Gov. Schwarzenegger Promotes 'Helmets to Hardhats,' Announces Military Affairs Advisory Council

Gov. Schwarzenegger Promotes 'Helmets to Hardhats,' Announces Military Affairs Advisory Council

Governor Schwarzenegger today commended the nationally successful Helmets to Hardhats program that helps military personnel find careers in the construction industry. He also announced the formation of the Governor's Advisory Council on Military Affairs which will coordinate and communicate state and federal policy impacting California's relationship with the U.S. Military, including personnel and their families. The governor made the announcement and gave remarks during a ceremony at the Carpenters Union Training Center in Sylmar near Los Angeles.

"Our brave men and women in the military are incredible and we owe them our deepest gratitude for taking extraordinary risks and making tremendous sacrifices in defense of our country's freedom and democracy," said Governor Schwarzenegger.

"The building and construction industry in California is booming and we need as many trained and disciplined workers as possible to keep up with all the growth. By supporting the Helmets to Hardhats program, we are helping our returning veterans find high-quality careers. This program puts our veterans at the top of the list to enter qualified apprenticeship programs in fifteen trades and eight contractor associations. This is a great partnership between the building trades and our armed forces and veterans."

The United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America organization has played a key role in promoting the Helmets to Hardhats program. Joining the Governor during the ceremony were Helmets to Hardhats participants and dignitaries including:

* Brigadier General William "Bill" McCasland, Space and Missile Center, Air Force
* Navy Rear Admiral Len Hering, Navy Region Southwest
* Colonel Ken Gardiner, Director of Policy and Operations, Marine Corps Installations West
* Colonel Chris Philbrick, Garrison Commander, National Training Center at Fort Irwin, Army
* Captain Mark Hamilton, U.S. Coast Guard Western Area
* Thomas Johnson, Secretary, California Department of Veterans Affairs
* Mike McCarron, Executive Secretary Treasurer, Southwest Regional Council of Carpenters
* Doug McCarron, President, The United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America
* Major General Matthew Caulfield, Executive Director, Helmets to Hardhats
* Major General William H. Wade II, Adjutant General, California National Guard
* Brigadier General Robert L. Chu, Asst. to the Asst. Surgeon General, Military Outreach Coordinator for Southern California ESGR

More than 16,000 military candidates have registered in California for the use of the Helmets to Hardhats program and 1,482 employers and local trade unions have posted 3,356 career opportunities on the Helmets to Hardhats website.

The Governor's Advisory Council on Military Affairs, consisting of the Governor, the Adjutant General of the California National Guard and representatives from the U.S. Marines, Army, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard, will help develop partnerships and programs to serve California's men and women in the military.

The U.S. Military is one of California's largest economic sectors in California with the U.S. Department of Defense spending more than $43 billion annually on approximately 160,000 active duty personnel affiliated with more than 60 military instillations. California's hard work and unified effort during the federal Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process kept major military bases from closing within the state. The Governor's Advisory Council on Military Affairs will build on that success, working closely with the Armed Forces, the California Legislature and other state officials to maintain a strong role in meeting our nation's security needs and other issues that impact the men and women in the armed forces living in California and our local communities.

In March, Governor Schwarzenegger announced an effort to make California's higher education system more accessible to military personnel leaving the service by forming the Veterans Education Opportunities Partnership, which serves as a model for veteran education by developing an academic outreach, admission, and enrollment plan that targets and assists the approximately 60,000 California veterans exiting military service each year. The partnership consists of senior administration officials, Cabinet Secretaries for Education, Labor and Workforce Relations, and Veterans Affairs; Chancellors for the University of California, California State University and California Community Colleges; and California's military leaders.

http://gov.ca.gov/index.php/press-release/2470/