SOURCE: www.dhs.gov
Washington, D.C. . . . Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano today met with leaders of several veterans service organizations – at a meeting hosted by Disabled American Veterans – to discuss DHS’ ongoing collaboration and engagement with America’s veterans community.
During the meeting, Secretary Napolitano highlighted the Department’s continued engagement with disabled veterans and wounded service members transitioning out of the military through initiatives such as the Wounded Warriors Program – a program expanded Department-wide in 2009 to facilitate the hiring of severely wounded or disabled veterans on a permanent basis.
She also reiterated the Department’s commitment to engaging wounded service members recovering from their injuries through programs like Operation Warfighter – a program that allows servicemen and servicewomen on medical hold to gain valuable federal government work experience.
In each of the past two years, the Department has awarded approximately $900 million in prime contracts to veterans-owned small businesses – so far this year, DHS has disbursed $633.7 million to veteran-owned businesses who provide vital homeland security services. DHS is also on track to meet goals by the Small Business Administration for overall spending with Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Businesses.
In addition, Secretary Napolitano discussed her close work with the DHS Veterans Outreach Steering Committee throughout the year to better engage the unique skills of veterans through employment, contracting opportunities and collaboration on key DHS initiatives such as Citizen Corps and other preparedness programs.
For more information, visit www.dhs.gov/veterans – launched last year to provide a one-stop location for veterans and veterans organizations to learn about DHS’s many veteran outreach initiatives and hiring and contracting opportunities.