Hiring Our Heroes Comes to Springfield

Hiring Our Heroes, a job fair initiative aimed specifically at helping veterans transition from military service to the civilian workforce, will be in Springfield, on Friday.

The fair will be held from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. for veterans, active duty military members, Guard and Reserve members, and eligible spouses at American Legion Springfield Post 176.  Although the event is currently filled, an online waiting list is available.

American Legion Post 176 and the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce are hosting the event locally as part of the Hiring Our Heroes effort by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and The American Legion.  They say Hiring Our Heroes job fairs have helped more than 10,000 veterans and their spouses find employment thus far.

Toyota recently partnered with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Hiring Our Heroes job fairs and Sgt. Dakota Meyer, a veteran Marine sniper who served in Afghanistan, to help returning troops and veterans make the transition from military to civilian jobs.

Meyer, the first living Marine in three decades to receive the Medal of Honor, will be on hand at certain job fairs around the country to meet veterans and address the challenges they are currently facing. Toyota will back a “Personal Branding Initiative” to help translate veterans' military skills into terms that employers will recognize on a professional resume.

“The U.S. is currently facing an unemployment rate for post-9/11 veterans of more than 12 percent, which has the potential to increase as troops return home from overseas," said Don Esmond, a former Marine and senior advisor for Toyota Motor Sales, Inc. "We believe the Personal Branding Initiative is an important step forward in addressing this challenge because it helps veterans translate their military experience into marketable skills." 

Besides being a resource for career guidance and advice, the job fairs are a great way for veterans to meet other veterans in their towns and discuss their skills and prospects together.

For more information, and to locate a Hiring Our Heroes job fair in other cities, refer to this complete list.