Over 60 national employers participating in virtual career fair this Thursday

Waterloo, IA - Today, Rep. Bruce Braley (IA-01) announced that the Department of Veterans Affairs will hold a virtual online job fair for veterans this Thursday November 10, from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Central Time, the day before Veterans Day.

"Our veterans have made incredible sacrifices for our nation and after returning from the battlefield they deserve good jobs," Braley said. "I am committed to use every opportunity possible to help these veterans.  Iowa veterans should visit www.veteranscareerfair.com to register and take advantage of this great opportunity."

Over 60 national employers and nearly 40,000 veterans have already registered to participate in the online career fair.

"As we work to help Veterans find good paying jobs, it is important that we take advantage of online resources that connect our Veterans with employers around the Nation who want to hire these highly qualified and experienced men and women," said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki.

Veterans are encouraged to pre-register at http://www.veteranscareerfair.com for the online career fair.  During the career fair on Thursday, veterans from across Iowa and the country can log in and visit virtual employer booths, search for and apply to job openings, and chat with recruiters online.

Braley is the Ranking Member of the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity and last month held a field hearing in Waterloo that focused on veterans' economic opportunity and job creation, focusing especially on Iowa National Guard and Reserve members who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan.

BOSTON–Before digging into Thanksgiving dinner, it is customary to take a moment to give thanks for the people and events that positively shape our lives. But, as the November 2011 issue of the Harvard Mental Health Letter reveals, it may be beneficial to express gratitude on a more regular basis.

Research shows that gratitude is strongly and consistently associated with greater happiness. Reflecting on what one is grateful for results in more positive emotions, greater satisfaction from good experiences, improved health, greater ability to deal with adversity, and stronger relationships.

Editor in Chief Dr. Michael Miller notes that whether someone is thankful for past blessings, present happenings, or is focused on remaining positive for the future, expressing gratitude forces him to refocus on what he has instead of what he lacks. And, while any expression of gratitude is likely to boost morale, like a muscle, this mental state grows stronger with use and practice.

This month`s issue reviews the benefits of gratitude and offers advice on how to cultivate this state of mind, from writing a thank you note to praying or meditating.

Read the full-length article: "In praise of gratitude"

Other topics covered in this issue include :

• Preventing mental illness in children with depressed parents
• Causes of common memory lapses
• Could nicotine boost weight loss?
• Best psychotherapy for social anxiety disorder
• People with borderline personality disorder often recover with time
• Sleeping problems increase chances of cognitive decline
• Is it possible to become addicted to chocolate?

The Harvard Mental Health Letter is available from Harvard Health Publications, the publishing division of Harvard Medical School, for $59 per year. Subscribe at www.health.harvard.edu/mental or by calling 877-649-9457 (toll-free).

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WASHINGTON - Senator Chuck Grassley today said it's very good news that the veterans hiring legislation he and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus introduced in January may be included in a larger proposal that the Senate will vote on this week.

"These men and women are extremely capable," Grassley said.  "They have a lot of skills to offer in the workplace.  The legislation that Senator Baucus and I put together would clear some bureaucratic hurdles and add a financial incentive to encourage employers to seek out veterans.  These steps are a logical follow-up to my effort to increase the IRS' hiring of veterans.  The IRS saw the value of this pool of potential workers and followed through on increased hiring of veterans.  Other employers, including small businesses, should have similar opportunities.  Whether our bipartisan legislation is included by amendment, or when the larger package is brought up for a vote, the veterans hiring proposal needs to be passed."

As introduced, the Veterans Employment Transition Act, or the VETs Jobs bill, would reward employers for hiring qualified veterans who have recently completed their service in the military with a tax credit of up to $2,400 per veteran.  A previous version of this credit, which was part of the Work Opportunity Tax Credit and also authored by Grassley and Baucus, was designed to help employers hire veterans but expired at the end of 2010.  The new version of the legislation would reinstate the tax credit and make it easier for veterans and small businesses to use.  As a result, servicemen and women who have been recently discharged would be able to provide documentation directly from the Department of Defense without having to go through the tax credit's current certification process.

Any veteran who has left active duty in the past five years who has discharge paperwork showing 180 days of qualified active duty would be eligible for the credit. This would include those men and women who were activated by their states as members of the National Guard.  The bill also helps service members market themselves to prospective employers by requiring the military to educate service members about how the credit works.

Noting that the unemployment rate for veterans is higher than for non-veterans nationwide, the senators first introduced the VETs Jobs bill in May 2010.