Gov. Tim Pawlenty has again proclaimed the month of May as "Hire A Veteran Month" as part of his ongoing efforts to make Minnesota the most veteran-friendly state in America.

Minnesota supports the national "Hire Vets First" campaign, which honors America 's military veterans by helping employers and veterans make the best use of a national network of employment resources.

“In the last year, Minnesota welcomed home more than 3,000 soldiers who have bravely served all over the world,” Pawlenty said. “An important way we can honor their remarkable commitment, courage and sacrifice is by encouraging all employers to be veteran friendly. Veteran friendly employers place high value on the education, leadership, maturity, and dedication that veterans have gained in military service.”

To attract more veteran applicants, employers may add the words “Veteran Friendly Employer” to their job postings on the free MinnesotaWorks website (www.minnesotaworks.net [1]).

It makes sense to hire a veteran. Military training provides a strong foundation for:
* Learning new skills and concepts
* Leading by example as well as through direction, delegation, motivation and inspiration
* Understanding how genuine teamwork grows out of a responsibility to one's colleagues
* Working side-by-side with individuals regardless of race, gender, geographic origin, religion or economic status
* Understanding how to accomplish priorities on time, in spite of tremendous stress
* Possessing the qualities of sincerity and trustworthiness - and a keen awareness of health and safety protocols
* Triumphing over adversity