September 21, 2021
The Arizona Corporate Council on Veteran Careers (ACCVC), a collaborative group of motivated business leaders working to support veterans in the workplace, is proud to announce the arrival of the 2021 Veteran Affiliated Employee Resource Group Guidebook.
The guide, offered at no cost to all Arizona employers, serves as a roadmap for organizations to create a resource group within their workforce to support military and veteran affiliated employees.
“Employee resource groups are an important part of the Arizona effort to cultivate a welcoming workplace for veterans and their spouses,” said Thomas Winkel, a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps and Director of the Arizona Coalition for Military Families (ACMF). “The more we can educate and inform employers about the benefits these groups bring to their workplace, the more we can expand the advantages that come with being a veteran supportive employer.”
The ACCVC is a part of the Arizona Coalition for Military Families’ Be Connected Employer Network, a collaborative group of companies that share the goal of providing employment opportunities to service members transitioning into civilian employment, veterans and their family members.
“Our veterans and service members coming out of the military are a highly skilled workforce with technical knowledge and the ability to perform under pressure,” says Wanda Wright, Col. (Ret.) Director of the Arizona Department of Veterans’ Services. “We’re honored to be a part of this effort that identifies Arizona employers that are willing to take action to support service members veterans and their families by developing a veteran affiliated employee resource group.”
“USAA is proud to contribute to the new guidance that provides a step-by-step guide to assist in the creation of a veteran friendly work environment,” said Greg DeBernard, Col USAR (Ret.), Vice President Enterprise Litigation at USAA. “The more Arizona employers can do to embrace the values, proven capabilities and sacrifices of our military community into Arizona’s workforce, the more we elevate Arizona’s reputation as a veteran and military community friendly state.
The ACCVC was formed in 2016 to empower Arizona companies to harness the talents of the veteran affiliated workforce including service members, Guard and Reserve members, veterans and their families. The Council’s mission is to engage, educate and empower Arizona organizations with tools and resources to foster meaningful career opportunities and career advancement for service members, veterans and their families. ACCVC members include Arizona Public Service (APS), TriWest Healthcare Alliance, Nextiva, USAA, the Arizona Department of Veterans’ Services and many others.
“At Nextiva, we like to describe our work as empowering people’s dreams. Applying this to veterans and their families, we help empower them because we value their unique contributions to our workforce,” said Lane Chereskin, Senior Director of Sales Operations for Nextiva. “We encourage all Arizona employers to develop a veteran and military affiliated group. It is a terrific way to signal to the top recruits that the organizational values align with their own.”
The ACCVC is aligned with Arizona’s statewide plan to improve workforce development and to attract and retain service members, veterans and their families in Arizona. In support of the Arizona Roadmap to Veteran Employment, the ACCVC supports the employment and job training needs of service members, veterans and their families.
“APS is proud to be among Arizona’s leading veteran-friendly employers and a member of the Arizona Corporate Council on Veteran Careers,” says Lynn Hadley, Finance Business Operations Consultant for Arizona Public Service (APS). “This newly updated guidebook is one way that we can share best practices for supporting military and veteran-affiliated employees who have helped APS earn the Arizona Veteran Supportive employer designation and the U.S. Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award.”
The Veteran Affiliated Employee Resource Group Guidebook and more information about the ACCVC are available online at www.ConnectVeterans.org/ACCVC. For more information on the programs and services offered to Arizona service members, veterans and their families through the Arizona Coalition for Military Families’ Be Connected program, visit www.ConnectVeterans.org or call 866-4AZ-VETS (866-429-8387).
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About the Arizona Corporate Council on Veteran Careers
The Arizona Corporate Council on Veteran Careers (ACCVC) was formed in 2016 to empower Arizona companies to harness the talents of the veteran-affiliated workforce including service members, Guard and Reserve members, veterans and their families. The Council’s mission is to engage, educate and empower Arizona organizations with tools and resources to foster meaningful career opportunities and career advancement for service members, veterans and their families. The ACCVC is a Be Connected Employer Network and is aligned with Arizona’s statewide plan to improve workforce development and to attract and retain service members, veterans and their families in Arizona. In support of the Arizona Roadmap to Veteran Employment, the ACCVC partners with the Arizona Department of Veterans’ Services and the Arizona Coalition for Military Families, which provides technical assistance and advocacy for veteran and military family employment matters at the state and local level since 2015. Visit www.ConnectVeterans.org/ACCVC or call 866-4AZ-VETS (866-429-8387) for more information.
About the Arizona Coalition for Military Families
The mission of the Arizona Coalition for Military Families is to connect the 500,000+ military members, veterans, and their families in Arizona to the right resources at the right time through the Be Connected program. The Coalition is recognized as a national leader for its ability to bring together Arizona’s public and private sector partners in a unified effort. Launched in 2009, the Coalition works nationally and locally to advocate for service members, veterans, and their families. The Coalition works collaboratively to build and sustain an Ecosystem of Support needed to sustain Arizona’s statewide capacity to care for, serve and support service members, veterans, and their families. The Coalition’s membership extends across all levels of local, county, state, and federal government as well as a vast network of private companies, healthcare providers, faith-based organizations, higher education institutions, and non-profit partners. To learn more about the Arizona Coalition for Military Families, visit www.ArizonaCoalition.org.
