Arbor's East Texas Workforce Center Veterans Staff Recognized for Outstanding Service

By Stephen Aubery

American Legion Commander of the Department of Texas Paul Dillard, left, and Texas Veterans Commission Chairman John A. Brieden, III, right, presented James Warren, middle, a member of the Arbor veterans service staff, with the Texas American Legion Award for Outstanding Disabled Veterans Outreach Program (DVOP) Specialist for his efforts with the program. Earlier this year, he received the National DVOP Specialist Award.

(Tyler, TX) Some think of service to country ending when a soldier leaves military duty. But that's clearly not the case for the Workforce Center staff (all military veterans) who make up the East Texas Workforce Centers' Texas Veterans Commission team. This group of professionals enjoys a reputation of effectively matching out of work service members with employers in the area who can benefit from the skills and values that these veterans have to offer. And it is a job that the team does well.

In 2007, the East Texas Veterans Workforce team received multiple awards both collectively and individually in recognition of their dedication. These awards include the Disabled Veterans Outreach Program (DVOP) Award from the Disabled American Veterans, the James C. Gates Award from the Veterans of Foreign War and the American Legion's Outstanding Workforce Center Office recognition of the East Texas Workforce Center of Tyler. The Texas Veterans Region V (to which the East Texas Workforce Centers belong) received the James C. Gates Award of Excellence from the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Additionally, James Warren, a member of the Tyler, TX veterans service staff, earned the Texas American Legion Award for Outstanding DVOP Specialist as well as the National DVOP Specialist Award given earlier this year in Reno, NV.

The awards represent a tradition of service that dates back to 1947 when the American Legion began working with 8.5 million service men and women who returned from World War II and faced transition to civilian life. By working to help these returning veterans find employment, the American Legion provided a blueprint that benefited both the former military members and the employers who hired them. Other organizations such as the Disabled American Veterans and Veterans of Foreign Wars recognized the positive impact on both the veterans and the business community and initiated similar recognition programs.

The East Texas Workforce Centers' Texas Veterans Commission team that received these honors was led by veteran representative Joe Hamrick (Local Veterans Employment Representative - LVER). Other members on this award winning team are James Warren (DVOP), Natividad Arriola (LVER), William Prentiss (LVER), Greg Adams (DVOP), Judy Welch (LVER), and John Bell (DVOP) who received the Disabled American Veterans award for his outstanding work in the East Texas Workforce Center.