Husted: Veterans get priority of service in Ohio
We believe in making Ohio a place where veterans are supported while they serve our country and when they return home.
Governor Mike DeWine and I have an unwavering appreciation for our veterans’ service and an unending goal of providing them with the resources, benefits, job opportunities and healthcare they need to thrive. Ohio is home to nearly 750,000 veterans, ranking sixth nationally for the number of living veterans residing in a state.
We are proud to be a state where men and women not only raise their hand to serve but return home to Ohio to begin their post-military life. We believe in making Ohio a place where veterans are supported while they serve our country and when they return home. It’s not just enough to thank our veterans but to encourage companies to hire them and provide them with the resources they need for a successful post-military career. That is why veterans get served first on OhioMeansJobs.com and at all of our OhioMeansJobs centers. When a veteran uploads his or her resume to OhioMeansJobs, they go to the top of the list for potential candidates to our more than 7,000 Ohio companies that have designated themselves as “military-friendly,” meaning they are actively trying to put veterans on their teams.
Governor DeWine and I believe that supporting veterans also means supporting their families, who make huge sacrifices while their loved ones are away. For our military spouses, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s “Hiring Our Heroes” in partnership with the state of Ohio and the Ohio Department of Veteran Services recently launched the Ohio Military Spouse Economic Empowerment Zone (MSEEZ). The Ohio MSEEZ is a collaboration of businesses and community partners across the state that are committed to identifying opportunities as well as barriers to entry for military spouses seeking meaningful employment.
Governor DeWine also signed legislation that requires state occupational licensing agencies, under certain circumstances, to issue temporary licenses or certificates to members of the military and spouses who are licensed in another jurisdiction and have moved to Ohio for military duty. This legislation often saves family members a great deal of time and money, sparing them the need to secure new occupational licenses.
Governor DeWine and I will continue to establish new ways to support our veterans every day with the ultimate mission of making Ohio the most military-friendly state in the nation. We want them and their families to know that our state welcomes them and that we support them. To our veterans: Thank you for your service and for the sacrifices you and your families have made on our behalf. God bless you.