<body><div><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=1wBfDt_1FQYQdqe00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1wBfDt_1FQYQdqe00" width="1200" height="630" >Veterans looking to transition into civilian life had the opportunity to connect to community resources Sept. 16. The event, hosted by the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5162 and the Department of Veterans Affairs, ran from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Madison.“I’ve been a member of VFW since 2008,” Tammy Johnson, events chair for VFW, said. “I’ve held several positions but my passion is what we’re doing right here – resources and helping veterans.”The event featured 46 vendors that had information on hiring, veteran services and assistance. Five veteran service officers were available at the fair as well; speaking with one of the five VSOs required an appointment, which lasted 15 minutes.The fair welcomed more than 120 guests, including Garrison Command Sgt. Maj. John Fritz.“You served for us. Let us serve you,” the flyer for the resource and job fair read.For veteran Doug Litavec, a former lieutenant colonel, the fair was all about getting his VA benefits. Litavec served 21 and a half years in the Army and saw a lot of the world. He said he “spent a lot of time” in Fort Benning and Alaska and did some time in Operation Desert Storm.“My job in Desert Storm was to interview all of the war commanders before and after the battles were over. It was a very interesting assignment, it’s been a heck of a ride and I’ve loved every bit,” he said.Litavec recalled that when he joined the military, he looked at his dad and said, “I’m joining the Army.” To which his dad, who joined the Army in 1948, said, “OK.” “I just wanted to get out of the house,” Litavec said.For Johnson, the community and camaraderie are what drive her involvement in the organization. Johnson and her husband, Art, are both involved in VFW and both served in the Army. Art retired as a chief warrant officer 4, and she was a specialist.While the Johnsons didn’t find themselves in need of resources in their transition to civilian life, Tammy did find herself as one of the reductions in force during the ‘90s when active-duty troops were reduced to 495,000.When she joined VFW in 2008, she became passionate about laws and advocacy surrounding veterans. She became the legislative chair.“I have had opportunities to testify in field hearings with Congress. One of them was about the transition assistance program, it was four years ago when I testified,” Johnson said. “But, in my research, I have found that there’s a battle between the mission and the program.”She explained that for the program to properly work, service members are supposed to know no later than 12 months that their time is coming up for their transition. “Meaning that on day 366, mission leaders that don’t notify their men are breaking the law.”While this struggle is in place, Johnson said that’s where VFW branches come in.“We come in and help them; we give them resources to help with resumes and members that assist with networking. There aren’t many jobs that will take a resume that said your only job was to carry a rifle, we want to help,” she said.There are also scholarships available for children interested in military service and children of veterans. These scholarships cover grades 6-12 and they compete on a local, state and national level.Outside of helping run an organization, Johnson works as a real estate agent. She said she had some clients at the fair. Those clients, and many other friends, family and local veterans have been what she’s been looking for since 2008.“I miss the camaraderie; I was forced out – not because I did something wrong. I get the camaraderie now with my brothers and sisters of the VFW. We are servers; all military service members are servers. We have this innate need to serve and doing it in the community gives us an outlet.”</div></body>

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Veterans looking to transition into civilian life had the opportunity to connect to community resources Sept. 16. The event, hosted by the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5162 and the Department of Veterans Affairs, ran from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Madison. “I’ve been a member of VFW since...

VFW event connects veterans with community resources

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Veterans looking to transition into civilian life had the opportunity to connect to community resources Sept. 16. The event, hosted by the Veterans of Fore

VFW event connects veterans with community resources

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