Trades union members rebuild camp for veterans

[Omaha Steve]

Source: workdayminnesota.org

Trades union members rebuild camp for veterans
By Michael Moore
25 March 2007
STILLWATER - Continuing a long tradition of community service, Building Trades unions are helping rebuild a rest camp for veterans.

Between 2,600 and 3,500 military personnel will return to Minnesota from active duty in Iraq or Afghanistan this year. Many of them, particularly members of the Minnesota National Guard, will begin the process of reintegrating into civilian life.

Both locally and nationally, labor unions have spearheaded initiatives aimed at easing that transition, emphasizing the importance of finding quality, fulfilling work for returning soldiers. Helmets to Hardhats, the most prominent model, connects troops with training and union-employment opportunities in the building trades.

But for soldiers returning to Minnesota from an active war zone, reintegration involves more than a job and a paycheck. The process is social, psychological and spiritual.

Read more: http://www.workdayminnesota.org/index.php?news_6_2957