Port of Seattle Honors Veterans by Putting Them to Work

Second round of Veterans Fellows announced

At a moving and sometimes somber breakfast today, Commissioners and staff honored the many veterans working at or retired from the Port of Seattle. Retirees, staff members, family members and friends gathered to celebrate the service of these veterans to our country. The Port also announced the second class of participants in the Veterans Fellowship program, a newly-formed program that hires veterans leaving active duty and transitioning to jobs in the civilian workforce.

Men and women returning from active duty have reported increased difficulty in finding work in the civilian world. Port of Seattle CEO Tay Yoshitani, a West Point graduate, is very proud of the Port’s efforts to help these veterans. “These men and women have served our country so admirably, yet they often have a difficult time translating the skills learned in the military into similar jobs outside,” said Yoshitani. “The Port is doing what we can to help our veterans as they move to the next phase of their career. I hope that other employers in the area will join us in our effort to help those who gave their time and talents to our country’s armed forces.”

Up to three fellows are hired for each class, and are given 6-month paid positions within the Port tailored to their skills and expertise. Participants must have served at least three years of active or mobilized reserve duty and be within 120 days of discharge to be eligible for a fellowship. The first class of three fellows completed their program in late October

Gary Buchanan, who oversees the program for the Port, is himself Navy Captain, still active in the Naval Reserves. He has been deployed twice while working at the Port, and understands the challenges that face those leaving active duty. “It isn’t just the soldier or sailor that serves in the military – their families serve as well,” Buchanan noted. “By helping these veterans find good, family-wage jobs, I believe we also honor the families who have supported them.”

Find more information about the Veterans Fellowship program here.