Veteran’s internship through Operation Warfighter proves beneficial for him and the U.S. Office of Personnel Management
By the U.S. Office of Personnel Management
Originally published in Stars and Stripes' Transition Magazine - Summer 2016
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Corey Adams, Operation Warfighter intern
Good partnerships usually come from two parties each receiving a benefit by working together. This is exactly what happened when an Operation Warfighter intern named Corey Adams and the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) were each seeking to leverage an opportunity.
Operation Warfighter (OWF) is a Department of Defense internship program that matches qualified wounded, ill, and injured Service members with non-funded federal internships that provide valuable work experience during the recovery and rehabilitation process. This program helps reintegrate the Service member into the civilian work environment and enables federal employers to familiarize themselves with the skill sets and challenges of wounded, ill, and injured Service members and benefit from the considerable talent and dedication of these individuals.
OPM’S STORY
OPM is no stranger to acquiring talent from the ranks of the military. As early as 2008, OPM began working with the OWF program to provide internships for wounded, ill, and injured Service men and women. Although there is no guarantee of permanent employment, the sponsoring program offices are encouraged to consider the program in their workforce planning and hiring efforts. OPM’s Veterans Services Office partners with the national capital regional OWF coordinator to be as proactively engaged as possible in the program. Through the utilization of the OWF database to reach new candidates for internship opportunities and attending monthly OWF career fairs, OPM connects with potential candidates. In fact, OPM’s Veterans Services Program Manager, and former Veteran Employment Manager, Kelly Woodall, is an OWF alumna herself. In early April 2015, OPM received a call from the National Capital Region Regional Coordinator, Education and Employment Initiative Contractor, Office of Warrior Care Policy about an impressive Army Sergeant First Class. The NCR Coordinator sent a resume along with the following note: “Please meet Army SFC Corey Adams. He has an impressive background and is articulate, motivated and personable. He is the kind of person I always sought to have on my staff.” OPM seized the opportunity to tap into Adams’ motivation and experience.
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Corey Adams, Operation Warfighter intern, speaks to OPM’s Employee Services personnel.
ADAMS’ STORY
“The Fort Belvoir Warrior Transition Unit offered me excellent transition support services. I received career counseling, resume support and met with federal employment experts"
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