Governor McAuliffe Announces First Veteran Hire Facilitated by Virginia's Military Medics and Corpsmen Program
Governor McAuliffe Announces First Veteran Hire Facilitated by Virginia's Military Medics and Corpsmen Program
RICHMOND – Governor McAuliffe today announced the first veteran hire facilitated by Virginia’s Military Medics and Corpsmen Program (MMAC). The Governor proposed the legislation for the program using the Department of Veterans Affairs’ Intermediate Care Technician (ICT) Program, as a model. MMAC, is a two-year pilot program which allows recently discharged veterans and transitioning medics and corpsmen to perform certain medical procedures under the supervision of a physician or podiatrist at major healthcare systems across the Commonwealth
“With the fastest growing veteran population in the Nation, Virginia is full of talent and tremendous skill sets that must be utilized to grow the workforce and economy,” said Governor McAuliffe. “Healthcare is projected to be the largest employment sector of the U.S. economy, and Virginia wants to ensure that we attract and retain as many of the over 11,000 medics and corpsmen that transition out of the military every year as we can. This innovative program creates an immediate pathway to jobs for veterans and provides a talent pool for our healthcare providers as they work to find the best and brightest in a growing industry.”
The program is authorized by legislation and passed the Virginia General Assembly with tremendous support. It focuses on a solution that addresses healthcare staffing shortages and boosts veteran hiring. Army medics, Navy and Coast Guard corpsmen, and Air Force medical technicians receive extensive and valuable healthcare training while on active duty. When they transition to civilian life, their military healthcare training often does not translate into comparable certifications or licenses required for civilian healthcare jobs. Many medically trained veterans often struggle to find employment and cannot apply their skills in the civilian healthcare sector.
“MMAC facilitates veteran hiring and helps this pool of uniquely qualified veterans keep their clinical skills current while obtaining their civilian credentials and continuing their medical education,” said John C. Harvey, Jr., Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs. “MMAC meets the urgent health care needs being faced throughout the Commonwealth.”
The Virginia Department of Veterans Services recruits and screens candidates worldwide and assists with job placement. The hiring decisions, general scope of practice, and potential credentialing and educational opportunities are determined by the MMAC partner healthcare systems. Memoranda of Agreement have already been signed with two partners: Bon Secours Virginia Health System and Chesapeake Regional Healthcare. Agreements are pending with Carilion Clinic, Inova Health System, Mountain States Health Alliance, and Sentara.
“Chesapeake Regional Healthcare (CRH) was the first MMAC Partner healthcare system to begin accepting MMAC Program candidates and is proud to be the first to benefit from the program. Our first hire, Jeffrey Filler, served as a Navy Corpsman and will capitalize on the exceptional skill set he earned in the United States Navy by serving as an Anesthesia Technician at CRH while seeking his civilian credentials in this field,” noted Dr. Alton Stocks, Former Interim Chief Executive Officer of CRH and previous U.S. Navy Medical Corps Officer.
To find out more, visit www.dvs.virginia.gov, or click here to learn more details about the MMAC Program.
About the Virginia Department of Veterans Services
The Virginia Department of Veterans Services (VDVS) operates 26 benefit services offices that assist veterans and their family members in filing claims for federal veterans benefits; two veterans care centers offering skilled nursing, Alzheimer’s/dementia, and short term rehabilitative care for veterans, and three veterans cemeteries that provide an honored final resting place for veterans and their families. VDVS provides veterans and family members with direct linkages to needed services including behavioral healthcare, housing, employment, education, and other programs. The Department operates the Virginia War Memorial, the Commonwealth of Virginia’s monument to honor the memory of Virginia’s men and women who demonstrated a willingness to serve and fight to defend our way of life from World War II to the present. To learn more, visit: www.dvs.virginia.gov.
