NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND, PATUXENT RIVER, Md. — For many unemployed wounded veterans, perseverance is key to the job search.

Eric Mitchell, of Waldorf, Md., is a U.S. Air Force veteran who was wounded while deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraq Freedom/New Dawn in 2008. He left the service in April 2012 and continues to search for full-time work.

His quest led him to attend a wounded warrior community outreach event Feb. 21, a joint effort between NAVAIR and the State of Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation (DLLR), Division of Workforce Development and Adult Learning. While there, Mitchell and 12 other veterans learned about NAVAIR and other employers, fine-tuned their resumes and received one-on-one guidance on their career goals.

This is the second workshop NAVAIR’s Wounded Warrior Program has hosted with DLLR. Their partnership began in February 2012.

Wounded warriors often face barriers to civilian employment, such as the stigma of mental health or a lack of education or self-confidence, according to information from the nonprofit Wounded Warrior Project.

As of February 2013, the unemployment rate for all veterans is 6.9 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The unemployment rate for respondents to the 2012 Wounded Warrior Project survey in the labor force was 17.5 percent. Nearly 5 percent of them said they would like to work but had become discouraged about finding work.

Trisha Mandigo, a wounded warrior who is currently screening with hiring managers in NAVAIR’s Security Department, hopes to join the command later this year. She had spent more than a year looking for her next career after leaving the Navy, where she served in the cryptology field. Sonny Fann, the NAVAIR Wounded Warrior Team outreach coordinator, coached her on revising her resume to highlight her experience related to the security field.

“Veterans acquire a breadth of skills over their years in the service, and in many cases, they just aren’t aware of how valuable their experience really is,” he said.

Mandigo said employers should consider hiring veterans because, “we have diverse skills, and we’ve already proven that we can perform demanding jobs in different environments.”

“I believe that if a military member is willing to put themselves in harm’s way, then this is the best example that a veteran is willing to sacrifice for the country,” Mitchell said. “Imagine what sacrifices the member will give for the employer.”

While the February workshop specifically targeted Southern Maryland wounded warriors, Fann and Lt. Cmdr. David Shutter of NAVAIR’s Wounded Warrior Program hope to conduct the events quarterly and expand their efforts to reach veterans across the state.

“Even if you find one candidate, that’s a great return on investment,” Fann said. “NAVAIR disabled veteran outreach events, like those with DLLR, provide an immense opportunity to give back to the local community. There are many unemployed disabled veterans with the training, education and skills needed for NAVAIR positions. The placement of these well-qualified candidates helps mitigate relocation costs and long-term retention challenges, since they are already embedded in our community.”

Despite the current Navy civilian hiring freeze, Fann and Shutter encourage wounded warriors to continue to apply for federal jobs. They advise veterans not to understate their military experience on their resumes, as those skills can also translate to the civilian workplace.

Mitchell advises job seekers: “Be patient when looking for a job, and don’t quit just because you don’t fit that particular employer’s needs. Also, no matter your injury, keep trying to push yourself, no matter what.”

Since October 2010, NAVAIR has placed 575 wounded warriors in open jobs or developmental programs. NAVAIR’s Patuxent River and Cherry Point, N.C., sites are among the top locations where the Navy Dept. has hired veterans in fiscal year 2012, according to department hiring statistics.

The next wounded warrior workshop will be held May 29 at 8 a.m. at the DLLR Division of Workforce Development and Adult Learning on 175 Post Office Road, Waldorf, MD 20602. For more information, contact Alan Crawley at 301-374-1144 or [email protected].

Read more about NAVAIR’s Wounded Warrior Program or email [email protected].

A “STAR” approach to resume writing

 Veterans, and all job seekers, can use the “STAR” approach to writing a resume:

• Situation: What was the job and challenge you faced?
• Task: What were you assigned to do?
• Action: Which action(s) did you take?
• Results: What was the outcome?