VECTR center receives laptop donation for Military Spouse Initiative

WARNER ROBINS – Central Georgia Technical College foundation and the Georgia Veterans Career Transition Resource recognized the Green Veterans for a technology donation on Wednesday.

Green Veterans, alongside its partner General Motors donated 25 laptops to the VECTR Center for its Military Spouse Initiative. 

The initiative is a collaborative between CGTC’s Office of Economic Development, WorkSource Middle Georgia, the 21^st Century Partnership, Robins Air Force Base and the Georgia VECTR Center.

The initiative will strive to facilitate, streamline and reduce barriers to education and training opportunities for military spouses. 

Green Veterans CEO Shawn Hanley was one of the speakers at the event and spoke about how much private sector support helps them become successful. 

He said companies like General Motors have fantastic equipment that is replaced every year. They take old equipment, like laptops, and refurbish them to make them brand new. Hanley said that is how they operate in a private sector. 

“General Motors have been a great supporter of Green Veterans and we’re able to take what they’ve donated to us and then get it all ready and donated to appropriate organizations like this effort to help military spouses,” he said.

Hanley said they look forward to a long relationship with the VECTR center and they want to be helpful in any way they can. 

Hanley’s son was in the audience during the event and inspired him to think of the youth of today. He said he thinks the youth should see the impact they can have. 

“All veterans across the country, all military personnel, military spouses, and in some capacity, every one of us has to have that part and give back. I want to make sure he and others will understand that sometimes giving back is not going to be returned monetary, it’s going to be returned hopefully with a bigger heart, better understanding on how to go forward to help those in need,” he said.

Hanley also shared their focus is to technology needs to organizations that focus on taking care of veterans, military personnel and their spouses. He said it was a good day for them and hopes it was a good day for everyone involved. 

He shares they’ve had requests over the years by federal and state government funded organizations. Hanley said they have a mission but sometimes budgets fall short, and he hopes his organization helps them accomplish their mission, even if there’s a budget shortfall. 

VECTR Chief Operating Officer Don Layne said the center serves the military community. It serves them by helping active-duty transition into civilian life and serves retired veterans. The center also helps their families.

He said receiving the donation has been a capstone of a lot of effort to get them over the finish line. Layne said there’s has been a lot of work beneath the surface including, building the program. 

CGTC also helped in coursework, establishing the curriculum and teaching at the center. Layne said VECTR is excited to be in the recruiting phase of garnering interest in the program.

“The secret to success is really being able to take someone with no experience and have them come out at the end ready to apply for a job, having the qualifications that that job needs. We’re targeting specifically Network Plus, Security Plus to get them the computer skills they need to possibly have a career working on base and being able to have that career follow them along with their military spouse,” Layne said.

WorkSource Middle Georgia Project Manager Paul Allen said they are excited to be a part of the program and working with the VECTR Center. The organization is a federally funded nonprofit and receives funds through the Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act. 

Allen said the funds will pay for the training spouses will receive. He shares their role is enrolling the participants and paying for their training. 

He said he believes the center embodies how they feel about veterans and their families who support the nation.

Allen said while watching the Olympics with his 10-year-old son, he shared with him how important it is to have patriotism and love for one’s country. He said when people have served and sacrificed so much for the country, they want to make sure that they do their best to support them. 

Allen shares they are grateful for the support of Robins Air Force Base, CGTC and the VECTR center and they could not have pulled it off alone.

“This program is really exciting to be a part of. WorkSource is glad to be able to fund it and we’re looking forward to seeing those credentials and certifications lead to full time employment and spouses becoming part of this Robins community,” he said.