Over 50 Iowa Counties Have Now Joined Home Base Iowa!
September 25, 2018 (Bedford and Mt. Ayr, IA) – State officials announced on Saturday, Sept. 22 that Taylor County and Ringgold County received the designation as Home Base Iowa Communities.
With these two additions, there are now 51 Home Base Iowa counties, which brings the total number of Home Base Iowa communities statewide to 87.
Shaun Leek, Veteran Program Coordinator for Iowa Workforce Development, attended the Taylor and Ringgold County ceremonies and applauded their efforts for making their counties attractive locations for veterans to live and work.
“With our state’s 2.5 percent unemployment rate which is the second lowest in the nation and the need for skilled workers, veterans and transitioning service members are a great addition to our state’s workforce,” Leek said. “Thanks to your commitment to becoming Home Base Iowa Communities, the program continues to grow and make Iowa the state of choice for veterans. As you look to hire quality employees, attract great families into your communities and assist veterans and their families, Home Base Iowa is working to connect them with you.”
Home Base Iowa is a one-of-a-kind program connecting veterans and transitioning service members to over 2,000 businesses, 24 college and university partners and 87 Home Base Iowa communities statewide.
The Find a Veteran website feature is one of the unique features of Home Base Iowa. Find a Veteran allows Home Base Iowa businesses and communities to log-in anytime and search veteran profiles. They also receive email alerts when a veteran resume is published with matching location and industry criteria. These features allow program partners to directly connect and outreach to veterans by providing a user-friendly platform to find and attract veterans with the skills they need.
Veterans also receive resume and job placement assistance through their local IowaWORKS Centersthroughout the state.
Iowa offers many incentives to veterans and transitioning service members including no state taxes on military pension and veteran hiring preference, which allows veteran preferential treatment in hiring decisions for both public and private organizations. Additionally, the state of Iowa provides up to $7,500 for the down payment or closing costs of a home through the Iowa Finance Authority Military Homeownership Assistance Program. The state also provides in-state tuition rates for qualifying veterans, their spouses and their dependents.
Home Base Iowa designates qualified communities as centers of opportunity for military veterans based on four standards:
- Within a designated community, at least 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
Taylor and Ringgold County have met or exceeded these requirements. To learn more about Home Base Iowa, visit HomeBaseIowa.gov.
For more information contact:
Jason Kemp
515.725.1057 or 515.822.8951
Home Base Iowa Program Manager
jason.kemp@iwd.iowa.gov