The United States Department of Labor's Veterans Employment and Training Service (DOLVETS) has, over the last few years, been attempting to revamp it's 20 year old Transition Assistance Program (TAP), which is a partnership between the DOL, DOD, the VA and DHS for soon-to-transition Soldiers/Sailors/Airmen/Marines from the various branches of the armed services that are preparing to leave the service and join the civilian workforce. The 2 1/2 -to- 3 day workshop, as provided by the DOL side of the partnership, concentrates on resume writing, interview practice and labor market research to better prepare those service members in their transition from military to civilian.
Last year, the Assistant Secretary of DOLVETS, Ray Jefferson, stepped down from his position following investigations regarding improper federal procurement activities, possibly including the questionable nature in which the awarding the development of a new TAP program was bid out to contractors. Jefferson, a West Point graduate and Obama appointee, quietly and with little media fanfare, resigned during this recent push to revamp the TAP program.
Beginning in November 2011, DOLVETS began holding training conferences to train existing facilitators on what they rolled out as the newly developed curriculum, the Department of Labor Employment Workshop (DOLEW)~ a new curriculum developed by very few people with any practical military experience, instead by "an esteemed group of PhDs", as the story goes. At an additional training seminar held in Denver in January 2012, DOLEW facilitators were also introduced to John K. Moran (previously of TSA), who is the newly appointed Deputy Assistant Secretary of Operations and Management for DOLVETS. He was brought into the class to ostensible answer any question facilitators had about the direction DOLVETS had for the newly revamped workshop (DOLEW) that would be part of the overall TAP curriculum.
As part of the Congressional mandate to conduct these classes (which, incidentally, was completely new and unheard-of information to Mr. Moran), they are continuing Mr. Jefferson's plans on contracting out the facilitation of the DOLEW classes to private contractors, who may or may not even be Veterans themselves. By this, they are removing Local Veterans Representatives, who have the unique insight of working with businesses and employers not only in their local labor market but also nation-wide employers as a normal function of their duties, and replacing them with facilitators trained only to facilitate the materials as they are given out with no more input or research besides what is delineated by their contract.
While examining the new materials (made and compiled by the contractors who got the contract for updating TAP materials "for the 21st Century workforce") that are being put out to the field as part of a pilot/test bed for the new Department of Labor Employment Workshop (DOLEW) to be used as part of the new TAP, it struck me that many of the videos were rather condescending in their attitude when dealing with service members (some videos were replete with an excess of corporate leadership and development 50 cent 'buzzwords' ~ "idea scouts", "mind mapping", etc., while others came across as talking to service members like they were children), other videos (and part of the instructional materials) had little direct value in the job search (there is section in the new Participant Manual devoted to creating origami projects in the classroom. Seriously.), and some videos had either inaccurate or misleading information (including statements like 'all soldiers have PTSDs', and a Salary Negotiating video that is laughable in it's portrayal of demanding more money from their next prospective employer in this down economy.).
Finally, there are videos talking about the 'new media' (Facebook, YouTube, etc) and how they may be utilized in the job search. In particular, one screen shot stood out:
An avatar of President Obama with '2012' emblazoned underneath, with the strategically chosen words "Support President Obama" right next to it.
A DOLVETS representative had to have signed off on/vetted this material before it was released to the field for display in class. While this screenshot (as included here) only appears for about 8 seconds total (as other scenes flicker intermittently), it is the responsibility for those who compile these materials to maintain any type of political neutrality and not promote any one candidate or political ideology over another. Once you combine the picture of the sitting president with '2012', it becomes campaigning. By it's inclusion in Federally sanctioned training materials (for a course that is in the process of being made
mandatory for all service members planning on leaving the services), it becomes an explicit endorsement of one candidate for the office of President.
It is my opinion (and, to be fair, I sampled many other government employees within my workplace, who are from both sides of the political spectrum, so mine is not a singular opinion) that the inclusion of this type of material, in training materials to be seen by transitioning service members, is a violation of the Hatch Act (as well as a few advisories in place to cover endorsing candidates during election seasons) and could easily be construed as electioneering (subliminal or otherwise) by the current administration.
On a personal note, it comes across as self aggrandizement and an effort to indoctrinate by the current administration to 'remind the troops' who brought them back from Iraq/Afghanistan after the heavy rotations of the last decade, and a shameless reelection ploy designed to play off of the emotions of service members who may be otherwise undecided politically or easily swayed in the upcoming election.
As one of my coworkers facetiously put it, "I am sure there will (also) be time provided to stop the video and cover in detail (60 to 90 min) the talking points of why Veterans should Vote Republican."
Or... is it just a big coincidence that this image showed up, and no big deal?
Oh, I forgot you're an alt of one of the Righties. Meanwhile, if you paid attention, you'd see where Obama ain't "my guy". Moron. 
