Project to help out-of-work veterans needs help itself
Their job is to help veterans find jobs, but they might soon find themselves in the unemployment line, too. The stimulus funding for Augusta's Veterans Curation Project is drying up.[Link]

Returning Vets Face a New Battle: The Job Market
As part of his series on Making Sen$e of financial news, economics correspondent Paul Solman reports on the challenges veterans face returning home and searching for work in a troubled job market. [View Video]

St. Louis Veterans dig the archaeological gig
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers initiative aims to place veterans on the path to full-time employment. To Army Corps of Engineers Col. David Bitner, the program's effectiveness resides in its ability to provide veterans with "wide-ranging, technical expertise" in an environment that appeals to their sense of "military, disciplined training." [Read entire article]

Sonny Trimble accepts Service Award for VCP by the Thlopthlocco Tribe
At a recent Open House at the Augusta, GA Laboratory Sonny Trimble accepted a service award on the behalf of the VCP thsat was given by Mr. Charles Colman, First Warrior and Tribal Elder of the Thlopthlocco Tribal Town (Creek). Mr. Colman is very interested in the program because traditionally, Indian tribes have many veterans, including from the recent conflicts. He also is interested in tribal members learning about their history through archaeological collections. [View service award]

American Cultural Resources Association (ACRA) presents Board of Directors Award to the VCP Team
On September 25, 2010, at the ACRA conference in Madison, Wisconsin, the St. Louis District VCP Team was presented with individual Board of Directors Awards. The award recognizes an individual, organization, institution, or agency for their significant contributions to cultural resources management in the United States. The Board of Directors Award is presented only when significant accomplishments in the CRM field merit recognition. ACRA recognized the Veterans Curation Project for addressing two important needs—the critical need for the proper curation of collections generated from archaeological projects throughout the U.S. and, more importantly it providing job training to men and women who are no longer in their military careers and who have had their lives significantly altered as a result of their willingness to put themselves on the line in service to our Nation.

Graduation Day at the Veterans Curation Project
On August 6, 2010, the Washington D.C., and St. Louis VCP Labs graduated their first group of veterans, and the Augusta Lab graduated it's second group. The next groups of veterans will be starting at the three VCP labs in October or November of 2010 pending funding. [See slideshow of graduation ceremonies]

Veterans Curation Project preserves past, prepares veterans for the future
Upon their return from the battlefield, the Veterans Curation Project gives them a chance to preserve history as they build new skills. (More...)

Seven VCP participants find employment.
To date, seven veterans who participated in the Veterans Curation Project have obtained long-term employment using the skills gained in the VCP program in combination with their previous military experience -- three from the Augusta VCP, two from the St. Louis VCP, and one from the Washington, D.C., VCP. One veteran said “This program literally saved my life. I had given up searching for work and felt so useless because I could not provide for my family at all.” Another said “Before this I really did not feel that I could [return to] the workforce and be able to deal with different issues. Now I know that I can, and I know that when this ends I will go out and conquer what needs to be done. I feel very confident and powerful again. I am a proud person again.” All of the veterans have stated that they have gained confidence and empowerment through meeting the challenges of the VCP project. All of the veterans say that they are better equipped for the workforce because of the marketable skills gained through the VCP program, including computer skills, writing skills, organizational skills, high resolution digital photography and scanning skills, and records management and records processing skills. (More)

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers opened the first of three Recovery Act-funded Veterans Curation Project laboratories
WASHINGTON (October 16, 2009) – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers opened the first Veterans Curation Project laboratory, funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, in Augusta, Ga., on Tuesday, October 20. (More...)

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers opens second Recovery Act-funded Veterans Curation Project laboratory in St. Louis
ST. LOUIS (January 15, 2010) – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers opened the second Veterans Curation Project laboratory, funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, in St. Louis, Mo., on Friday, January 22. (More...)

Department of Defense Cultural Resources Program Newsletter
Cultural Resources Update, Volume 8, No. 1 (Winter 2011)

Corps Curators Project Gives Returning Vets New Job Skills
When Josh Weigler returned from a tour of duty with the Marines in Afghanistan in 2002, he found his prospects for a satisfying, full-time job extremely limited. Today, Weigler is one of ten military vets taking part in the ground-breaking Veterans Curation Project (VCP). [More]

SRNS Program Provides Model for Assisting Wounded Warriors Reenter Workforce
By Savannah River National Laboratory/U.S. Department of Energy/CSRA Wounded Warrior Care Project Published: February 28, 2011
Aiken, SC -- For many wounded veterans, getting back into the job market is one of the most important – and potentially most daunting – steps in returning to civilian life. The U.S. Department of Energy’s Savannah River National Laboratory and its management and operating contractor Savannah River Nuclear Solutions have joined forces with the CSRA Wounded Warrior Care Project to help assist wounded warriors re-enter the workforce. Jason Rainey, the first veteran recruited and hired under the SRNS Wounded Warrior Support Initiative, recently reported to SRNL to begin a three- to four-month assignment designed to expand his skill base and prepare him for rejoining the workforce.[Link]

Archaeologist unearths way to help our veterans
Most archaeologists work in sheltered environments and in isolation. Not Dr. Sonny Trimble. He's the forensic archaeologist who uncovered Saddam Hussein's crimes against his own people, and went on a massive hunt for mass graves in the deserts of Iraq. [Link]

Digging deep to help veterans.
Curation project helps our wounded warriors immeasurably
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers archaeologist was called upon to retrieve remains of missing-in-action U.S. servicemen for some six years after the war in Vietnam. [Link]

Good News 4 a Change: Veterans Curation Project

ST. LOUIS (KMOV) – As more American veterans return home, many are finding the transition to civilian life and employment to be difficult. Now, a unique program started in St. Louis is using the past to help veterans prepare for the future, and that’s Good News 4 a Change.

Returned veterans find work, and valuable training, through archaeology program
Wahsington Post Article highlighting the Washington D.C. VCP laboratory [Link]

Schools, veterans get $450,000 donation from SRNS
News 12's cameras were the only cameras rolling as SRNS donated $450,000 to three local organizations. Area colleges and the CSRA Wounded Warrior Care Project got the early Christmas present. [Read article]

Veterans Curation Project: Those who make history help preserve it
There is a link between mountains of prehistoric and historical artifacts, documents and records and Soldiers transitioning to civilian life. The Veterans Curation Project, which helps Soldiers become successful civilians, while meeting the need to properly curate some of the nation's historical treasures, is that link. [More]

Soldiers in the Laboratory
How archaeology helps returning veterans adjust to civilian life [More] [PDF article]

VA News: A video program designed to provide timely news and information about the Department of Veterans Affairs. The weekly 15-minute newscast is co-produced by the VA Learning University and the Office of Public Affairs in partnership with the Employee Education System and other headquarters and field offices. [View VA News VCP newscast]

Uncovering a New Life Back Home
Forensic work in Iraq leads to job skills for veterans in the States. [More]

New program reaches out to wounded warriors - NBC Augusta
AUGUSTA, Ga. - It's a new program helping warriors transition back into society. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Wounded Warriors program held a ribbon cutting for the new Veterans Curation Program.

Veterans Curation Training Helps Veterans Adjust Back Into Society - WJBF News Channel 6
When soldiers return home from to the front lines it may be hard for them to adjust back into society, but a new program is aimed at helping them re-establish and help themselves. WJBF News Channel 6’s Fraendy Clervaud has the story.

Army Corps of Engineers to Create Jobs for Disabled Veterans in Augusta - Georgia Public Broadcasting
AUGUSTA, Ga. — In Augusta the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers opened the first of three Veterans Curation Project laboratories today. According to officials, the goal of the project, which is being funded by $3.5 million in Recovery Act Funds, is to provide disabled veterans jobs restoring and preserving the sizable collection of historic artifacts held by the Corps of Engineers.

Veterans Curation Project, Augusta, GA
In October 2009, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Center of Expertise for Curation and Management of Archeological Collections, St. Louis District, conducted a public opening of the Veterans Curation Project laboratory in Augusta, GA. Two additional laboratories opened in St. Louis, MO, and Washington, DC, by the end of fiscal 2010.

News 12 Augusta
No transcript available. Web clip linked.

New Curation Labs will help Veterans & preserve the past - Wilmington District Week in Review
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers opened the first Veterans Curation Project laboratory in Augusta, Ga., on Tuesday, October 20. The Augusta site is the first of three Veterans Curation Project laboratories that the Corps will open with $3.5 million in ARRA funding.

Veterans dig archeology project Columbia County News-Times
After being injured while serving a tour in Iraq, Benjamin Berkman was discharged from the Army and found himself shifting from job to job.

Project serves veterans and community - Our opinion Columbia County News-Times
It's the first in the nation - and it's right here in Columbia County. The Veterans Curation Project, which held an open house Tuesday, matches work needed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers with labor from wounded and returning veterans.