Madam Chair and members of the Subcommittee:
My name is Rick Dwyer and I am the Executive Director of the Hampton Roads Military and Federal Facilities Alliance. I am also a retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel and served over 20 years on active duty.
Our organization and the communities of Hampton Roads collectively support 18 military installations, all six branches of the military services, 120,000 active duty, reserve and civilian personnel, over 125,000 military dependents, and nearly 220,000 veterans. In 2023, the Department of Defense spent over $68.5 billion in Virginia and directly employed over 247,000 people. Needless to say, supporting the military and our national defense is part of who we are in Hampton Roads and the Commonwealth.
I wish to express our strong support for House Bill 2736.
Military spouse careers are often interrupted by the frequent moves required of military members. According to Blue Star Families, the military spouse unemployment rate has hovered around 21% since 2015. Military spouse unemployment or underemployment can lead to retention and readiness issues as military members decide to leave the military to support their spouse employment and family economic needs.
The Virginia Values Veterans (V3) grant program was created in 2015. The program currently offers private employers with less than 300 employees $1,000 for every eligible veteran hired up to $10,000 in grants per year. Expanding the Virginia Values Veterans (V3) program to military spouses supports the service and sacrifices of our military families in the Commonwealth. Additionally, it can lead to Virginia retaining talent as veterans are more likely to stay in Virginia when they leave the military if their spouse is employed with a good job.
This bill sends a clear signal that Virginia values its strong relationship with the military and is willing to continuously support efforts to make the Commonwealth the most military-friendly state in the country. We humbly request your support of HB2736. Thank you.
Madam Chair and members of the Subcommittee: My name is Rick Dwyer and I am the Executive Director of the Hampton Roads Military and Federal Facilities Alliance. I am also a retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel and served over 20 years on active duty. Our organization and the communities of Hampton Roads collectively support 18 military installations, all six branches of the military services, 120,000 active duty, reserve and civilian personnel, over 125,000 military dependents, and nearly 220,000 veterans. In 2023, the Department of Defense spent over $68.5 billion in Virginia and directly employed over 247,000 people. Needless to say, supporting the military and our national defense is part of who we are in Hampton Roads and the Commonwealth. I wish to express our strong support for House Bill 2736. Military spouse careers are often interrupted by the frequent moves required of military members. According to Blue Star Families, the military spouse unemployment rate has hovered around 21% since 2015. Military spouse unemployment or underemployment can lead to retention and readiness issues as military members decide to leave the military to support their spouse employment and family economic needs. The Virginia Values Veterans (V3) grant program was created in 2015. The program currently offers private employers with less than 300 employees $1,000 for every eligible veteran hired up to $10,000 in grants per year. Expanding the Virginia Values Veterans (V3) program to military spouses supports the service and sacrifices of our military families in the Commonwealth. Additionally, it can lead to Virginia retaining talent as veterans are more likely to stay in Virginia when they leave the military if their spouse is employed with a good job. This bill sends a clear signal that Virginia values its strong relationship with the military and is willing to continuously support efforts to make the Commonwealth the most military-friendly state in the country. We humbly request your support of HB2736. Thank you.