Page 32 - AAA Hudson Valley – AAA Every Day – March/April 2019

COMMUNITY BUZZ
CEG Establishing
THE VETERAN CONNECT CENTER
to Replenish Region’s Ranks of Veterans
Before retiring from the New York National Guard Across all military branches and worldwide, the VCC will
as a Brigadier General, Michael Swezey frequently encountered service members who were unsure of where they’d live when their military careers ended. Some wanted to go where
they could get a job where they could leverage the unique skills they acquired in uniformed service. Others wanted to move to where they could enroll in college with their Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits.
Few service members,
however, had New York’s Capital
Region on their radar, and fewer
expressed an interest in restarting their civilian lives there. That’s why Swezey and a small army of veteran volunteers are joining forces with the Capital Region’s primary economic development organization to raise the region’s profile in the military.
VETERAN CONNECT CENTER
In 2018, the Center for Economic Growth in
Albany launched the Veteran Connect Center. AAA Hudson Valley became the VCC’s first sponsor with
a $5,000 contribution and the BBL Foundation and GlobalFoundries also have committed to the initiative.
market the Capital Region to these transitioning service members and their families and connect them to local career, educational and community resources. For the
veterans already in the region, the VCC will help them identify workforce and educational opportunities as well as connect them to other support services. Additionally, the VCC will provide programming and information to local businesses and institutions interested in hiring, educating and supporting Veterans. “When service members end their military careers, many are looking for jobs where they can utilize their unique
skills and experiences, or a place where they or their children can use their Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits,” said CEG President and CEO Andrew Kennedy. “With our abundance of technology and manufacturing companies, and 24 colleges and universities, the Capital Region
has much to offer to these new Veterans. So, whether they are at Fort Drum, Germany or Guam, CEG’s Veteran Connect Center will be the region’s first point of contact for transitioning service members and assist them in moving here and setting down roots. We’ll also be helping Veterans already in the region make the connections they need to stay and thrive here.”
AAA Hudson Valley has a long history of helping veterans get to where they need to go. We are happy to support the VCC and help them find a home in the Capital Region.
32 I MARCH/APRIL 2019