Hampton Firefighter Rallying Support for Veteran Bill

By Sean Morrison
Hampton firefighter, Army National Guard member


While deployed in 2010-2011, I discovered that the unemployment rate among deployed NH Army Guard soldiers in the battalion I was attached to was atleast 25%, with a much higher under-employment rate. I therefore began contacting state agencies back home to see what they could do to assist the veterans in obtaining careers when and if they made it home. I then received emails from state agencies stating that some of them did not have any veteran's preference at all, despite receiving an assurance from the State Office of Personnel that there was indeed a Veteran's Hiring preference in New Hampshire. Despite this proclamation, every veteran who attempted to apply for employment with the state was informed that no positions could be "held", and that if they missed any step of the application process, even if they would be home before the position was filled, they would not be considered for employment. Missed opportunities like this are exactly why a preference has been established in most states in the U.S.
 
Upon our arrival home, I went to the State House, and made contact with representatives for Sen. Sharon Carson, who along with Sen. Lou Delassandro, formed a sub committee to investigate this issue. They discovered that each state agency had it's own hiring practices, and that indeed many had no veteran's preference.  The subcommittee then met with various veterans' organizations across the state, got input from various state agencies, as well as the veterans' organizations and drafted a bill that would establish a true veteran's preference in the hiring process for all state jobs in New Hampshire. This bill will have a public hearing and vote on January 15th, at the State House, and with the unemployment rate among veterans in New Hampshire, and in fact all across the United States far above that of civilians, this is still an issue that needs attention. Unless one assumes that veterans are lazy, and do not apply to jobs,  or don't want a career, there must be a direct correlation between military obligations, time restrictions, job opportunities lost, and the nationwide higher rate of unemployment  among the less than 2 % of the population that joins the military, when compared to civilian unemployment rates. Your support is needed! Please contact your local state senators and encourage them to vote FOR a bill that would help the veterans of New Hampshire obtain meaningful careers upon completion of their service, rather than temporary or part time jobs. Your presence at the public hearing, in January, would also be greatly appreciated by  the veterans of New Hampshire seeking careers with the state that they defended.

The PUBLIC hearing on Senate Bill 296 will be held on Wednesday, January 15th, at 10 a.m. in at the State House in Concord. All those who wish to support this bill are encouraged to attend, or send an email supporting this bill directly to the committee hearing this legislation at SenateExecutiveDepartmentsandAdministration@leg.state.nh.us. Any organization may also email an endorsement for this bill.

Thank you!