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Piland honored for service to veterans
On the eleventh day at the eleventh hour on the eleventh month, the United States of America celebrates Veteran's Day. Originally known as Armistice Day, this marks the day that World War I ended.
In 2005, it was the day Leah Piland and two other nominees from Missouri went to Washington, D.C., to be rewarded for their hard work and determination in serving United States veterans.
The veterans' representatives were invited by the U.S. Department of Labor for the Salute to America's Veterans program. The speakers included Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao, and the Department of Labor's assistant secretary of Veterans Employment and Training, Charles Ciccolella. The event was conducted in Arlington National Cemetery.
Leah Piland is herself a veteran, having served in the U.S. Marine Corps for 14 years. She served in Grenada, Somalia and the first Gulf War. She was one of the first women to be trained as a combat engineer in the Marine Corps and after a while, using her GI Bill benefits, she was able to attend Pittsburg State University Pittsburg, Kan., as well as receiving her pilot's licensure.
Piland had not considered a career in the military until her sophomore year of college at Central Missouri State University. She doesn't regret it, either. Her father was in the military so, to her, the transition was not foreign. The military offered her great opportunities that she took full advantage of; in her own words, Piland "took the ride and rode it all the way."
In 1998, Piland retired from the military and came home to Butler, Mo. That's when Piland began her work with veterans.
Piland now works as a veterans representative of the Missouri Career Center in the West Central Region. She is also known as a Local Veterans Employment Representative. Piland works with veterans so that they can utilize their "transferable skills" -- those skills that they acquired in the military that can help veterans to find civilian jobs through a process of recognizing those skills and applying them to civilian life. She also works with them on resume writing, job placement as well as job development. Twice a month, Piland offers a three-day class to airmen and enlisted men, titled "Transitional Assistance." About 30-37 airmen and retiring military personnel comprise the average class.
Piland works in conjunction with the Missouri career center located in Nevada, Mo. The facility offers various incentives to veterans who seek out their aid -- everything from readjustment services to programs like "Helmets to Hard-hats, the best jobs in construction."
Troops to Teachers is a newer program offered by the federal government which aims to assist eligible military personnel into a transition for a new career in the public school system.
Piland not only had the opportunity to receive the Division of Workforce Development's Outstanding Service to Veterans Award, she also visited the Smithsonian museums.
The most interesting and fascinating memorial to Piland was the Korean War Memorial. The soldiers stand sentinel, clad in bronzed raincoats and weary expressions. Beyond the life-sized statues stands a wall, known as the "ghost wall."
Piland described her reaction to the site as an "eerie" feeling. As one approaches the wall, faces become more and more distinct. It's an illusion that really stuck with Piland. But even more emotionally draining and even more important to Piland was the tour of Arlington National Cemetery.
"I have a passion for working with veterans. It was very nice to win the award but it was unexpected. Arlington was a humbling experience that every veteran should have the opportunity of seeing (Arlington) at least once in a lifetime." said Piland.
Judy McQuitty nominated Piland for the award and attended the event in Washington D.C. "I am very proud of Leah. She definitely deserves this award and the recognition in her own community for the outstanding services she gives to veterans." McQuitty said.
The excitement hasn't worn off for Piland -- she says her rewards are reaped every time she helps a veteran, and that she loves what she does and is glad to give back to the men and women of this country.
For information on veterans services contact the Missouri Career Center at (417) 448-1177.