Jason's Story

Army veteran Jason K. has held a lot of jobs in his life – oil technician, construction worker, pipeline inspector and security. But the 26-year-old father of two said he "was tired of living paycheck to paycheck."

Jason at HVAF

“It’s just good to finally have help,” says Jason. For years he faced uncertainty of finding stable work. He then traveled in 2014 to work on the oil fields but the price of oil crashed and he began working as a gas station attendant. It was during those times that he relied on skills developed in the military: perseverance and patience to get him through tough times and bouts of loneliness. In March 2015, he turned to HVAF for help with employment.

“I sort of put all my eggs in one basket. Once my wife told me about HVAF I drove up to Indy to find work and called HVAF and it paid off,” says Jason.

HVAF helped him get familiar with some of the resources and organizations in Indy to help him and his family who were still living out-of-state. His main goal was employment. Employment Specialist, Robin Close, looked for a veteran-friendly company with a quick hiring process. Allied Barton streamlines the job interview and gets their employees hired quickly and with full uniforms, so Robin told him if he applied online she would send a note to the HR Manager, recommending him for the job.  He applied for the job using HVAF’s computer lab and ultimately landed the interview and got the job. He was working within a few days of coming to HVAF.

“This is a common trend where some of the younger Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) veterans don’t have the same job waiting on them when they come home, so they’re possibly staying with someone and job searching at the same time, and sometimes even in a new town or city,” says Robin. “Where it gets difficult is if the home doesn’t have an extra computer and/or internet; they can’t search for resources or jobs.”

That’s when our computer lab here at HVAF has come in handy.  Any job-seeking veteran can use our computers during office hours to apply for jobs online. HVAF has several community partners who want to hire veterans. Still, companies require that everyone apply online.

Distance no longer stands between Jason and his family and he no longer worries when his next paycheck will be.

“If it had not been for HVAF’s help there is no telling where I would be. I am very grateful for HVAF’s programs and services for veterans.”

More about HVAF’s Employment Services
HVAF has three designated employment specialists who help veterans overcome barriers to regular employment. The emphasis on helping homeless veterans secure employment is enhanced coordination with various veterans' service programs. Since hiring additional staff in this department, HVAF has tripled its reach from 2013 and now plans to serve 300 veterans through the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust. It provides grants to nonprofit organizations that focus on providing education and/or training for individuals to obtain gainful employment.

More information about HVAF’s programs and services is available at http://www.hvafofindiana.org/what-we-do/programs-services/.