Warrior Gateway has built the country’s largest, most accurate information exchange for the military community — the G.I. Network. With more than 220,000 listings, the G.I. Network revolutionizes the way in which the military community finds and connects with the help they need by ensuring efficient delivery of consistent information through multiple access points to increase transparency; and enables users to make better, more informed decisions.

“It is an honor for Warrior Gateway to be recognized as a 2012 Computerworld Honors Laureate by creating a world where service members, veterans and their families can find support and get consistent answers when they need it, wherever they are, and through any organization or website they trust,” said Devin B. Holmes, CEO of Warrior Gateway.

“Through robust partnerships and innovative tools, the G.I. Network gives the government and nonprofit communities the power to break down the barriers that prevent the military community from finding reliable and trusted information,” Holmes added.

Warrior Gateway will formally accept the Laureate award during The Computerworld Honors Program’s Gala Evening and Awards Ceremony on June 4, 2012 at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium in Washington, D.C.

View the full press release by clicking HERE. Please SHARE with others by clicking the Tweet and Facebook buttons!

Thank you for your continued support everyone!

About The Computerworld Honors Program

Founded by International Data Group (IDG) in 1988, The Computerworld Honors Program is governed by the not-for-profit Computerworld Information Technology Awards Foundation. Computerworld Honors is the longest running global program to honor individuals and organizations that use information technology to promote positive social, economic and educational change. Additional information about the program and a Global Archive of past Laureate case studies, as well as oral histories of Leadership Award recipients can be found at the Computerworld Honors website.

Izzy Abbass, Commander of VFW Post 1, is a regular guest blogger for Warrior Gateway.

Unfortunately, we still lose over 18 Veterans a day to suicide across the US.  Some of these men and women are still wearing the uniform; others have been out for a short time or possibly many years.  However, one thing is common in all cases – easily accessible help may have led to a different outcome.

The Department of Veterans Affairs launched the Veterans Crisis Line four and a half years ago to help curb this epidemic.  The Crisis Line is a 1-800 number with trained counselors available 24 hours a day.  They are now up to over 1,000 calls per day and average 25 rescues a day – a rescue is when they dispatch 911 services to a veteran’s location to save a life.  This is a great service which is having significant impact within our veteran community.  But, how do we more effectively reach younger veterans?

In November, the VA took a bold step to do just that – reach younger veterans through the technology they use – mobile phones.  On November 3^rd, a text help line went live connecting veterans to the same counselors via text messaging.   Knowing that the under 30 veteran did not grow up with 1-800 numbers and that they are far more likely to text than to place a phone call, this was seen as a natural next step.

By texting to 838255, veterans receive an automatic text letting them know they’ve connected to the Crisis Center and asking if they are in immediate danger.  At the same time, an alert is sent to the VA Crisis Center and an operator takes control of the discussion through a computer interface.  It is basically instant messaging via text.  This is all completely confidential and there is no cost for the text messages to or from the number which was built by CrossLink Media in San Antonio, Texas.

Since launch, the number of contacts through the text line has grown steadily with over 900 veterans reaching out via text since launch and more than 300 in February alone.  This represents over 30,000 text messages going back and forth.  One reason for its popularity is the confidential nature of texting.  Unlike a phone call which can be overheard, texting can be done with other people around and in fact a number of vets have remarked that they are using the service so they do not wake up their family members.

The goal of the counselors is to still get the veteran on the phone with a counselor and then get them into treatment.  However, since in some cases the veteran does not feel like talking or won’t because of those around them, the text help line serves as a much needed lifeline to these men and women.

While no one believes that this alone will end veteran suicides, it is one more tool that is making an impact.  If you find yourself feeling lost and with thoughts of taking drastic action, reach out to the dedicated men and women who want to help.  Text to 838255 – it can be a single word, a question or just the word help and someone who cares will be there anytime you need them.

Izzy Abbass

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/izzyabbass

Re-Tweets

Text messaging to prevent suicide among young #veterans: http://ow.ly/9CFph #techmonth #guestblog

Reducing Suicides: Over 900 #veterans have reached out via text since November: http://ow.ly/9CFph #techmonth

Interested in Guest Blogging?

Email us at socialmedia@warriorgateway.org with your thoughts!

Members of the Warrior Gateway team are in Austin, TX this week for the 19th Annual SXSW Interactive festival!  South by Southwest (SXSW) Interactive is a five day event that will feature networking and cutting-edge technologies from around the world.  Taking place March 9-13, 2012, SXSW will feature over 2,600 speakers and a multitude of presentations and special events from industry leaders and some of the brightest minds in emerging technology.

CONNECT WITH US!

Get in touch with our team by tweeting to Devin @WG_CEO and Serena @smajrocket, and of course @WarriorGateway, using #SXSW in the message.  We’ll be around for the whole event, and would love to hear from you!

TWEET THIS BLOG

@WarriorGateway team @WG_CEO & @smajrocket at #SXSW! Give us a shout! http://ow.ly/9xUyF

This week, we’re happy to introduce a new guest blogger, Izzy Abbass, Commander of VFW Post 1.

One of the most common concerns I hear from vets every day is “how will I find a job”?  This will only become more frequent as the number of troops; especially those from the Army and Marines are reduced in the next few years.  While it may seem daunting – take heart.  You bring much more to the job market than you give yourself credit for and the key is figuring out how best to reflect that in your profile.

Despite your background, training and career goals, the strategy is the same for everyone, whether senior management, entry level job or mid-career transition:

1. Create a civilian resume
2. Build your digital resume – LinkedIn
3. Build/connect your network
4. Target and research companies
5. Portray yourself positively

While this may seem like a huge mountain to climb, it’s not – especially when you break it down into smaller chunks.  The following is a brief overview of the entire process and in future articles we will go into each in more depth.

1. Create a Civilian Resume

Start first by listing everything you’ve done in life in either a work or volunteer capacity.  This includes everything you’ve done in the military, any awards you’ve received and any recognition you’ve been given.  Don’t worry about translating it into civilian speak at first, that will come next.  The goal here is to have a shopping list of items that you can pull from to put into job specific resumes – this becomes your Master Resume.  Don’t worry about length because you are never going to submit to anyone.  For instance, my master resume is 5 pages long.

Next you need to convert your military experience to civilian speak.  We tend to use a lot of acronyms in the military which typically has no relation to anything in the civilian market place and we have jobs that seemingly have no correlation to the civilian world.  First, cut out the acronyms and convert your military job into what the civilian workplace looks at: how many people did you manage, what was the value of the equipment you were responsible for and what recognition did you receive?   Further, every job in the military provides skills employers are looking for.  I was infantry and we don’t have a lot of civilian infantry units running around holding ground.  But I did manage people, I was responsible for many dollars-worth of equipment and I completed assigned tasks on time under stressful conditions.

Finally, with your master resume in hand, you can create job or area specific resumes.  I personally have several versions – Telecommunications, Mobile Technology Specific, Project Management Specific, Marketing Specific, etc.   Do the same as these are the resumes you’ll submit for specific jobs based on the job posting.  You could have ten versions of your resume depending on your interest and what you are looking for, but every one of them is easy to create since you are just pulling from your master.

2. Build Your Digital Resume

Now that you have a master resume, you also need to build your digital resume.  The key tool here is LinkedIn.  LinkedIn is not the same as Facebook – it really is a professional networking site.  Everyone, whether you are still in the military, enrolled in college or already employed should build a profile on LinkedIn.  We could devote several articles to LinkedIn but in a nut shell, here’s the key things to remember:

• Complete your profile (LinkedIn gives you a completion status for you – max it to 100%)
• Upload a good face shot – while that shot of you jumping out of a plane is cool, it doesn’t work here.
• No private profile – don’t make it private as no one will see you.
• Have lots of recommendations – ask everyone you know and have at least 3
• Start connecting with people – friends, former bosses former co-workers, people you managed
• Be active on LinkedIn – check in every day and let people know you are there – join groups
• Make sure your contact settings are up to date and list basic personal information.

Join today and start exploring.  Find me, find your friends and find a group that interests you.

3. Build Your Network

This is one thing that scares a lot of people but once you get into the groove, it’s pretty easy.  As mentioned above, connect to friends, family, basically everyone on LinkedIn.  Always accept invitations to connect.  Also, join groups on LinkedIn and there are groups for everything.  If you served on the USS Dallas, there’s a group for that.  If you served in the 82^nd Airborne, there are half a dozen different groups.  Join them and get into discussions with people, answer questions and connect.  Also, when you meet people in your job search in person, connect with them on LinkedIn when you get back to your computer.

A large number of positions are not even listed anymore and come up in the course of discussion with people you meet or their connections.  Networking is key.  Check for events in your area for networking. Another site – MeetUp – quite often lists networking events in your area.  Also, VSO – Veteran Service Organizations – like the VFW, American Legion, Iraq Afghanistan Veterans of America, etc. have events and meetings from time to time.  Check them out and start making connections.

4. Target and Research Companies

Now you are ready to find the companies where you’ll fit and which make a great choice for your next job.  Research the company and find out what they have going on – new stores opening, expansion, new products, etc.  LinkedIn is also good for this as you can connect with people who have worked there or still are.  See if any of them are in your network or groups and connect with them.  In my experience, most people are happy to share information with you.  Everything you find out will be helpful in crafting your cover letter, tailoring your resume and for discussion in the interview.  Also, many companies can be followed on LinkedIn which will keep you up to date on the latest developments and staffing changes.

5. Portray Yourself Positively

No one knows you as well as you do so be your best sales rep.  Remember, all of us as vets have taken those extra steps of service that 99% of the country has not.  Be proud of you and your accomplishments.  This does not mean be arrogant but it does mean be confident.  When you get the interview remember to carry yourself well and be polite.  The key points for any interview are:

• Be Yourself
• Clean Appearance and wear a suit/business attire
• Don’t smoke before the interview – if you smell of smoke, you’re hurting your chances
• Practice answering questions about yourself – have family and friends interview you
• Be concise in your answers – provide detail but don’t ramble on forever
• Interview starts as soon as you enter the parking lot – be polite to everyone you meet including the receptionist and the guy watering plants
• Be prepared with questions – see above about researching the company
• Follow up with a thank you – hand written or through e-mail, always say thank you

Again, we’ll go into more detail on each of these issues in the future but this should give you a good road map of things to remember.  You do have to put effort into it but you bring so much more to the table than your civilian counterparts – remember that!

Izzy Abbass

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/izzyabbass

Re-Tweets

#Job Search Strategies for the 21st Century Veteran: http://ow.ly/9ji5q @WarriorGateway

5 Job Search Strategies for the 21st Century Veteran: http://ow.ly/9ji5q @WarriorGateway

Warrior Gateway hosted an exhibit table, and participated in several of the breakout sessions featured during the summit.

“With approximately 1.8 million veterans across Texas, it’s vital that all organizations work together to address the unique needs of the military community,” Serena said.  ”The Veterans Summit provided an incredible platform for building partnerships and learning how to best impact the men and women who serve our country.”

In closing, Col. David W. Sutherland, Special Assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff – Warrior and Family Support, spoke about the resiliency, strength and courage of the military community.  Specifically, focusing on the “Sea of Goodwill” and the importance of partnerships.

Serena, who led Sutherland’s public affairs team while deployed to Divala Province, Iraq, from October 2006 through December 2007, was highlighted during the speech as the colonel highlighted the strength of the military community through the Army’s Warrior Ethos – “I will always place the mission first.  I will never except defeat.  I will never quit.  I will never leave a fallen comrade.”

“I am grateful to the Texas Veterans Commission for bringing all of these military-focused organizations together,” Serena continued.  ”Warrior Gateway is eager and looking forward to working with the many organizations we had the opportunity to learn about.”

Retweetables

#Texas #Veterans Summit focuses on coordination & collaboration to serve veterans: http://ow.ly/8ON1i @WarriorGateway

Focused on serving veterans through coordination and collaboration, the annual summit is put on by the Texas Veterans Commission, whose mission is to advocate for and provide superior service for veterans in the areas of claims assistance, employment services, educaiton benefits and grant funding that will significantly improve the quality of life of Texas Veterans and their families.

Connect with us!

If you are attending the Summit, stop by the Warrior Gateway table and say hello!  Meet members of our team, and learn more about our mision to support the military community and their families.

Engage with us on Social Media

Follow the Warrior Gateway Twitter and Facebook accounts for Summit updates and photos.

“We started Project Gratitude out of a deep, heartfelt sense of gratitude and highest respect for the ultimate sacrifice that was made by our nation’s fallen heroes and their families,” explains Sharlene Hawkes, former Miss America and President of Remember My Service Productions.  ”By recognizing each of the women and their daughters as honorary Miss Americas – and giving them the VIP experience that Miss Americas’ have received over the years, it is just our way of doing what we can to pay tribute to these great Americans.”

Project Gratitude is a great example of how communities can step up, work together, and support our military community and their families.

“Warrior Gateway is honored to be a part of Project Gratitude in supporting widows and daughters of our fallen military members.  Initiatives such as Project Gratitude show how communities across the nation can step up to work together and support the families of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.  Alongside Got Your Back Network and The Miss America Organization as well as other partners, we are honored to join these families of our fallen in Las Vegas for the Miss America pageant,” said Devin B. Holmes, CEO of Warrior Gateway.  ”Warrior Gateway remains committed to supporting all members of the military community as they return home and seek out their new normal life.”

Keep in touch with us throughout the week for updates, photos, and much more:  Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare

If you would like further information on Project Gratitude, please visit the Got Your Back Network website.  If you are interested in supporting the initiative, please click here.

This past year, Warrior Gateway received two significant recognitions for our work to date.  In February of this year, I was selected as one of Federal Computer Weeks Federal 100, the top executives from government, industry and academia who had the greatest impact on the government information systems community in 2010.  While the award recognizes the individual, it was the hard work of the entire Warrior Gateway team that lead to that recognition, an impressive feat for an organization that was less than 2 years old at the time of the award.  We have been nominated again this year and I am hopeful that our continued innovation will put us at the top of the list again.

In May, we were also invited to participate as part of a small working group on veterans issues by the Clinton Global Initiative – America.  The Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) was founded in 2005 by President Bill Clinton and is a non-partisan organization that convenes global leaders to devise and implement innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing problems.  This is the first time CGI has focused on veterans issues and I am proud that we were included as thought leaders in this space.  We have been invited back and plan on attending again in 2012.

While 2010 was focused on our launch of WarriorGateway.org, our innovative consumer web portal for veterans, 2011 will be marked as the year we revolutionized the military non-profit sector by creating the G.I. Network, the only no cost technology infrastructure for government and non-profits alike serving the military community.

We have spent most of this year developing and piloting the G.I. Network and to not spoil the public launch scheduled for mid-January let’s just say there is nothing like it available today.  With over 200,000 non-profits included in the initial launch of the G.I. Network, we are going to make a significant jump forward in helping local communities connect to the Sea of Goodwill.  We have already signed up several partners and look forward to working with them in 2012 to connect the veterans in their community with the local resources that exist to support them.

To sign up to learn more about the G.I. Network, please visit: www.GINetwork.org

My philosophy has always been to focus on achieving results and allow those results to speak for us.  Warrior Gateway will always stay primarily focused on supporting our community and achieving results and partnership rather than self-promotion.  This corporate ethos is what defines us and I believe elevates us above the others that follow the go it alone approach.  We will continue to allow our results speak for themselves and look forward to announcing even more partnerships in 2012.

Happy Holidays and have a wonderful New Year!

Where: Union Pub, Washington, D.C

When: January 7, 2012 4pm-8pm

RSVP to the event by visiting the Cook-Off Facebook page.

Social Media

Follow the Chili Cook-Off live on Twitter by following: @DC_Chili and searching #DCChili

Retweet this message to help spread the word: Please attend 2nd Annual Wild Card Chili Cook-Off on Sat. Your $10 supports @WarriorGateway: http://ow.ly/8jmGV #veterans

Like Chili and Football? Cook-Off will benefit military, veterans, and their families. Learn more: http://ow.ly/82CyR @WarriorGateway

Opening remarks and guest speakers include: Eric Shinseki, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Col. David Sutherland, Special Assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; and Kevin Schmiegel, Vice President of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.  The conference theme is “Combating Veteran Unemployment,” which is a predominant issue right now for veterans nationwide.  One of the conference highlights will be the career fair on Friday, which will involve Student Veterans of America partnering with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and RecruitMilitary to bring employers from across many different sectors together that want to hire veterans.  Top tier employers will be in attendance, such as veteran friendly employers Booz Allen Hamilton and General Electric.  Attendees are encouraged to bring multiple copies of their resume and employers are asked to bring national and local job opportunities.

We will provide a live feed from the event through social media, so stay in touch!  If you are attending, or know someone who is, please connect with us. We are excited to network with as many student veterans, military families, and other organizations as we can.

Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin and join the conversation!

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@WarriorGateway supporting @StudentVets national conference in #Vegas: http://ow.ly/7H35R #military #education

Post to Facebook (please tag us by “liking” our page and then typing @Warrior Gateway)

Warrior Gateway will be supporting veterans continuing higher education and employment next week at the 4th Annual Student Veterans of America National Conference in Las Vegas, NV.  http://www.warriorgateway.info/?p=2958