The Veterans Opportunity to Work Act (VOW Act) will now advance to the Senate where similar support is expected.

If passed by the Senate and signed into law, The VOW Act will boost transition assistance for service members, improve job protection laws for National Guard members and Reservists, and create a new job-training program for older veterans.

Many veterans organization, including the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion support the bill.

Millitary.com also has more information here.

During his speech, Obama reiterated some of his administration’s veteran employment initiatives announced earlier this month, such as the “Returning Heroes Tax Credit for companies that hire unemployed veterans, and a Wounded Warrior Tax Credit for companies that hire unemployed veterans with a disability.”

In a nod towards TIME Magazine’s latest cover story “The New Greatest Generation,” The Huffington Post explained that, at the annual American Legion Convention, “Obama said the Americans who have worn the uniform since Sept. 11 have put the nation in a position of strength and have earned their place among the greatest of generations.”

As Obama goes on to say, “We cannot, will not, and we must not, balance the budget on the backs of our veterans.” As the approaching anniversary of Sept. 11 reminds us, it is now our duty and should be our desire, to help those who have dedicated and risked their lives to serve and protect us in the wake of one of our nation’s most horrific days.

Now, as Obama and the Call of Duty Endowment believe, we must come together to help solve our devastatingly low veteran employment issue, especially for those who have unfortunately seen some of the highest jobless rates – our post-9/11 veterans.

An Irishman, named Tom Kelly, was one of those brave young individuals who joined the United States Army in the sixties.   Kelly wasn’t born in America; he grew up over 4,000 miles away in Ireland and moved to America when he was in his twenties.   But not being an American citizen did not stop him from fighting next to his adopted countrymen. Like many other immigrants, Kelly put on the uniform of his adopted country after President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963.  Shortly after the tragedy, Kelly offered to serve during the Vietnam War to help stop the spread of communism at a time when immigrants holding a green card were allowed to enlist in the service.   Kelly was part of the all-volunteer 173^rd Airborne Brigade from 1965 to 1966.  The 173^rd Airborne Brigade was one of the first major ground combat teams of the US Army to serve in Vietnam.  At the peak of deployment, the Brigade was comprised of almost 3,000 soldiers.

Now living back in Ireland, Mr. Kelly makes annual trips back to the United States and has been a longtime member of the American Legion.  Specifically, Mr. Kelly devotes his time as Director of the Irish Veterans Memorial, an organization which plans on renovating a church in the center of Athlone, Ireland to serve  as a “living” memorial to all the Irish men and women who served proudly during the Vietnam War.   Rightly, the organization wants to  ensure that those who gave their lives to fight for the American forces are never forgotten.

Recently, Brian Kelly, co-chairman of the board for Acitivision Blizzard gave a remarkable donation of $50,000 to CODE.   Justly, his resources were donated in honor of his uncle, Tom Kelly, to help other veterans who have followed him and answered their own call of duty. To all those who came to America after their birth and served in the United States military, we thank you.  Your time of service and the challenges you faced as veterans can never be repaid.  But with organizations such as Tom Kelly’s Irish Veterans Memorial and CODE, we hope that your sacrifices will never be forgotten and eternally honored.