WASHINGTON—The Disabled American Veterans (DAV) welcomes a new White House initiative that will help service members and veterans get civilian credentials and licenses needed to find work in manufacturing and other high-skills jobs.

This initiative will provide opportunities for up to 126,000 service members and veterans to gain industry-recognized, nationally portable certifications for high-demand manufacturing jobs, according to a White House announcement.

“Veterans have the training, discipline and work ethic employers want and need,” said DAV National Commander Donald L. Samuels. “And while veterans often have the expertise and experience that could qualify them for in-demand jobs, they often miss out on the chance to quickly move into good jobs because they typically must undergo lengthy and expensive retraining in order to meet civilian licensure and certification requirements, often for the same type of jobs they held in the military. This initiative is aimed squarely at easing their transition to the civilian workforce by closing the gap between military training and those requirements.”

Among the key components of this initiative is the Department of Defense’s Military Credentialing and Licensing Task Force, which will focus on industries that need more skilled workers and identify military specialties that readily transfer to those jobs, according to the White House. The task force also will work with civilian credentialing and licensing associations to close the gap between military training programs and those requirements and give service members greater access to necessary certification and licensing exams.

DAV empowers veterans to lead high-quality lives with respect and dignity. It is dedicated to a single purpose: fulfilling our promises to the men and women who served. DAV does this by ensuring that veterans and their families can access the full range of benefits available to them; fighting for the interests of America’s injured heroes on Capitol Hill; and educating the public about the great sacrifices and needs of veterans transitioning back to civilian life. DAV, a non-profit organization with 1.2 million members, was founded in 1920 and chartered by the U. S. Congress in 1932. Learn more at www.dav.org.

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