Returning to civilian life presents many new opportunities—and challenges—for veterans. Some may wonder what they are going to do in this new chapter of their life.
This transition can be especially hard for women veterans. Post-9/11 women veterans have higher unemployment rates than male veterans and non-veteran women.
This spring, the Network of Exelon Women (NEW) partnered with One Savvy Veteran, E-MAC (Exelon Militaries Actively Connected) and ComEd Human Resources professionals to host She Served, an event where women veterans learned about opportunities and roles at ComEd.
The event included networking, workshops on resume writing and sessions on continuing education. Veterans also had the opportunity to shop for free clothing and accessories from an on-site boutique created through donations from NEW.
“I appreciate ComEd for seeing that women veterans are still of service and that we still have something to give. Just because you have taken off the uniform does not mean that your service has ended,” says Meosha Thomas, founder and executive director of One Savvy Veteran.
The event also included a panel discussion with four speakers from ComEd who have served in uniform.
Panelist Anna Vargas spoke to the attendees about her experience in the military and how she believes that prepared her for her current role as a principal operations support specialist at ComEd.
“The skills that I learned in the military set the foundation for me to succeed,” she says. “It is because of that experience that I am adaptable to various situations and always willing to step up to any challenge. Those are things that I will always take with me.”
“When I came to ComEd, it felt very familiar and reminded me of the military because we have the same mission, the same purpose and we operate as a family,” she says.
