HONOLULU -- Whether completing a few years or retiring after 20, many national guardsmen and reservists will be searching for a new job in the civilian sector after their military service. A government agency offers a program that assists them in their search.
Established in 2011, the Hero 2 Hired program is part of the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, a Department of Defense agency that supports national guardsmen, reservists and their families.
“The goal of H2H is to simplify the job search while reducing the number of unemployed reserve component service members,” reads the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve website. “H2H.jobs also allows military-friendly companies to access the talented men and women in the military, post job openings, search for candidates and invite them to apply, and participate in hiring events — all free of charge.”
Active-duty national guardsmen, reservists and their spouses are eligible to register for this program. Guardsmen and reservist widows are also eligible for this service, which offers resources through its website, mobile applications, social media and personal contact.
“(Hero 2 Hired) is a national program sponsored by Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, an agency of the Department of Defense, to find jobs for guardsmen, reservists, and their spouses,” said Edward Cruickshank, the employment transition coordinator for H2H.
Cruickshank also works with Hawaii Hires Heroes, a local program initiated by ESGR and numerous local employers to help veterans find employment.
A native of Honolulu, Cruickshank has military ties of his own, having served in the Army from 1967 to 1970, and served in the Hawaii Army National Guard for 30 years, retiring as a colonel.
“I’ve been in their shoes,” Cruickshank said of his reason for working with H2H and Hawaii Hires Heroes. “I know how important it is for them, and their self-worth to be hired. Working and being part of the community is so very important. We have a kinship because I’ve been there, and I’m a retired guardsman. These individuals came to the plate to serve our country, and when you look at the big picture, very few people do that, as a percentage of our total population. If we don’t take care of them, who will continue to volunteer to join our military, and defend this great country of ours?”
Cruickshank recommends that the eligible service members sign up at the H2H website and establish contact with him before they leave the military. At the H2H website, eligible job seekers can conduct online searches for available positions, find out about physical and virtual hiring events and more.
The website provides tips on polishing resumes, and preparing for interviews. The website also helps job candidates find positions that may be appropriate to their military occupational specialty.
“Hero 2 Hired is a great program,” Cruickshank said. “I can assure you our employer community in Hawaii is truly fantastic, and have done all they could to not only hire guardsman, reservists and their spouses, but the entire veteran community as a whole.”
Cruickshank said Hawaii businesses have been very accommodating to veteran guardsmen and reservists seeking employment. Currently, he is assisting more than 240 reservists, guardsmen and their spouses, and last year, more than 400 people found jobs through both H2H and Hawaii Hires Heroes.
For more information, call Cruickshank at 262-1877. The H2H program website can be found at https://h2h.jobs/. For more information on ESGR, visit http://esgr.mil/.