Military & Veterans InTransition News

San Diego County’s commitment to the local veterans community, one of the largest in the nation, continues to grow. Recognizing the opportunity to capture the talents and resources of this group, the County’s Human Resources Department launched the Veterans Outreach Program and has already seen results.

“We are serious about hiring veterans,” said Tim Mathues, the County’s veterans outreach coordinator. Having served in Vietnam himself, Mathues walks the walk and talks the talks to those who have worn the uniform.

“I’ve been there and I know it’s not an easy task to transition from military life to civilian life,” he said.

Mathues has spoken to more than 8,100 veterans and their spouses about employment opportunities with the County since the launch of the program in March 2014. The reality is that more than 500 military men and women transition out of service into their civilian life each month from the largest bases in the area.

Mathues focuses on reaching out to the local military community to provide veterans and soon to be veterans with the resources and tools necessary to apply for jobs with the County. He has attended more than 100 veteran-related events including career fairs, employer panels and veteran networking events.

The program has established relationships with the seven major military bases throughout the County, and Mathues has spoken at sessions for the Marines’ Transition Readiness Seminar and the Navy’s Transition GPS, formerly called Transition Assistance Program.