Home Base Iowa Helps Veterans Transition to Civilian Careers
Home Base Iowa helps veterans find meaningful careers and a place to call home.
Sponsored by: Home Base Iowa
Most service members face complicated quandaries when returning from a military career: How do you take specialized skills and adapt them to a civilian occupation? And what if your military expertise isn’t something you see as a future career?
Home Base Iowa (HBI) is offering solutions, leading the charge in a state that’s become a top destination for those making the transition to civilian life. The program from Iowa Workforce Development helps connect veterans, transitioning service members and their families with employment resources and a bounty of opportunities across the state.
Take Eric Less, for example. The Marine Corps sergeant spent many years serving his country before getting a job on his return with The American Legion of Iowa.
“Home Base Iowa assisted me with my resume,” recalls Less, who lives in Des Moines. “My information was put into a system, and I received a call within minutes from IowaWORKS and was immediately notified of a position with The American Legion of Iowa.”
HBI Program Manager Jathan Chicoine says Iowa recognizes that decisions about what to do after military service in terms of a career or where to live can be life-changing for the entire family.
“Our goal is to smooth out those changes as much as possible. No matter where Veterans end up in Iowa, they will be connected with the best resources available and the support to make Iowa a home.”
Home Base Iowa is a unique public-private partnership that includes more than 2,000 HBI Businesses who are among the top-performing employers for Veterans and their spouses. Additionally, more than 120 HBI Communities offer creative ways to attract and retain Veterans and their families. Along with a $5,000 home purchasing grant, many communities offer local benefits such as relocation support or grants for entrepreneurship.
And, since higher education often is the first place where many veterans begin to reintegrate, more than 29 higher education institutions in Iowa have met specific criteria to participate in HBI’s Certified Higher Academic Military Partners (CHAMPs), ensuring quality education and support.
“I was so impressed by a group of folks that just want to do whatever they can to help and support service members,” Less says.
Home Base Iowa also has career planners who work with veterans to assess their skills and help them find the best match for a long-term future. Veterans who come to Iowa will find a state that was recently ranked No. 1 by a national magazine as having the country’s best mix of affordability and economic opportunity. Iowa businesses are hiring, and they’re looking for quality employees.
“There are many different pathways to employment,” Chicoine says. “Coming from the largest possible apprenticeship — the military — veterans already have demonstrated that they are highly trainable, mission-focused and know how to work as a team. Our job is to help them find the right fit for what’s next.”
For more information, email HBI@ iowa.gov or visit homebaseiowa.gov.
