Local Career Program for Veterans Launches [Video]

First Sgt. John Paul Doring is an acting sergeant major on base and handled multiple personnel situations earlier this week. He counseled a corporal whose wife had just given birth, a Marine who was in trouble and everything in between.

"So, far it's only Monday," he said.

The father of five might be retiring next year after more than two decades of service and is looking for a way to leverage his military experience to help him find a civilian career.

He is one of about seven participants in new Career Transition Assistance Program.  The month-long program — funded by the Armed Forces Interest Group of the Rancho Santa Fe Foundation — will teach the service members job seeking skills such as resume writing, job interview skills and civilian communication.

Veteran unemployment locally is 11.5 percent — nearly two-and-a-half percentage points higher than the national average — 10 News reports.

VANC’s transition assistance program will work to fix unemployment problems before they start, Sandra Fichter, vice president of VANC and a former Army officer, told a crowd of project supporters at 3508 Seagate Way, where the classes will be held.

"We are finding that a lot of our young vets are in need of jobs. And, consequently are finding themselves in a financial spiral as they are unemployed and unprepared for that change or for the longevity of being unemployed,” she said.

Doring said Marines are mission oriented and will complete tasks at all costs. And, even though he’s not sure of what retirement will look like for him, the military has taught him to deal with adversity.

“There's always uncertainty. Keep your composure; take a deep breath … and move forward," he said. "I'm not going to fail."

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