relax your life.
Raytheon is recognized as a company that provides you with an ideal work/life balance. What better place to manage your career and your personal interest than State College, Pa. Ranked as one of the least stressful cities in America, with four seasons of outdoor activities, State College is the perfect place to pursue your goals.

Software Engineers
We seek experienced software engineers looking for a challenging career using today's leading edge technologies. Perform full life cycle software development of data exploitation/dissemination and real-time signal collection/processing systems. Senior engineers support proposal activities, define architectures and lead software development tasks. Junior-level engineers support design, code and test of software requirements.

Systems Engineers
Define architectures and requirements for leading edge systems, provide technical leadership in new business development and proposals and integrate sophisticated technologies and products. Use your knowledge of systems engineering processes and methodologies, including object oriented as well as conventional systems design .techniques to solve complex technical .problems. Provide leadership in a wide range of technologies.

Learn more by clicking here!
  

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Oracle Corporation
Excel with Excellence.
At Oracle, we're no strangers to pushing our limits. We've been first in class in an array of industry leading enterprise solutions, including being the first software company to develop and deploy 100 percent internet-enabled enterprise software across our entire product line. In fact, pushing the limits of our innovative solutions is an every day goal. Here, you'll be challenged by the excitement of creating leading-edge technologies and applications while enjoying the support and stability of and established leader.

To learn more about Oracle Corporation please visit: http://www.oracle.com/careers
 

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Install Success On The Job.
As a MasTec Satellite Technician, your day begins with a list of customers, the keys to a company-owned truck and unlimited potential. With a mix of new installations, customer support visits, add-on sales opportunities and technical service appointments, you'll experience a variety of challenges that makes each day different.

The installation and servicing of a satellite system can be physically demanding. Also, providing excellent service to every customer is a critical responsibility. But at MasTec, we reward hard work. From your earning potential to your career growth, every job you complete is your chance to install success into your life.

Install A Secure Future.
MasTec Advanced Technologies is one of the largest DirecTV installation and service companies. With millions of people turning to DirecTV for their television needs, MasTec Advanced Technologies offers unlimited potential to the right professional.

For more information on MasTec, or additional MasTec careers, click here.
 

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Be a part of a mission that's larger than all of us. The CIA's National Clandestine Service seeks qualified applicants to serve our country's mission abroad. Our careers offer rewarding, fast-paced, and high impact challenges in intelligence collection on issues of critical importance to US national security. Applicants should possess a high degree of personal integrity, professional backgrounds. Do you want to make a difference for your country? Are you ready for a challenge?

All applicants for National Clandestine Service positions must successfully undergo several personal interviews, medical and psychological exams, aptitude testing, a polygraph interview, and a background investigation. Following entry on duty, candidates will undergo extensive training. US citizenship required. An equal opportunity employer and a drug-free work force.

For more information and to apply, visit: www.cia.gov
 

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For more information, click here.
 

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By becoming an Edward Jones Financial Advisor, you can run your own neighborhood office, enjoy unlimited earning potential, and set your own schedule – all backed by us, a unique and long-standing financial services leader. You’ll find that the focus, mindset, skills and experience you acquired in the military or that led you to serve in the first place, will also serve you well at Edward Jones. We look for people who understand the value of maximizing their efforts and rising to new challenges in exchange for greater results and rewards.

Worried that you don’t have a financial background? Don’t be. Our world-class training program has been specifically designed to enable individuals from a variety of occupational backgrounds to thrive in their new career. Currently, there are over 1,600 men and women with military backgrounds who now proudly serve as Edward Jones Financial Advisors.

To learn more or to apply, please visit our military microsite at www.edwardjones.com/military. Once there, be sure to check out our videos from former service people as well as our contact list of veteran Financial Advisors you can call with any questions you may have broken out by branch of service.
 

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