Posted by Sen. Reid's Staff  on 9/14/2012 - 12:28 PM

Thousands of our nation’s brave servicemen and women came to Reno this past week to attend the 134th Annual National Guard Association Conference. It is an honor to have so many of our American heroes come to the Silver State, and I appreciate the many contributions of Nevada’s National Guard members that helped to make the event a success. I was also pleased that Colonel Robert Herbert, my long time Senior Policy Advisor who is a member of the Nevada National Guard, was able to attend. This meeting in Reno presented a significant opportunity to address some of the most pressing issues facing our servicemen and women.

I have worked hard to make sure our nation’s active duty military and veterans receive the very best support from government. Following this summit, the Senate began working to pass the Veterans Jobs Corps Act which will ensure that our troops who fought so bravely for our country come home to new jobs and opportunities that will allow them to thrive. With one of the fastest growing veteran’s populations in the nation, Nevada is home to nearly 300,000 of our veteran heroes.  No veteran, in Nevada or elsewhere, should struggle to find work.

The Veterans Jobs Corps Act invests in our veterans by increasing training and creating job opportunities. The measure will enable veterans to gain prioritized placement in first responder positions so they can continue to serve their nation as police officers, fire fighters and EMTs. It also creates conservation and resource management jobs through the restoration of our forests, parks, coasts, and public lands. Members of our Armed Forces are trained with the skills that will drive our economy forward and this legislation will allow them to put their experiences into action. I hope my Republican colleagues join me in passing this legislation so all members of our Armed Forces and veterans have opportunities to thrive.

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