Check out the link to the video of Kevin Stacy discussing The Station Foundation with U.S. Senator Baucus. Kevin, a special forces veteran, is Founder and CEO of The Station Foundation.
Baucus Champions Provisions to Boost Veteran Employment in Farm Bill
New Program Coming to Montana Hopes to Leverage Farm Bill Support to Help Veterans Find Jobs, Purpose in Agriculture
(Washington, DC) -- Montana's senior U.S. Senator Max Baucus is championing provisions to help boost veteran employment through the Farm Bill being debated on the Senate Floor this week. The provisions Baucus inserted in the Farm Bill give veterans preference in programs that make it cheaper and easier to institute best practices in farming. The bill also creates a new Military Liaison Office to assist veterans at the U.S. Department of Agriculture and expands outreach programs to help make veterans aware of the resources available to them.
"Our veteran unemployment rate is shameful, and it really hits home in rural states like Montana where so many folks volunteer for service. So, we have to think outside the box and look for ways to boost jobs for our veterans in everything we do. The Farm Bill is just one more tool we can use to help our veterans get access to the high-quality jobs they deserve, and we owe it to them to get this done," Baucus said.
• 45 percent of those serving in the military come from rural communities.
• The unemployment rate among Montana's Iraq and Afghanistan veterans is nearly 20 percent.
Baucus met today with Kevin Stacy, a recently discharged major in the Army Special Forces. Together with his wife Shannon, Kevin is working to establish the Station Foundation, which they hope to have up and running later this summer on a plot of land south of Bozeman, near Gallatin Gateway. The goal of the Station Foundation will be to provide an environment for Special Forces veterans to recover from the impacts of combat and learn skills -- like farming -- that will help them adjust to the civilian workforce.
Stacy said the provision Baucus inserted into the Farm Bill could be very valuable to the Station Foundation's work.
"What we intend to do, with the help of things like Baucus' Farm Bill amendment, is to really provide a map and a compass to navigate this very unfamiliar and unforgiving terrain of a man or a woman who comes home from serving overseas in combat and now has to transition back into a world that is very unfamiliar. And farming makes sense because a majority of our service members come from a community that is enriched with farming, and often want to go back to that way of life. If you look more closely at these farming amendments they provide a purpose -- it's something that has meaning that you're not just going to a job that was given to you. You're empowering yourself with these skill-sets and these values and giving back to your community," Kevin Stacy said.
"We're excited to have the benefits of what Senator Baucus and his staff have worked so hard to do. To have this is absolutely critical. For our program and just for veterans at large. To not support it, really is to do a disservice because you have this pool of talent that is coming home and looking to give back. They are not looking to be a handout, or a charity They're looking to make a difference. And what better way than to immerse them in a job that has value and meaning."
• Baucus' provisions are also endorsed by the American Legion, the VFW and the National Guard Association.
http://www.thestationfoundation.org/
The Station Foundation actively assists the Warriors and Families of the United States Special Operations Command fully recover from the impacts of combat. We design and implement individually tailored programs at our year-round recovery-training center in Montana. We empower participants to harness their strengths and realize their full potential. We are the sole 501(c)(3) organization created specifically to address the health, wellness and resiliency of this Community. We exist for one simple reason: to ensure our Warriors and Families enjoy the same resources in aftercare as they receive in combat.
Kevin and his wife, Shannon, will be in the Boston area in July. They are looking to meet with interested parties that would be willing to stand with them in helping to raise the additional fund needed to make The Station Foundation a the kind of resources our returning heroes need and deserve.
Let me know if you would like to be connected to Kevin and Shannon to offer your support and encouragement.
Al
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