FORT KNOX, Ky. — A consortium of businesses, veteran-advocacy groups, local governments and chambers of commerce have joined forces in the Fort Knox, Ky., region to market job opportunities, schools, housing and other quality-of-life assets to thousands of transitioning soldiers and their families.
Established one year ago in Louisville, the Where Opportunity Knox campaign has the stated goal of connecting 10,000 Army and sister-service veterans with jobs in the region of north-central Kentucky and southern Indiana region by 2017.
The organization’s latest audit shows that 1,500 veterans have been hired by 130 participating employers in the 26-county region, according to Beth Avery, a former Army major who serves as executive director of Where Opportunity Knox.
The consortium of employers includes a mix of local businesses and such national firms as Best Buy, General Motors, Bigelow Tea, Dunkin’ Donuts, East Kentucky Power, Ford Motor Company, General Electric, Humana, Kroger, Lowe’s, Siemens and Time Warner.
Avery said Opportunity Knox benefits from its close proximity to the Army’s Transition Assistance Program, which directly supports the transition of some 120,000 soldiers annually, including some 3,000 soldiers stationed at Fort Knox.
However, she stressed that the organization’s services are not limited to soldiers who were stationed at Fort Knox but to veterans and families of all the military services who are interested in working and living in the region.
Opportunity Knox is not a typical job placement service but does have a network of regional veteran connectors who provide personalized assistance to veterans and families in their transition to civilian life.
The connectors typically are former military members who draw on their own experiences in transitioning to civilian life. Bobby Tovmassian, a former first sergeant and Army special operations and civil affairs medic, said he can put veterans in touch with people who can provide valuable information about employment opportunities, schools, medical facilities, housing and other quality-of-life services.
Walter Herd, director of the Army’s Soldier for Life-Transition Assistance Program, said he knows of no other regional program with the comprehensive approach to transition as Where Opportunity Knox.
“They not only are actively marketing with jobs, but with the quality-of-life services that everyone wants,” Herd said. “I think that within five to 10 years, there will be 100 regions around the country offering similar services.”
Interested veterans can learn more about the program and reach out via Facebook and Twitter, or watch their videos on their YouTube profile.
For detailed information about Where Opportunity Knox, go to:
