Georgia Richey and Jyl DeHaven are unique in their vocations. They are the founders of Green Collar Vets – a nonprofit that helps returning veterans find jobs in the “green” industry. Started in 2006 in their hometown of Fort Worth, Texas, the two women have come a long way since then in helping soldiers newly returned from Iraq and Afghanistan to make the transition from green fatigues to green jobs. In the following Q&A, Georgia Richey talks about her “green” cause.
Tell us about Green Collar Vets.
Even though we have been active for two years, you have to realize that we just received our 501(c)(3) designation from the IRS in March this year. We can now start to fundraise and move toward hiring full-time staff. So far, it’s just been a group of people, with full-time jobs, trying to get a nonprofit started on evenings and weekends, that will help ease the transition from military to civilian careers for our veterans who are leaving the service. We know our Web site has helped some vets find jobs and has directed some toward training/education facilities. We have worked close and personally with a few veterans. However, the fun is just now starting!
How did you and Jyl start this venture? What drove you to it?
Jyl and I shared a few glasses of wine in the summer of 2006 and worked on developing business plans for various green business ideas we had. We always came back to the same problem … who is going to install those solar panels? Who is going to want to be re-trained to install a “green” product, when they are making a perfectly good living installing “business-as-usual” products? The “install” piece was always a challenge.
Then Jyl met a veteran at a Habitat for Humanity Green Homes meeting in Fort Worth, who spoke of the problem of returning Iraq and Afghanistan veterans who had lost a lot when they returned home, including jobs and businesses. The light bulb went on, and putting these young folks, who obviously want to make the world a better place, in touch with meaningful careers in the green industries, seems like a natural marriage.
By April 2007, we decided our business plan needed to be a nonprofit, with chapters around the country. It took a while to figure out best practices for the organization and to convince the IRS that serving veterans is a charitable cause. In the meantime, the country/world went “green” so our mission became easier.
What do you think the green industry has to offer veterans compared to other industry employment?
- Meaningful employment. When a “green-industry” job appeals to someone, it is usually a strong appeal. And to move from defending our country to a job that helps make our country stronger and better … well, many veterans find that appealing, as the e-mails we receive can attest.
- Not just green jobs, but also good jobs. These are jobs that can support a family, including benefits and career advancement opportunities.
- A natural fit. Many veterans with avionics, electrical or diesel training are a natural fit for the wind energy industry. Many others want an active job, not sitting behind a desk, which fits with product installation, construction or energy audits/building weatherization. Many Navy veterans will be active in the water issues that lie ahead of us.
The majority of newly separated veterans that contact us have served overseas in wartime. Our criteria focuses our efforts on those who are now leaving the military for the first time. It includes those who have served for four years to those retiring. Many of the veterans who will receive services from us will be the younger ones, without a college education or civilian skills training.
What kind of eligibility or criteria do vets need to have to start this job process?
Our criteria for working with a veteran is that they;
‑ have an honorable discharge
- will be separating from the military in the next 12 months, or have separated in the last two to three years, or are just graduating from a program using their GI Bill benefits
- carry a rank of E2 to E7; E stands for “enlisted”
- be unemployed, or underemployed
- have a strong interest in a green career
How do you source green companies?
Sourcing green companies is something we will wrestle with down the road. The wind, solar, energy-efficient and other companies we will work with initially are clearly in the “green industries,” as they are defined today. We expect that all jobs will be considered “green jobs” in a few more decades, so the lines will continually blur. Right now, we use existing credentialing groups such as Cradle to Cradle products designations (Rain Tube, which needs installers of their products around the country) and our own common sense.
Can you give some examples of clients who you have been able to help find jobs in the green industry?
Probably not at this time, but probably so in the next three to four months. Anyone who went to work for the wind industry is now laid off, but that shouldn’t last too much longer. Since we are at our beginning stages, and have not raised funds or secured grants for our scholarship program, we don’t have any track record there.
How is Green Collar Vets funded? How many veterans to do you currently help?
GCVets’ funding has moved from the board’s checkbooks to support from local businesses in the North Texas area. Now that we have our nonprofit designation, we have started applying for grants. We are in the very start-up stages and are looking for seed capital. Our first goals are to hire full-time staff and develop/launch a phase 2 Web site. We are not able to adequately track the veterans we help with our current technology.
What has the response been from the veteran community? What kinds of advantages do veterans being to these green jobs?
The veteran community has been supportive. We have links to our local Naval Air Station, Joint Reserve Base in Fort Worth and to the Department of Labor Veterans Employment and Training Services in Washington, D.C. The first thing an employer may notice after hiring a veteran is their strong work ethic. People leaving today’s military have strong technology training and skills. They have a strong respect for following operational procedures. And they are trained to think clearly in a crisis.
What is your goal with this organization? What do you hope to achieve?
We want to help make the transition from military to civilian life easier for those who have served. Many entered the military straight out of high school. Whether they are separating four years later, 10 or 20 years later, it’s often a hard transition. In the military they are always part of a team, now they are on their own for everything all at once … housing, food, jobs, etc. And there is often a family to provide for.
Green Collar Vets hopes to assist those veterans who are interested in green careers. Our phase 2 Web site will allow them to research what those careers are … find the training and education they need to be successful in those careers … find what part of the country supports those jobs, etc. Our local chapters will provide leads on hiring in their area. They will also bestow scholarships for the green training that the GI Bill does not cover, which can be substantial in some cases. Within a few years, we plan to offer other supportive services such as resume writing, interview practice, and even starting one’s own business.
To learn more about Green Collar Vets, please visit www.greencollarvets.org
by Ashwini Salpekar
