Closing Ranks, Opening Doors For Your Transition

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Closing Ranks, Opening Doors For Your Transition

• Sponsored by Business and Professional Women/USA
  (BPW/USA)

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Who We Are

• Multi-generational, nonpartisan membership
  organization
• 20,000 Active Members
• 1,200 Local Organizations in the U.S. and
  Territories
• Mission to achieve equity for all women in the
  workplace through advocacy, education and
  information

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Women Joining ForcesClosing Ranks, Opening Doors
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Why Women Joining Forces (WJF)?

• Approximately 2 Million women veterans in the
  United States today
• Many women veterans do not self-identify as
  veterans and are unaware of the services
  available to them
• Many women just leaving the military often
  experience feelings of isolation and uncertainty
  about post-military career plans
• Women veterans are more likely to be
  underemployed than male veterans
• Women veterans are 3.6 times more likely than
  women who are not veterans to become homeless
• When you help a veteran, you are helping an
  entire family

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WJF Facts

• WJF program was created to assist women veterans
  in their transition from military service into
  the civilian workforce
• Business and Professional Women/USA is the only
  non-governmental agency offering assistance to
  transitioning women veterans
• A WJF Advisory Council was created to help shape
  the program consists of women veterans and
  decision makers at agencies that serve veterans
• BPW/USA is uniquely positioned to assist veterans
  with a national network that can offer leadership
  training, professional skill development and
  mentoring
• BPW was created on the premise of women helping
  women and we have a history of leadership and
  empowerment

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WJF Advisory Council

• Dr. Irene Trowell-Harris
• Director, Center for Women Veterans
• Department of Veterans Affairs
• Brigadier General Pat Foote
• U.S. Army (Ret.)
• Brigadier General Barbara Goodwin
• U.S. Air Force (Ret.)
• Joy Ilem
• Assistant National Legislative Director, Disabled
  American Veterans
• National Service and Legislative Headquarters
• Ruby Miller
• Director, Administration Logistics Support
• Office of Operations Coordination
• U.S. Department of Homeland Security

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WJF Advisory Council

• Congresswoman Susan A. Davis (D-CA)
• Member of the House Armed Services Committee
• Congresswoman Kay Granger (R-TX)
• House Majority Whip and Defense Appropriations
  Subcommittee Member
• Staff Sergeant Onnameaga Kithcart, U.S. Marine
  Corps (Ret.) 
• First Sergeant Pamela Luce (Ret.)
• Executive Staff Advisor, Commissioner of the
  Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs
• Lucretia M. McClenney
• Director, Center for Minority Veterans,
  Department of Veterans Affairs

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WJF Advisory Council

• William Offutt
• Executive Director, Hire Vets First
• Department of Labor
• Brigadier General Wilma Vaught, U.S. Air Force
  (Ret.)
• President, Women in Military Service for America
  Memorial Foundation
• Colonel Anita Ramsey Minnifield, U.S. Army (Ret.)
• Delilah Washburn
• President, National Association of State Women
  Veterans Coordinators

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WJF Partners to Date

• Bridgestone Firestone
• Department of Labor Womens Bureau
• Department of Defense
• New York Times Job Market Salute Our Heroes
• Lifetime Television

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www.womenjoiningforces.org
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More than two million women have served in the
U.S. Armed Forces throughout history. Today,
Business and Professional Women/USA shows its
appreciation and support by helping these heroic
veterans transition into civilian professional
life. Women Joining Forces Closing Ranks,
Opening Doors is a BPW/USA program which offers a
full dues waiver for a 1-year introductory
membership to women exiting military service in
2006 and discounted membership to other women
veterans. Connect-A-Vet - Helpful resources
especially organized for women veterans. These
web sites offer a wealth of information to use as
you transition from the military to civilian
life, search for a new career or seek support for
you and your family. Are you a woman veteran
looking for a new job? Are you a company trying
to recruit talented women with valuable military
experience? Be one of the first to utilize the
new BPW/USA Career Center! Our Career Center has
been expressly designed to highlight employers
with benefits that support both women and
veterans and to capture detailed information on
candidates military experience. No other job
board offers this unique approach to linking
veteran women and employers that value their
service. Visit the BPW/USA Career Center today.
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Individual Development (ID) Program

• ID is BPW/USAs seminar series for personal and
  professional leadership development. This program
  assists women to meet their personal and
  professional goals, as well as their goals for
  community action and change.
• Tailored to meet the unique needs of veterans

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• Announcing
• Women Joining Forces ID Program

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Women Joining Forces ID Program

• BPW/USA will launch a pilot for WJF ID at 2007
  Policy Action Conference
• Individualized training
• Small group setting, networking
• Continuing services
• National rollout including regional retreats

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• Questions?
• For more information, email to wjf_at_bpwusa.org