Maine’s Annual Hire-A-Vet Campaign
By Gov. Janet Mills, D-Maine
You know, one of the great privileges of serving as your governor is working with so many veterans to make sure they have all the opportunities that they deserve in our state. Our state is proud that we have one of the highest number of veterans per capita of any state in the country. And we’re here to serve them.
I am proud to have the benefit of a number of veterans in my administration, including members of the cabinet like Commissioner Randy Liberty, Commissioner Mike Sauschuck, Commissioner and Adjutant General Diane Dunn, as well as a wonderful group of Aide de Camp who advised me and my administration on issues relating to veterans.
I also come from a proud military family. Two uncles who fought in the Pacific in World War II. My brother who served three tours of duty in Vietnam, and my father who served in the Pacific during World War II at the Battle of Leyte Gulf. So I know that when our friends and family members come home from serving on the front lines, they deserve every opportunity to find rewarding careers in the civil sector that utilize their extensive skills, diverse experiences, and their unique training.
Maine’s Hire-A-Vet Campaign is a key part of expanding those opportunities. The campaign had ambitious goals last year: 100 days, 100 employers and 100 veterans hired. And thanks to everyone’s hard work, we achieved those goals, and we place veterans in good-paying jobs in every county in Maine. The employers hiring the most veterans included the State of Maine itself, Bonney Staffing, Northern Light Health and Bath Iron Works.
Since its inception in 2015, the Hire-A-Vet Campaign has connected more than 2,000 employers with over 2,200 veterans hired. That’s incredible.
And to all the businesses who helped make that happen, I say thank you. You folks hired Maine veterans because you recognized what we all know to be true. Veterans know what it means to work as a team and to leave no one behind. They know how to serve with integrity and commitment to a mission while adapting to dangers known and unknown. They have a great work ethic. That sounds like a pretty good employee to me.
Right now, skilled veterans have another chance to find high-quality jobs through our 2026 Hire-A-Vet Campaign. Once again, the goal of the campaign is to get at least 100 veterans hired by Maine employers within 100 days.
Whether you’re a veteran returning to Maine or choosing Maine as your new home or you’re a longtime Maine resident making a career change or reentering the workforce, our Hire-A-Vet Campaign can help you with your job search. Just last month, nearly 50 employers participated in a virtual job fair, which included nearly 40 veterans and their family members. Some candidates attended from as far as Florida and Tennessee because, you know, Maine is where people want to be.
We have hiring fairs coming up in Bangor on Sept. 24, in Alfred on Oct. 15 and in Norway on Nov. 12. All jobseekers are invited.
The Maine Department of Labor also has veterans representatives located across the state year-round to serve you. I strongly encourage veterans who want to take the next step in their career to connect with a local veterans representative at one of the statewide CareerCenters. Both veterans and employers can also take advantage of the online CareerCenter at 207-623-7981 or at myworksourcemaine.gov.
My administration will continue to partner with employers, big and small, through the Hire-A-Vet Campaign to make sure every veteran has the opportunity to live, work and raise a family right here in Maine.