December 7, 2017 (Ottumwa, Iowa) – State officials extend their congratulations to Wapello County on achieving the Home Base Iowa Community designation.
Wappello County became the 77th Home Base Iowa Community at a Thursday afternoon event featuring two keynote speakers, Brigadier General Randy Warm with the Iowa National Guard and Myron Linn, Deputy Director of Iowa Workforce Development. Local business leaders, community leaders and veterans also attended the event at the Ottumwa Bridge View Center.
Home Base Iowa is a one-of-a-kind program that assists veterans and transitioning service members by connecting them to over 1,800 businesses, 21 college and university partners and 76 other Home Base Iowa communities statewide.
Through the web-based “Find a Veteran” feature, Home Base Iowa businesses and communities are connected to veterans who have submitted their resume online. It also allows users to sort job seeker(s) based upon location and/or primary industry to enable direct contact and marketing to those veterans. This user-friendly platform allows businesses to find veterans with the skills they need and gives communities the ability to attract veterans and their families.
The program’s collaborative efforts help connect veterans and their families to resources and benefits in a state that values and honors their service. These benefits include no state taxes on military pensions, in-state tuition, and down payment assistance and closing costs toward a qualifying home purchase. Iowa also offers a cost of living below the national average and one of the lowest unemployment rates in the nation, currently three percent.
Home Base Iowa designates qualified communities as centers of opportunity for military veterans based on four standards:
- Within a designated community, 10 percent of the businesses must become Home Base Iowa businesses and pledged to hire veterans,
- Community develops its own incentive package for veterans,
- Community prominently displays Home Base Iowa Community designation, and
- Community must obtain a resolution of support from the appropriate local governing body
Wapello County has met or exceeded these requirements. To learn more about Home Base Iowa, visit HomeBaseIowa.gov.
For more information contact:
Jason Kemp
515-822-8951
Home Base Iowa Program Manager
jason.kemp@iwd.iowa.gov