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Remarks Delivered by
U.S. Secretary of Labor
Elaine L. Chao
Marine Corps Reception Honoring
Assistant Secretary for
Employment and Training Charles Ciccolella
Arlington, Virginia
July 25,
2006
Thank you, Chick. I especially want to thank General Wilson, our host,
and all of the Marines who are supporting this event and those who will be
entertaining us tonight at the Marine Corps Memorial.
I would also like to recognize the many senior Defense Department and
military officials, and our many friends here. I especially want to recognize
Deputy Assistant Secretary Barney Barnum, a member of the Hire Veterans
First Committee and, as all of you know, a recipient of the
Congressional Medal of Honor.
I am so pleased to be here tonight to honor one of the outstanding
members of our leadership team, Assistant Secretary for Veterans Employment and
Training Chick Ciccolella. Since taking his oath of office in August 2005,
Chick has worked above and beyond the call of duty to serve his fellow
veterans.
A life of service comes naturally to him. His father, Major General
Richard Ciccolella, was an outstanding military leader. Both his brothers and
Chick became Army Colonels. And his brother Bob Ciccolella is with us tonight,
as well as Chick's wife Donna, and his daughter, Connie.
And Chick himself, as you have just heard, is a decorated veteran who
has been recognized many times for his courage, valor and his sacrifices on
behalf of others. I could not think of a better leader to serve in this
important position than Chick, and we are grateful to have him on our team.
At the Department of Labor, we take our responsibilities to our
veterans and military members seriously. And that is why what Chick and his
group at VETS does, is so important.
Thanks to Chick and the members of VETS, last year I announced the
first-ever regulations implementing the Uniformed Services Employment and
Reemployment Rights Act of 1994-known as USERRA. This law has
been on the books for many years. But it took Chick and his leadership team to
put teeth into that commitment with the first-ever set of regulations
implementing the law.
Under Chick's leadership, VETS is also helping Reserve and Guard
members with employment assistance when they return and demobilize. VETS has
expanded transition assistance to service members stationed overseas. And VETS
is enhancing this training to help military members better translate their
skills on their resumes.
VETS is also providing personal employment assistance to our wounded
and injured service members at the major military medical centers under our
REALifelines program.
The Department of Labor is committed to taking care of our service
members, both active duty and Reserve and National Guard. But we are also in
the unique position of helping all veterans when they transition to the
civilian workforce.
So, last fall, I was joined by former U.S. Senator Bob Dole, as well as
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Craig Duehring and Chick
Ciccolella to kick off the Hire Vets First campaign. The skills,
commitment and loyalty of our veterans add so much to our nation's workforce!
That is why we make sure veterans and service members receive priority when
they come into the Workforce System. I might mention that Emily DeRocco, our
Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training, and Chick Ciccolella have
worked hard to make that a reality!
Finally, the federal government is the largest employer of veterans.
One in every four employees in the government is a veteran! The federal
government is also a Model Employer in its support of our citizen-soldiers, the
National Guard and Reserves.
Last October, I signed the Statement of Support with the National
Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR). It is an honor
to have been the first non-defense member of the President's Cabinet to sign
the Statement of Support for our citizen-soldiers. We are proud of our men and
women who have served in the military. And we are proud to have a leader like
Chick who is so totally dedicated to the ideals of military service and to
serving them when they return from duty.
So thank you, Chick, for your courage, your service to our country and
your leadership. And thank you for allowing me to share in this wonderful and
inspiring ceremony tonight.
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