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Virginia Capitol C onnections, Summer 2015 15
300. 9,000. 3,000.
Those numbers demonstrate the
success of the Virginia Values Veterans (V3)
Program in putting Virginia veterans to
work in the NewVirginia Economy.
300 is the number of Virginia
employers who have partnered with the
V3 Program to hire veterans; 9,000 is the
number of veterans hired to date, and 3,000
is the number of additional veterans the V3
companies have committed to hire.
Operated by the Virginia Department
of Veterans Services, the V3 Program helps
Virginia employers develop strategies and tools to recruit, hire, and
retain veterans.
Virginia employers have always been eager to hire veterans
because they want to help the veteran. But the V3 Program takes a
different approach: employers should hire veterans because they want
to help their bottom line.
Great talent is becoming harder to find for employers. As
industries become increasingly high-tech, demand quick thinking,
and expect leadership at every level, locating the ideal candidate
can be an expensive task for employers—many of whom seek new
employees who are motivated, quick thinking, have worked in a team
environment, and can quickly learn new skills.
Enter the 21st Century veteran and the V3 Program.
The V3 Program: a win-win-win approach
Whether today’s veterans leaving the military after serving
for three years or thirty, they have been exposed to state-of-the art
technology, have had to make quick decisions in high-stress situations,
have led or been a part of a diverse team, and have acquired many
different skills in a short amount of time.
The V3 Program is proactive about staying in front of
employment trends in Virginia and is aggressive about being well
informed of the needs of its diverse pool of current and potential
employers. Armed with this information, the V3 Program takes it one
step further by ensuring that employers know how to engage with
potential veteran hires. By employing this multi-pronged strategy,
the V3 Program serves as a powerful force in driving successful
economic development. That is why the Commonwealth has invested
so vigorously in the V3 Program over the last three years—it’s a win-
win-win scenario for veterans, employers, and the state.
This plays out in multiple ways. Businesses may be unaware
of how knowledge, skills, and abilities acquired in the military can
be used in the workforce. The language of the military—full of
specialized terms and acronyms—may not always translate easily
to the language of the business world. Even though a veteran may
be the ideal candidate, his or her resume may not rise to the top of
the screening pile. The V3 Program helps Virginia employers learn
to tailor their recruitment practices to attract veteran applicants, and
how to screen applications so that a veteran’s talents and experience
rises to the top.
The Virginia Values Veterans (V3) Program Reaches New Heights;
Launches new V3 Employment Grant By Andrew Schwartz
Training costs drive the bottom line for many employers. The
U.S. military invests significant resources in training leadership and
management at all levels—from small units of three to four people
to organizations with several thousand members. The V3 Program
helps Virginia employers recognize what is already there, and how
hiring a trained leader or manager will contribute immediately to any
company’s success.
80,000. Number One
The number of veterans hired, and the number of Virginia
employers that have committed to hiring veterans, is only part of the
story. The number of veterans in the labor force, and the growth in
the state’s veteran population, tell the rest of it. Virginia needs the V3
Program because more Virginia veterans need jobs.
Since 2010, Virginia has added over 80,000 new veterans to its
labor force; that’s more than the other 49 states combined. There are
508,000 veterans the Virginia labor force.
Virginia also boasts the highest veteran labor force participation
rate in the United States, and is one of only two states in which the
veteran population is projected to grow.
New V3 Employment Grant
On July 1, the V3 Program launched a new initiative designed to
recognizeVirginia employers that have achieved success in both hiring
and retaining veterans.
Under the new initiative, employers may apply to the V3 Program
for a $1,000 grant for each veteran that has been hired and retained for
one year, up to a maximum of $10,000 per company per year. Veterans
must have been out of the military for one year or less when hired, and
must be paid at least the prevailing wage for the locality in which they
work. Grants are limited to small and medium sized businesses, with
300 or fewer employees.
The grants will be funded through a $500,000 appropriation
approved by Governor McAuliffe and the 2015 General Assembly, and
will be available on a first-come, first-served basis until available funds
are exhausted. To learn more about the V3 Program and the new V3
Employment Grant, visit
If you’re a private or public sector employer who is looking for the
best person for your company, look no further than the V3 Program—
we’ll help you learn to recruit, hire, and retain the best employees in
Virginia. Veterans!
Andrew Schwartz is the Virginia Values Veterans (V3)
Program Manager.
Virginia Values Veterans V3 Program
Virginia Department of Veterans Services
century, we have got to invest in basic research.”
On top advice for Virginia lawmakers, the President and CEO of
Kaleo Spencer Williamson said, “Capital is critically important. The
R&D tax credit in this state has been fantastic. The Virginia Chamber
supported it. The legislature continues to support it. Those kinds of
things are very important as we’re building companies. At a higher
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level, our corporate tax rate in the United States is challenging as we
compete with companies around the world. In the longer term, that’s
something we need to tackle.”
Paul Logan is the Communications Director,
Virginia Chamber of Commerce.
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