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Story and photo by Major Carolyn Dysart
The Marine For Life program paid off for (from left) Sgt Denis Ortega, Staff Sergeant Troy Eddy and Corporal Francisco German, who were among more than 20 Marines hired during 2004 by UPS to work in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.
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In February 2004, the “Marine For Life” program entered a new era with the launch of a full-service Web site at www.M4L.usmc.mil. Since then, transitioning Marines have been logging in for assistance at a rate of 2,000 each month.
“The new Web site took us to a new level. We can provide more service to more Marines and yet operate more efficiently,” said Colonel Bill Lake, Marine For Life program director. “This is where we knew we had to be in order for the program to be truly successful.”
With so much of the program now available online, Marines can literally help themselves. It’s easy to search the job board, employer database and mentor network. Marines also can post their résumé for review by employers.
Marine For Life is more than the Web site, though; it’s a network of people. Marines are encouraged to make contact with their “Hometown Link,” the reservist responsible for building the local network and assisting Marines moving to that area.
“There’s just a myriad of information that the individual Hometown Links have to share,” said Major Race Roberson, who has been the Orlando, Fla., Hometown Link for the past two years. “I’ve been in the area and I know the network.”
Roberson queries Marines on their plans and helps to educate them on their choices. Some may not know the requirements for certain jobs or how the hiring process works or the local strength of a particular industry. He also directs them to the right resources for assistance with benefits.
Employment assistance is the top reason for Marines to use the program, so the Marine For Life staff has put a lot of emphasis on attracting quality employers. Thousands of companies, large and small, have joined the network for the opportunity to help and hire Marine veterans.
“It took about 30 seconds to sell me on it,” said Kevin Garvey, the United Parcel Service (UPS) Metro D.C. District Workforce planning manager.
“After the very first meeting, we thought we had something special. There are a lot of cultural similarities between UPS and the Marine Corps,” said Garvey. He has hired more than 20 Marines since March 2004.
Toyota’s “Hire A Hero” program and The Home Depot’s “Operation Career Front” are recent initiatives to hire veterans. Marine For Life works closely with both.
“The U.S. military community offers The Home Depot a talent pool of highly skilled individuals who have unique knowledge and character from their military experience, making them ideal candidates for our national hiring initiative,” stated Bob Nardelli, chairman, president and chief executive officer of The Home Depot, in a press release. “We view our support of the military as our responsibility to our country and a valuable investment in our company’s future. In short, it is good for America, and it is good for our business.”
Employers can advertise job positions free of charge on the Marine For Life job board and search through the résumés posted by Marines to find potential candidates.
“It’s a natural. It doesn’t cost me anything, and I get great candidates,” said Sally Hart, national military recruiting director for uniform giant Cintas, one of the first companies to join the fledgling Marine For Life network back in 2001.
One of the newest features on the Web site is the Marine Mentor Network. Marine veterans and others can volunteer as mentors for transitioning Marines.
“Not everyone is in a position to offer employment or services, but they can still be a valuable resource because of their experience and contacts,” said Captain Kristin McLellan, Marine For Life outreach coordinator. “We have a lot of veterans who want to help. The mentor network will make them more accessible to transitioning Marines.”
The growing list of mentors displays an impressive wealth of experience—from the lance corporal who transitioned in 2003 and can provide advice on returning to Puerto Rico, to the attorney who can help with immigration and citizenship, to any number who can connect Marines with job opportunities in various companies. The thread that runs through all of the entries is the willingness to help fellow Marines.
“I went from an 18-year-old punk to Marine poster,” reads the opening line of Douglas Beatty’s entry that is sure to catch a Marine’s eye. The former sergeant owns a chain of successful restaurants and also is a motivational speaker.
“I know what they’re going through,” said Beatty, who lives in Asheville, N.C. After serving on active duty from 1980 to 1985, he went home and started college. “As a 24-year-old among a bunch of 18-year-olds, I realized there was something different about me than everybody else. The only limitations you have are the ones you set.”
The program is also expanding to add additional support for injured Marines and their families.
“We can do more to help meet the special needs of our injured Marines and their families,” said Col Lake. For starters, that means developing more disability-friendly employment opportunities, adding network resources that can provide specific support and becoming a clearinghouse for disability information.
“Marine For Life is a great way to keep the Marine Corps family together. ‘Once a Marine, Always a Marine’ is a reality,” said Lake.
To find out more about the Marine For Life program, visit the Web site at www.M4L.usmc.mil.
© 2005 Leatherneck Magazine. All rights reserved.
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