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Illinois Dept. of Veterans' Affairs Newsletter October 2014
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From the Acting Director 
IVH-Chicago Breaks Ground!
It was a great event! On Sunday, September 21, 2014 we were honored and excited when veterans, community leaders, and union representatives joined Governor Pat Quinn and me to break ground on the $70.5 million Illinois Veterans Home at Chicago. It was a great day and in spite of threatening weather, spirits were bright at the start of an 18-month project to bring a 200-bed facility to Chicago for qualified veterans.
IVH-Chicago will be the fifth veterans' home in the state, and is part of Governor Quinn's longstanding commitment to honor and support the men and women who have served our nation.
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"All of us on the homefront have a duty to take care of those who have borne the battle," Governor Quinn said, in his inspirational remarks at the event - and we at IDVA take that challenge to heart in everything we do.
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This is a testament to its energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly design, which features single-occupancy rooms with private bathrooms, common areas for dining, resident recreation, and for visitors and guests.
Construction will begin this month on the 7.8 acres of land at the southwest corner of Forest Preserve Drive and Oak Park Avenue, with close proximity to the Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital and to public transportation. In addition to the skilled care residents, we plan for 40 special long-term care beds for veterans with Alzheimer's disease and dementia.
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While construction is scheduled for completion in 2016, there is still much to be done and plans to be made. We'll share more information as it comes available regarding resident applications, transfers and other factors for interested veterans and their families. We have a lot to do and want focus for now on building the best possible home for our deserving veterans.
Rodrigo
Rodrigo Garcia
Acting Director, IDVA
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Getting Veterans to Work
State Opportunity
Procurement Showcase
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Attention Veteran-Owned Businesses and Entrepreneurs!
The Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs (IDVA) is co-hosting a one-of-a-kind event specifically designed for veteran-owned firms and entrepreneurs interested in state and federal contracts on Wednesday, Oct. 15 in Chicago.
At this unique event, businesses and entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to meet with high-level procurement managers at key state and federal agencies. Attendees will learn about vendor requirements, what products/services are in demand, and what they can do to position themselves for success. The event is no-cost, and is from 8:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. at the West Side Technical Institute (Arturo Velasquez Institute) Conference Center - Room 1203; 2800 S. Western Ave., Chicago, IL 60608
After registration and networking time, there will be presentations from procurement decision makers about vendor requirements and high-demand procurement areas, followed with round table discussions. At the round table discussions with procurement decision makers attendees will participate in four 30-minute round table discussions of their choosing, each led by a procurement decision maker from a different state or federal agency. The event concludes with more networking time.
PROCUREMENT AGENCIES PARTICIPATING: USDVA, Veterans Health Administration; IL Dept. of Transportation; Illinois Tollway; Chief Procurement Office - General Services; Chief Procurement Office - Higher Education; Capital Development Board; and the IL Dept. of Veterans' Affairs.
Please register for this free event here. For questions, please contact Max Dulberger at the Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs at [email protected] or (312) 814-5538. This event is supported by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs, Illinois Department of Central Management Services, Office of State Senator Tony Mu�oz, and West Side Technical Institute.
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Newly unveiled!
For certified members of the Illinois Veterans Business Program (IVBP), qualified veterans owned businesses can now use the official Certified Member Logo.
This logo is a powerful symbol and is for the exclusive use of certified veteran-owned businesses in the State of Illinois to showcase your enrollment in this special program.
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As such, they are welcome to use the logo in various forms of official communication and marketing including websites, emails, and other promotional material.
Register today and tell a friend!
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Interested in a position with the Illinois Department of
Veterans' Affairs?
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The State of Illinois and the IDVA provide job opportunities in a wide range of occupations and titles, with special preference to qualified veterans who apply. We also have a variety of resources to assist job seekers to evaluate and pursue career opportunities. Please the available job postings listed below to learn more about opportunities to join our team of hard-working professionals dedicated to serving Illinois' veterans and their families.
| Position Title |
Monthly Salary Range
| Location | | Account Technician II (FT) |
$3,371 - $4,826
| Springfield | | Veterans' Nursing Asst.-Certified (FT) |
$2,951 - $4,124
| LaSalle | | Veterans' Nursing Asst.-Certified (PT) |
$2,951 - $4,124
| Anna | | Support Service Worker - Dietary |
$2,700 - $3,641
| Quincy | | Sr. Public Serv. Admin. - Dir. of Nursing |
$4,295 - $12,128
| Anna | | Support Service Worker - Housekeeping |
$2,700 - $3,641
| LaSalle | | Registered Nurse II - Rehab |
$5,189 - $7,056
| Manteno |
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For more information, please click here and to apply for available IDVA positions, please visit http://www.work.illinois.gov.
Learn more from the IDOT brochure and contact the Central Management Services to take the Highway Maintainer Examination.
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Veterans With Fire Fighting Training
Working closely with the Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM), the IDVA has been able to develop a process by which qualified veterans can obtain state certifications based on prior military experience.
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These actions further demonstrate the commitment of the State of Illinois to articulate and recognize military training, experience and education toward state licenses and certifications for Illinois veterans.
To summarize, veterans must (1) be employed by an Illinois Fire Department, (2) submit a letter to OFSM requesting equivalency, (3) attached with the letter, provide proof of prior military experience (i.e. copies of pertinent Department of Defense certificates), and (4) pass the relevant state written and practical examinations.
For more information, please visit. For detailed questions, veterans please contact Mitzi Woodson, Office of the State Fire Marshal at [email protected] or (217) 785-1003.
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Getting Veterans to Work:
HoH Event Results
Chicago and Aurora
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While there's been some really great news about our Illinois economy and solid improvements on veteran employment, we're still not satisfied. In September we helped host two successful Hiring Our Heroes events - one on Thursday, Sept 18 Chicago, and the second on Tuesday, Sept. 30 in Aurora.
The results:
Chicago Aurora Total
Resumes Accepted: 1132 312 1444
Interviews Conducted: 167 37 204
Firm Offers: 30 4 34
Veterans can always register with Illinoisjoblink.com, the state's hiring board operated by IDES. It uses the same matching technology as the Hiring Our Heroes events and helps employers meet federal and state help-wanted advertising and recruitment requirements. Job seekers can build multiple resumes to emphasize different skills and experiences. Employers can search by specific skill or license and leverage IDES' no-cost HR recruitment services.
Check in the Calendar below for additional events coming soon!
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Veteran of the Month, September 2014...
In a touching event on Thursday, Oct. 2, we recognized a 94 year-old WWII veteran and Philippino Resistance fighter for his contributions to his community and fellow veterans since.
Jaime P. Pesongco joined USAFFE in 1942 and once Imperial Japanese troops had overrun the Philippines, he joined the Resistance. There he served for over 30 months fighting the Japanese, providing support efforts to liberate his country. He will also be our last Veteran of the Month, as we are changing the award to better recognize our veterans and their contributions. ...and Now, the Abraham Lincoln Veteran Champion Award  The Abraham Lincoln Veteran Champion Award (ALVCA) highlights and honors Illinois veterans whose contributions in service to the veteran community and their local communities are truly above and beyond. Nominees are evaluated on the basis of their leadership, dedication, innovation, and impact in serving these communities. ALVCA recipients are those whose efforts add to the powerful narrative that veterans are dedicated, lifelong public servants from whose efforts all of Illinois' communities stand to benefit. In contributing to this narrative through their service to veteran and local communities, the ALVCA recipients not only impact the lives of those they serve, but also the overall advocacy effort for Illinois veterans. We'll be honoring our first veteran selected under this criteria on Friday, Oct. 10 in Chicago. The first to receive the Abraham Lincoln Veteran Champion Award will be Jose L. Campos, an Iraq war Marine Corp veteran and a mentor in the YMCA's Urban Warriors, a program that pairs at-risk urban youths with military veterans.
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