Veterans Priority of Service: Eligible veterans and spouses have priority of service which entitles them to have precedence over other customers in obtaining Center services. Eligible veterans and spouses receive access to services and resources, earlier in time than other customers or if the service or resource is limited, eligible veterans and spouses receive access to the service or resource instead of or before other customers.

MassHire provides or facilitates a range of services including:

• Career counseling
• Assessment of skills, interests, and abilities
• Job readiness skills such as resume preparation, interviewing and networking
• Training opportunities information and referral
• Information on funding for training or education
• Coaching on transitioning from military service to the civilian workplace
• Apprenticeship and other On-The-Job training opportunities
• Information about community and veteran’s resources

An eligible Veteran is a person defined in Title 38 USC §4211 who:

• Served on active duty for a period of more than 180 days and was discharged or released there from with other than a dishonorable discharge;
• Was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability; or
• As a member of a reserve component under an order to active duty pursuant to section 124301(a) (d) or (g), 12302, or 12304 of Title 10, served on active duty during a period of war or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge is authorized and was discharged or released from such duty with other than a dishonorable discharge; or
• Was discharged or released from active duty by reason of a sole survivorship discharge ( as that term is defined in §1174(I) of Title 10)

The JOBS FOR VETERANS ACT specifies that National Guard and Reserve personnel who served on active duty and who were released with other than a dishonorable discharge would qualify as veterans for purposes of the priority of service requirement.

Eligible person as defined in Title 38 §4101 means:

• The spouse of any person who died of a service-connected disability,
• The spouse of any member of the Armed Forces serving on active duty, who, at the time of application for assistance under this chapter, is listed, pursuant to section 556 of Title 37 and regulations listed thereunder by the Secretary concerned in one or more of the following categories and has been listed for a total of more than 90 days: (i) missing in action, (ii) captured in line of duty by a hostile force, or (iii)  forcibly detained or interned in line of duty by a foreign government or power, or
• The spouse of any person who has a total disability permanent in nature resulting from a service-connected disability or the spouse of a veteran who died while a disability so evaluated was in existence.

FREE Veterans Luncheons and Networking

Mondays, 1:00pm-2:00pm. Bilingual Veterans Outreach Centers of Mass Inc., 281 Franklin St., Springfield

Tuesdays, 11:00am-1:00p.m. Springfield Partners for Community Action, 721 State St., Springfield

Wednesdays, 12:00pm-1:30pm. World War II Club, “The Deuce,” 50 Conz St., Northampton

Thursdays, 12:00pm-1:30pm. St. Paul’s Auditorium, 485 Appleton St., Holyoke

Fridays, 12:00pm-1:30pm. Elks Lodge, 431 Granby Rd., Chicopee

Last Wed. of the month 11:30pm-1:00pm. Grace Lutheran Church, 1552 Westfield St., West Springfield

RECURRING OUTREACH

Springfield Mobile Vet Center & VA Health Care Eligibility / Enrollment: A Veterans Health Administration enrollment outreach specialist and the Springfield Vet Center is at the World War II Club in Northampton, 50 Conz St., Northampton, Mass., every First Wednesday of every month from noon to 2 p.m.

Warrior’s Art Room meets Tuesdays from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Springfield Vet Center, 95 Ashley Avenue, West Springfield, Mass. Space, supplies and instruction for creating art provided free for Veterans and family members.

Call (413) 737-5167 for more information.