Illinois Resources

• The Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs comprehensive benefits resource guide for Illinois Veterans and the agencies that serve Veterans. Please think of this manual as a “one-stop shop” for information about the multitude of resources available to Illinois Veterans on the federal, state and local levels.
• The mission of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs is to assist veterans and their dependents and survivors in obtaining the benefits they are entitled to under the laws of the United States, and the State of Illinois or any other governmental agency, through its forty-three Veterans’ Services Offices located statewide; to evaluate and approve veterans’ education and training programs available at colleges, universities and vocational training centers in Illinois, to provide skilled nursing and domiciliary care for eligible veterans; and administer State grants and benefits to eligible Illinois veterans.
• Veterans Care. Every veteran should have access to affordable, quality health insurance, and that’s why Veterans Care, was created. This program offers access to affordable, comprehensive healthcare to veterans across Illinois. Under this program, veterans pay an affordable monthly premium of $40 or $70 depending on their income, and receive medical, limited dental and vision coverage. Illinois is the first state in the nation to create a program like this.
• Illinois WorkNet Center provides workforce training for unemployed Illinoisians.
• The Illinois Veterans’ History Project was launched by Secretary of State Jesse White to create a permanent record of the names and stories of Illinois war veterans and civilians who served our state and country during war, so that their contributions will not be forgotten.

General Resources

• The Veterans Job Bank connects unemployed veterans to job openings with companies that want to hire them. The Federal Government partnered with leading job search companies to create a new, easy to use online service that enables employers to “tag” job postings for veterans. It launched with more than 500,000 job listings, a number that will continue growing as more companies tag the job postings on their own websites and add them to the Veterans Job Bank.
• My Next Move for Veterans is an easy-to-use online tool created by the Department of Labor that allows veterans to enter information about their experience and skills in the field, and match it with civilian careers that put that experience to use. The site also includes information about salaries, apprenticeships, and other related education and training programs.
• The Veteran Gold Card provides post-9/11 veterans with extra support as they transition out of the military. Once a veteran has downloaded the Veteran Gold Card, he or she can access six months of personalized case management, assessments and counseling at the roughly 3,000 One-Stop Career Centers located across the country.
• Hero 2 Hired (H2H) is a comprehensive employment program provided by the Department of Defense that offers everything a Reserve Component job seeker needs to find their next opportunity, including job listings, career exploration tools, education and training resources, virtual career fairs, a mobile app for IOS, Android and Windows Phones, an innovative Facebook application and a variety of networking opportunities. H2H also provides vast recruiting opportunities for military-friendly employers, including unlimited free postings; ability to send digital invitations to gauge the interest of potential veteran candidates; automatic notifications for applications; H2H messages and connect requests; and search capabilities on H2H’s database to match the qualifications required for positions.
• Milicruit’s virtual recruitment center allows service members, veterans, and military spouses the opportunity to meet and interact with military friendly employers in real time, and for anywhere they are located with an internet connection. Visit employers in their virtual booths, view/apply for jobs, and chat with recruiters all from the comfort and convenience of home. Register today and you will have immediate access to the virtual environment. You can also check the calendar of upcoming national or regional virtual career fairs at www.veteranscareerfair.com.
• The Military Spouse Employment Partnership http://www.msepjobs.com/ (MSEP) is a comprehensive web-enabled recruitment and career partnership solution connecting military spouses to employers seeking a 21st century workforce with the skills and attributes possessed by military spouses. MSEP provides a digital recruiting platform for vetted FORTUNE 500 PLUS employers who have committed to identifying and promoting career employment opportunities for military spouses, posting job openings on the MSEP web portal, and to offering transferrable, portable careers to relocating military spouse employees.
• VetSuccess.gov provides comprehensive transition and employment resources for veterans, service members, and their families. VetSuccess.gov serves as a virtual employment resource center where veterans can browse job listings, post resumes and apply for positions online. VetSuccess.gov also provides links to over 8 million jobs on the VetCentral site.