Aon Project Helps Wounded Vets Find Jobs

NU Online News Service, Nov. 12, 11:46 a.m. EST

Final training in a job placement program and a graduation ceremony will be held next week for 25 disabled veterans participating in an "Aon Salute to America's Wounded Warriors," event, the brokerage announced.

Scheduled for Nov. 20 at the Fairmont Hotel in Chicago, the program will include the presentation of certificates of achievement to the veterans who are participating.

Among those due to be on hand is Retired Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and a member of Aon's board, Air Force Gen. Richard B. Meyers.

The veterans are residents of the Chicago area who are unemployed or underemployed and who are looking for careers in business, Aon said.

They will be taking part in a final day of training by the outplacement firm of Lee Hecht Harrison on how to conduct a successful job search that will include participating in mock employment interviews.

There will also be a networking session for the veterans with representatives from 38 Chicagoland businesses that are part of the Wounded Warrior Project that involves the U.S. Veterans Administration, the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, and disabilityworks from the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce

Veterans who are taking part have had one to two prior training sessions with Lee Hecht Harrison.

Aon noted statistics from the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Statistics, that the unemployment rate for all veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces was 4.6 percent in 2008 and the jobless rate for those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces since September 2001 was 7.3 percent.

A total of 4.6 million veterans served during the Gulf War era I (August 1990 to August 2001) or Gulf War era II (September 2001 to the present).

Gen. Meyers said in a statement about the veterans that, "despite their unwavering courage, many of these men and women return home from duty only to become part of a growing group of unemployed veterans that has reached dire levels."

The Wounded Warriors Project, he said, "provides these individuals with a tremendous opportunity to make a successful transition into the private sector and have a chance for economic prosperity."

Wounded Warrior Project Chief Programming Officer Jeremy Chwat, explained that, "Wounded Warrior Project aims to make this the most successful and well-adjusted generation of veterans in our nation's history."

He noted that, "Transitioning into the civilian workforce and developing a new sense of identity are powerful tools in the rehabilitation process for wounded warriors. We thank Aon and the participating Chicago area businesses for assisting these brave men and women during their journey to discovering a new career path."

"The goal for this event is to help every one of the veterans in attendance to find a job," said Gregory C. Case, Aon Corp. president and chief executive officer.

Wounded Warrior Project lists as its mission "to honor and empower wounded warriors." More information is available online at https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org.

Names of veterans or companies that would make good candidates for the Wounded Warriors program, can be submitted to David Dahler, Aon Corp., Aon Benfield, 312-381-3213, david_dahler@aon.com or Adam Glick 212-479-4590, adam.glick@aonbenfield. com.