When Johnny Comes Marching Home...

...will he have a job?

Making it easier for Guard and Reserve who are returning from deployments and easier for vets to apply their military training to civilian occupations are the intents of efforts by the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber.

Thanks to the efforts of Sen. Derek Kilmer, those issues are coming up for a hearing before the Washington Senate Government Operations Committee Monday, January 26, 10:00 a.m. - 12 noon in the Cherberg Building, Senate Hearing Room 2.

Last year, Sen. Kilmer succeeded in getting two budget provisos calling for studies of these questions:

Page 221 (6) in the budget has the one for licensing on holding in abeyance. The language is:
(6) The department of licensing and the department of health shall jointly review and report to the appropriate policy committees of the legislature by December 1, 2008, recommendations for implementing a process of holding in abeyance for up to six months following the conclusion of active duty service the expiration of, and currency requirements for, professional licenses and certificates for individuals who have been called to active duty military service.
Also, items 44 and 45 on page 164 of the budget:
(44) The department of licensing and the department of health shall jointly review and report to the appropriate policy committees of the legislature by December 1, 2008, recommendations for implementing a process of holding in abeyance for up to six months following the conclusion of active duty service the expiration of, and currency requirements for, professional licenses and certificates for individuals who have been called to active duty military service.
(45) The higher education coordinating board, the department of licensing, and the department of health shall jointly review and report to appropriate policy committees of the legislature by December 1, 2008, on barriers and opportunities for increasing the extent to which veterans separating from duty are able to apply skills sets and education required while in service to certification, licensure, and degree requirements.

These reports are not yet available and will be presented at that committee meeting. I know it somewhat disadvantages us to be asked to comment without having read the reports, but I ask your presence and willingness to speak about the issues you are familiar in getting trained for civilian occupations those with applicable military training. Please share with me your availability to participate.