President Obama announced new partnerships between the military and industry groups that defense officials said could make it easier for up to 126,000 veterans to find civilian work. The military-to-civilian certification program will allow veterans to transfer skills they’ve learned in the military, such as welding or weapons maintenance, into a similar job in the civilian sector, said Obama during a June 1 visit to a Honeywell factory in Golden Valley, Minn. “If you can save a life on the battlefield, you can save a life in an ambulance. If you can oversee a convoy or millions of dollars of assets in Iraq, you can help manage a supply chain or balance its books here at home,” stated the President. He added, “If you’re working on complex machinery, you should be able to take those skills and find a manufacturing job right here—right here at home.” Defense Secretary Leon Panetta applauded the effort, saying “the President and I will remain committed to addressing the full range of challenges our troops and their families face as they leave the service.” (Obama remarks) (Panetta statement) (AFPS report by Claudette Roulo)
The Pentagon abruptly relieved Air Force Gen. Timothy D. Haugh, head of the National Security Agency and U.S. Cyber Command, and his NSA civilian deputy, Wendy Noble, on April 3.