Supporting Veterans

A recent CBS study cited 20-24 year old veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan as twice as likely to commit suicide as their civilian peers. In 2005 alone there were over 6,256 veteran suicides, or, 120 per week.
Homelessness, PTSD, substance abuse, and domestic violence among veterans are all serious problems that deserve to be addressed. Currently, they are clearly not getting the support they need from existing sources.

The VGA believes that all veterans deserve: support in transitioning into civilian life, methods to work with these and other impacts of war, and meaningful work commensurate with their military training.

Green-Collar Jobs

What is “green-collar?” Van Jones, of Oakland’s Green For All has described the green-collar movement as an environmental movement that is not about “Birkenstocks and tofu;” it is not an environmentalism for those “who can afford a hybrid, who can afford to put solar panels on their second home.”

The green-collar movement is about training and supporting a highly skilled sustainable technology workforce. Green-collar jobs include renewable energy development, energy efficiency, sustainable building and agriculture, and ecosystem restoration. These jobs have the potential to create employment opportunities that pay well, cannot be outsourced (having a more secure future), are meaningful, and often lead to opportunities for self-employment.

We believe that veterans, due to the high level of training received in the military, their discipline, and their motivation, deserve meaningful pathways from service into the green-collar economy. Not only is this restorative to our planet, it is restorative for veterans, and it responds to a snowballing market demand for skilled environmental technology workers.

Program Strategy

Emerging research and testimony indicates that successful veteran reintegration is highest in settings that involve substantial contact with the natural world, and in work that has value for both the individual and his or her community.
Knowing this, the VGA is building pilot projects that both involve veterans in meaningful and therapeutic activities and foster local, regional, and statewide economies in Washington, Oregon, Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona. (Please see our Projects page.)

The four branches of VGA program offerings are:

1. Community College Programs

Modeled after the highly successful Washington Veterans’ Restoration Corps currently offered at the Green River Community College in Auburn, WA, this program will work with community colleges to develop a series of core curriculums in green job fields where strong employment opportunities already exist. Both day and evening programs will be offered. The initial fields of study include:

• Green Building
• Renewable Energy
• Energy Efficiency
• Sustainable Agriculture
• Sustainable Forestry
• Land Stabilization and Restoration
• Disaster Relief/First Responder

These programs are structured so veterans may apply their GI Benefits for both educational expenses and living expenses as they participate in the programs.

2. Residential Educational Programs

The development of residential programs will create opportunities to enhance educational services listed above in several ways. It also makes additional support services for PTSD, health services, and other forms of assistance possible that might otherwise be difficult to obtain. The residential program is beneficial for veterans who struggle with substance abuse or have special physical needs, such as those who are rehabilitating from disabling injuries. Several sites have been identified, one in Colorado and one in New Mexico, that have been used for veterans services and are now underutilized. The VGA is currently developing these sites into national pilots for a residential training and rehabilitation program.

3. Employment Clearinghouse and Networking

Many employers recognize the substantial benefits of hiring veterans. With their understanding of discipline, hard work, and working as part of teams, veterans should be highly sought after in the workforce. Through this segment of the program, the VGA is establishing a national clearinghouse that will link returning veterans to the many emerging opportunities in green-collar fields. A number of prominent companies in this sector are already in discussion with VGA to discuss participation and potential sponsorship.

4. Conservation Corps

Modeled on the highly successful Washington Veterans’ Conservation Corps and in relationship with the nationally acclaimed Youth Conservation Corps, the VGA is developing a National Veterans’ Conservation Corps to connect veterans to seasonal outdoors work in their local bioregion. Activities may include stream restoration, fire mitigation, etc. This program offers opportunities for veterans to work with each other, be out “in nature,” and make a direct positive impact on their communities.

VGA is a project under the 501(c)3 Earth Restoration Corps and is currently applying for independent non-profit status.

Our Mission

The mission of the VGA is to provide opportunities for military veterans to train in the emerging green-collar jobs sector through a veterans restoration corps, green-collar college degree programs, residential job training and health facilities, and a national green-collar jobs clearinghouse.

This addresses three primary needs:

• The country's need for a green-collar workforce

• Military veterans' needs for meaningful, restorative work

• Veterans' and veterans organizations' structural needs for supporting post-war civilian reintegration.