This morning, Senator Mark Warner held a Commonwealth Coffee honoring our veterans. While coffees are usually a time for constituents to dialogue with the Senator, the Senator decided this coffee should not only be about dialogue but also about action.

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The Senator invited groups from different industries that have veterans’ hiring programs or can help connect veterans to jobs after their service. These groups included representatives from the Warriors 4 Wireless, Hiring Our Heroes – US Chamber of Commerce Foundation, JP Morgan Chase & Company, Northern Virginia Technology Council, and Troops To Energy Jobs. Veterans who attended the coffee were invited to connect with the representatives on employment opportunities that require skills unique to veterans.

Tommy Sowers, Assistant Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, kicked off the event by talking about new initiatives at the V-A including a new campaign to educate veteran’s about the full spectrum of benefits available to veterans. Assistant Secretary Sowers also praised Senator Warner’s advocacy for the V-A including helping to expand their budget and his continued work on the V-A claims backlog.

Senator Warner then introduced the team from the William and Mary Puller Clinic which was recently certified as an "approved partner" in preparing and submitting VA disability claims. “I am proud that a Virginia university is leading the way to assist veterans. In fact, since its inception 15 new schools have joined the Puller Clinic’s alliance, and an additional 10 schools are in the process of adopting the Puller Clinic model said Senator Warner. “The Puller Clinic has proven that it is possible to process a claim for veterans in half of the average time. I encourage anyone here who is a veteran or knows one who needs help to contact the Puller Clinic.”

The Senator Also took the opportunity to personally thank each veteran who attended.