Texas Veterans Leadership Program

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Texas Veterans Leadership Program
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Mission

• The mission of the Texas Veterans Leadership
  Program (TVLP) is to assist returning veterans
  from Iraq and Afghanistan as they resume civilian
  life in Texas.
• Across the state there will be 28 Veterans
  Resource and Referral Specialists (VRRS) that
  will provide critical resource and referral
  services to assist these veterans in connecting
  with necessary employment and training services,
  as well as locating existing resources that can
  provide other ancillary services.

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Goals

• To provide coordination between the different
  services available to assist returning veterans
  from Iraq and Afghanistan.
• Focus on the re-integration of the returning
  veterans into their communities.
• Work in conjunction with other governmental
  agencies and community organizations.
• Provide proactive assistance to veterans.
• Help to develop a leadership group of returning
  veterans who can make a positive contribution as
  future leaders of our state and nation.
• Draw on the common experience of those who
  served to help their returning veterans from
  Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and/or Operation
  Enduring Freedom (OEF) in Afghanistan.

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Purpose

• TVLP is a resource and referral network that
  serves to connect returning veterans of Iraq and
  Afghanistan with the resources and tools they
  need to lead productive lives and enjoy the full
  benefits of the society they have willingly
  served.

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Veterans Resource and Referral Specialists

• VRRSs will
• Seek out veterans in need of service.
• Serve as resource and referral agents, directing
  returning veterans to resources tailored to their
  needs.
• Make referrals and coordinate with different
  programs ranging from employment and training to
  medical care, mental health and counseling,
  veterans benefits, and other programs to address
  the varying needs of veterans.
• Coordinate a chain of volunteer veterans familiar
  with the obstacles faced by returning veterans to
  assist in mentoring and serving returning
  Iraq/Afghanistan veterans.

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Media

• A comprehensive media campaign will be developed
  to outreach Iraq and Afghanistan veterans who may
  be unaware of the services that are available to
  assist them. The media campaign will also focus
  on the resources that these returning veterans
  bring by
• Portraying these veterans as a viable resource
  for employment, noting the experience their
  military careers provide.
• Portraying these veterans as a productive part of
  their communities.
• Ensuring that these veterans understand that they
  can find gainful employment and services after
  they leave the military, and to ensure that they
  are welcomed back to Texas the right way in
  appreciation of their answering their countrys
  call.

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Timeline for Success

• 1.99 million Iraq and Afghanistan veterans.
• 113,501 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans in Texas.
• 24-25,000 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans separate
  from the service and return to Texas annually.
• 40-50,000 service members rotate in and out of
  Texas to and from Iraq and Afghanistan annually.

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For Additional Information

• Please Contact
• Sherman N. Weeks
• Veterans Resource and Referral Specialist
• Texas Veterans Leadership Program
• Texas Workforce Commission
• Sherman.weeks_at_twc.state.tx.us
• [phone]

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