More than 30 wounded Soldiers graduated March 8 from the Transition Training Academy at Fort Bragg - the first class to graduate at the North Caroline base.

The course, which began Feb. 9, trained 35 wounded veterans assigned to Warrior Transition Units and the Army Career and Alumni Program in information technology. Future classes will run for eight weeks. Wounded warriors, spouses and their caregivers are eligible for the training. They can apply by clicking here.

“Fayetteville Technical Community College recognizes the hard work and sacrifices that wounded warriors and their families have made to ensure our safety and way of life” said Richard Rice, Director of Operations for Fayetteville Technical Community College at Fort Bragg.  “Anything FTCC can do to assist these warriors and their family members in their quest for professional advancement or personal enrichment is the right thing to do and we are proud to be a partner in this effort.”

TTA has centers at the Naval Medical Center, San Diego, and Camp Pendleton in California, as well as Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, and Eisenhower Army Medical Center at Fort Gordon, Georgia.  TTA plans to expand its reach in the coming year with new centers, as well as a virtual program.

The Transition Training Academy was established as a joint effort of the U.S. Department of Labor, Veterans' Employment and Training Service, Cisco, the Office of Disability Employment Policy and the Wounded Warrior Project (WWP). WWP administers the program.

Earlier this year the Obama administration unveiled a plan to spur more federal agencies to hire America's military veterans.

Now a major American corporation helping military veterans and their spouses get trained for jobs that require technology skills.

Microsoft today launched the Elevate America's Veterans campaign, an initiative that brings together a coalition of public, private and nonprofit organizations to give veterans and their spouses the skills and resources they need to be successful.

Microsoft will contribute $2 million in cash and up to $6 million in software over the next two years to support programs for members of the Armed Forces and their spouses who are separating from the military and reintegrating into their civilian communities and the work force.

Through a competitive funding process, Microsoft will award cash, software and other resources to eligible organizations, including veterans service organizations, work force agencies, community colleges and other nonprofit organizations. The initiative will provide veterans and their spouses with technology skills training, job placement, career counseling and other support services such as child care, transportation and housing. The initiative is intended to support active duty service members who are transitioning out of the military, as well as members of the National Guard and Reserves who are returning to their civilian jobs.

“I salute Microsoft’s plan to help our nation’s veterans successfully transition from military service to civilian careers," said Sen. Daniel K. Akaka (D-Hawaii), chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and a World War II veteran. "The men and women who have served in uniform make excellent employees, and I believe this effort will go a long way to helping them succeed in the 21st century work force. I hope Microsoft’s commitment will inspire all employers across the country to give back to veterans.”

More than half of today’s jobs require some technology skills, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that will reach 77 percent in the next decade.

“Our servicemen and women are amazing leaders, but to be able to compete in the tough job market when they return from duty, many of them need access to technology training,” said Pamela Passman, corporate vice president of Microsoft Global Corporate Affairs, who announced the initiative at today’s National Association of Workforce Boards (NAWB) Forum. “We are bringing together organizations and companies that can combine their competencies and resources with ours to make the greatest possible impact to help veterans and their spouses.”

Organizations and veterans can find more information on this initiative by clicking here.

The US Airways pilot who safely landed his stricken airliner on the Hudson River in January 2009 is hanging up his wings.

Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, an Air Force veteran who flew F-4 Phantom II fighters, officially retired Wednesday after 30 years. Sullenberger flew his final flight on Wednesday to his base in Charlotte. First Officer Jeff Skiles, Sullenberger's co-pilot during the "Miracle on the Hudson," was at his side during the last flight.

Sullenberger, 59, became a national hero last January when he made an emergency landing on the Hudson River in New York City shortly after takeoff. The plane lost power after a flock of Canada geese was sucked into the engines. All 150 passengers survived the flight, and Sullenberger was praised for his poise under pressure during the crisis.

Sullenberger told the Associated Press on Wednesday that he plans to spend more time with his family and pressing for better flight safety.

"My message going forward is that I want to remind everyone in the aviation industry - especially those who manage aviation companies and those who regulate aviation - that we owe it to our passengers to keep learning how to do it better," he said at a news conference shortly after his last flight landed at Charlotte Douglas International Airport.

As they walked off the plane, people in the airport recognized the pilots and applauded.

We, too, applaud this heroic military veteran - the one we'd all like to have at the controls every time we take off. The aviation industry just lost one of its greatest assets. Salute, Capt. Sully.

A new and improved government web site gives service members, military veterans and their families a better directory

for services.

The Departments of Defense, Labor and Veterans Affairs recently launched the new National Resource Directory, which  is designed to serve a broad base of users, including wounded warriors, service members, military veterans, military families and caregivers by providing a useful tool for supporting service providers, such as recovery care coordinators, federal recovery coordinators, health care providers and case managers at veterans service organizations.

The site includes information on jobs, education and training, benefits and compensation, housing, travel and homeless assistance. The directory allows users to target information by state or territory.

To visit the directory, click here .

The U.S. Census Bureau is poised to hire about 1.2 million temporary workers, most of them in late spring, to visit households that don't return census forms.

It may not be a permanent career for separating or retiring members of the military, but these jobs offer flexible hours (20-40 per week) and decent pay. Ideally, the bureau will hire people to work in their own neighborhoods. These jobs also might be ideal for military spouses.

The pay varies from state to state, and even from town to town. But the range seems to start at $11-plus an hour and climbs as high as $20 an hour. Workers are paid on a weekly basis, either by mail or direct deposit. To find out what the jobs pay in your neighborhood, click here, then click on your state and nearest town.

Bureau Director Robert Groves said told a Senate subcommittee Tuesday that 600,000 to 700,000 census takers will be hired beginning in May. The hiring campaign will continue through early July, and the agency is particularly interested in finding bilingual applicants and workers for rural areas.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is launching a nationwide advertising campaign to educate young military veterans about the new Post-9/11 GI Bill.

Since the new GI Bill went into effect Aug. 1, 2009, the VA has issued $1.9 billion in benefits to more than 209,000 people. But the VA wants to reach more potential students and educate them about the new GI Bill benefits they may be entitled to.

"VA, student veterans and our schools have made significant progress in implementing the GI Bill this spring, but we still have more to do," said VA Secretary Eric K. Shinseki, a former Army general. "We won't rest until all student veterans have received the education benefit they earned in defense of our nation."

To be eligible, veterans must have served on active duty more than 90 days after Sept. 10, 2001 (or 30 days if discharged with for a service-connected disability).

The advertising campaign includes ads in top college publications, online and social media, print, radio, and outdoor advertising such as posters and fliers. Public service announcements are being delivered to about 150 college radio stations and 750 local stations in areas where there is a high density of students, as well as military installations.

The two-month campaign will use social media channels such as Facebook, Google, MySpace, Yahoo and text messaging to reach student veterans. Student veterans can text "GIBILL" and receive the message: "You Served. Get Benefits." Veterans will then be directed to follow three steps: "Review your benefit options online. Submit your application. And check with your school certifying official to confirm that your VA enrollment certification has been sent to VA."

"This comprehensive, nationwide advertising campaign will help us reach those student veterans, service members and educational administrators who need help in understanding the GI Bill and their role in the benefits process," said Keith Wilson, director of VA's educational service.

Last month the VA issued a hip pocket guide and checklist with tips to help veterans and service members with the application process. As of Feb. 12, the VA had received spring semester Post-9/11 GI Bill enrollments from about 180,000 student veterans and already paid nearly 90 percent of students. All Post-9/11 GI Bill participants whose spring enrollments were received by Jan. 18 have been paid, the VA said.

For information about the Post-9/11 GI Bill and Military Friendly Schools, click here.

Kentucky last week joined the ranks of states and commonwealths to give a hiring preference to veterans applying for state jobs.

Gov. Steve Beshear on Thursday signed HB 75, which amends current Kentucky government personnel statutes to provide a preference to veterans and codifies the language in an existing emergency regulation issued by Beshear. 

“This legislation is a recognition of their sacrifice, but it also benefits taxpayers,” Beshear said in a news release. “We are all better off for having more veterans in state government.”

The bill was sponsored by Rep. Mike Cherry of Princeton, a veteran himself. “Every so often in a legislative career a bill comes along of particularly personal interest as well as importance.  HB 75 is such a bill for me,” Cherry said. “As a 27-year active duty veteran, I understand that sometimes in the employment market, a military person’s service time can be overlooked.  This bill makes sure that doesn’t happen in Kentucky state hiring.  It ensures that state government employees are aware of an applicant’s military service and that the applicant is given the opportunity to sell his or her skills through the interview process.  This is another way of saying thank you for what you do or did for our service men and women.”

The governor of the Bluegrass State also signed a bill last week that allows permanently and totally disabled veterans who are citizens of Kentucky to stay at Kentucky state parks for up to three nights per year at no cost, subject to space availability.

“Kentuckians are in far-flung places of the world, facing danger and keeping safe those who dream of freedom and peace,” Beshear said. “Kentucky’s military men and women have an unparalleled reputation for courage and commitment. We can never fully repay such service. But we can make decisions to show in tangible ways our gratitude.”