Themed career fair: May the Fourth Be with You—and with every Veteran
Houston VA and partners unite for Star Wars-themed career event
The force was strong in Pasadena, Texas on May 4th.
More than 1,000 veterans gathered at the Pasadena Convention Center for a Star Wars-themed benefit and career fair that was equal parts fun and life-changing – lightsabers, costumes and all.
The Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center (MEDVAMC) in Houston joined forces with Combined Arms and Work Force Solutions Gulf Coast to host an event that connected veterans with more than 150 employers representing a wide range of industries, all while ensuring that no veteran leaves without knowing the full range of benefits they’ve earned.
And yes… the MEDVAMC hospital director waved his lightsaber.
He leads the charge with a lightsaber in hand
MEDVAMC CEO Amir Farooqi didn’t just show up at the event. He appeared in a Star Wars T-shirt, lightsaber raised, working the floor and personally encouraging veterans to enroll in health care at the VA.
“We are committed to partnering with the community to ensure veterans are connected to the services they so richly deserve,” Farooqi said. “This type of event is exactly how we fulfill that commitment – by meeting veterans where they are.”
A fun theme had a serious mission underneath it. The BEDVAMC is one of the fastest-growing VA medical centers in the country, with more than 1,000 new veterans enrolling for care each month. VA staff were on hand throughout the day to enroll veterans in health care, assist with claims, update VA ID cards, provide toxic exposure screenings and educate participants about their benefits.
According to Farooqi, MEDVAMC is growing to keep up with the growing number of veterans seeking health care. In March, the Houston VA opened a new outpatient clinic in Galveston, and a new facility in Rosenberg will open later this month. Additional expansions are planned for Katy, Conroe, Humble and Texas City, adding to the network of 11 community clinics.
“We are working hard to expand our reach to serve veterans closer to where they live and to serve them faster and more efficiently,” said Farooqi. “Our veterans deserve world-class care close to home, and we will continue to build and expand to make that happen.”
Dad, six daughters and a brand new beginning
Army veteran Nate Greene deployed to the Middle East three times in the early 2000s. These days, he’s traded in his military uniform for a new mission: building a personal training business after years in IT. He came to the fair after receiving an email invitation from the VA and said he walked away with much more than he bargained for.
“I came in today to check what’s available,” Green said. “I talked to the VA people about applying, applied for VA health care, and learned about so many other benefits I’m eligible for. I’m so grateful – this is great.”
Greene, the proud father of six daughters ranging in age from 10 to 25, brought his 19-year-old daughter Elizabeth along for the day. She spent the event watching service organizations roll out the red carpet for her father — a sight that was clearly not lost on either of them.
“My dad doesn’t talk too much about his military service with us, but I know it’s important to him and he’s been through a lot,” Elizabeth said. “He’s my hero and it’s so nice to see him treated as such here.”
A welder who felt at home
Navy veteran Karl Kramer took a day off from his job as a welder to see what the event had to offer. What he discovered surprised him.
“I wanted to see what types of services were out there for veterans and if there were other jobs I might like better,” Kramer said. “I found out there was a VA clinic ten minutes from my house, so I signed up right away! It was time well spent. I loved the friendliness I felt walking through the door.”
That camaraderie was imaginary.
Collaboration worthy of rebellion
The success of the event came down to teamwork. Combined Arms, Workforce Solutions Gulf Coast, Texas Veterans Network, Texas Veterans Commission, MEDVAMC and more than 100 agencies and organizations in attendance played their part in making an event of this magnitude possible… and the results speak for themselves.
The more than 1,000 veterans who walked through the doors of the event left with job contacts, health care enrollments, claims information and something even harder to quantify: a sense that their Houston community has their back.
