2. West Virginia troops are returning home from the conflict in Iraq to a tight job market and economy. They join West Virginia Veterans who are also struggling to find jobs. The Veteran population in West Virginia includes: 6,000 unemployed Veterans in West Virginia with a 7.7% unemployment rate 10,271 Veterans registered with WorkForce West Virginia 3,770 Veterans in West Virginia are unemployment compensation claimants Economic Downturn, Readjustment Challenges Await Returning Troops and Veterans

3. Recent proliferation of programs to assist military personnel

4. West Virginia Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (WV ESGR) approached partners about creating a single online resource for military personnel.

5. A single, comprehensive list of resources for returning troops, active military and Veterans, and their families The web site includes links to local, state, federal and private sector assistance for service members EMPLOYMENT, HEALTH CARE, EDUCATION/TRAINING, BENEFITS, FAMILY RESOURCES WVMilitaryConnection.org

6. “There certainly is no lack of effort to give back to those in uniform, but there has perhaps in the past been a lack of coordination – and this web site is a major step in unifying assistance to our military personnel, past and present. We are setting precedence by uniting our efforts to serve those who have served us with the hope that this integrated directory of services will establish a starting point for service members who might be unsure of what is available to them.” -Earl Ray Tomblin, Governor West Virginia

7. WV Military Connection Partnerships WorkForce West Virginia Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve West Virginia Veterans Assistance U.S. Department of Labor Veterans Program West Virginia National Guard WV Community and Technical Colleges WV Higher Education U.S. Veterans Administration

8. 7,967 Pageviews from January-May 2012 Most Viewed Pages: Employment Benefits Education/Training Family Resources

9. Initiatives resulting from WVMilitaryConnection.org Statewide working group to help military personnel get Commercial Driver’s Licenses (CDLs) for their military experience Creation of a statewide online searchable database of West Virginia physicians who are authorized to accept Tri-Care medical insurance for military personnel Centralized communication events and services for military personnel and their families

10. WV ESGR Sponsored H2H job fair on May 22 at WVU-Parkersburg exemplifies partnership 67 employers 132 Veteran-Guard-Reservist job seekers Multiple state and government agencies

11. www.wvmilitaryconection.org Email: wvmilitaryconnection@wv.gov