Congressman Sestak Encourages Attendance at Upcoming Veterans Career Fair
Congressman Sestak Endorses efforts to help returning PA National Guard Troops transition to civilian life
Media, Pa – Congressman Joe Sestak (PA-07) voiced his support for the upcoming Recruit Military Career Fair, which aims to engage both Veterans and business owners in the process of transitioning soldiers into the civilian workforce. The event, which was organized by three different Veterans organizations: Freedom & Honor, RecruitMilitary, and Freedoms Foundation of Valley Forge, will take place on Thursday, July 16 from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Citizens Bank Park. More than 9,000 soldiers are expected to return to Pennsylvania from Iraq and Afghanistan over the next year and a half, and the organizers of the career fair hope to bring important resources to our state’s Veterans. — “I would like to personally endorse the efforts of Freedom & Honor, RecruitMilitary and Freedoms Foundation of Valley Forge in preparing for the return of the members of our courageous Pennsylvania National Guard,” said the Congressman. “I hope that every Veteran and business owner who can attend will consider how they might contribute to the transition of our Pennsylvania Guard Warriors and all our returning heroes of every branch of service to the productive, successful, and secure civilian life they deserve.”
This fall, a large and historic wave of Pennsylvania Guard Warriors will be returning home. These new Veterans will likely face various transition challenges upon redeployment, including combat stress, changes in family roles, and job changes. In fact, according to Freedom & Honor, today’s Veterans face an unemployment rate of about 25%.
“Our Pennsylvania Guard Warriors will soon be coming home from a historic and extraordinarily successful deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and all other assigned missions,” said Congressman Sestak. “During their tour, they were central to the successful redeployment of American forces in Iraq that will allow the Iraqis to assume greater responsibility for their peace, security and long term democratic aspirations. As a nation, we owe our newest Veterans and their families the healthcare, education, and employment opportunities they have earned in service to their fellow Americans.”
Born and raised in Delaware County, former 3-star Admiral Joe Sestak served in the Navy for 31 years and now serves as the Representative from the 7th District of Pennsylvania. He led a series of operational commands at sea, including Commander of an aircraft carrier battle group of 30 U.S. and allied ships with over 15,000 sailors and 100 aircraft that conducted operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. After 9/11, Joe was the first Director of "Deep Blue,” the Navy’s anti-terrorism unit that established strategic and operations policies for the “Global War on Terrorism.” He served as President Clinton’s Director for Defense Policy at the National Security Council in the White House, and holds a Ph.D. in Political Economy and Government from Harvard University. According to the office of the House Historian, Joe is the highest-ranking former military officer ever elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.
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