Posted at: 08/27/2012 6:42 PM
By: Gordon Severson

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Hiring Our Heroes Event Planned in Rochester

(ABC 6 NEWS) -- Rochester business leaders are once again working to put more veterans back to work.
    
Monday morning they announced a Hiring our Heroes event that will be held October 11th at the Rochester International Event Center.

Several speakers talked about how important it is financially to get these vets back to work, but one man's personal story showed how emotionally important it is as well.

"Whether it's anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress, we're all going to have a memory of what happened in the war zone," says Army veteran Jeremy Wolfsteller.

It's been 5 years since Jeremy Wolfsteller’s life was changed forever.

Back in 2007 during his second tour in Iraq.

"I sustained a bullet injury. From there I was transferred to Walter Reed Army Medical Center for about one year of rehabilitation," Wolfsteller says.

He calls that year one of the hardest of his life. A time where everything seemed uncertain.

That uncertainty was lifted when the American Legion presented him with a job.

Helping veterans just like him dealing with the same problems he was.

"To provide assistance to all of them is very rewarding," says Wolfsteller.

Monday morning, he shared his story with area leaders who are also working to put more veterans back to work.

"If you can find a job for a veteran you're going to take care of an awful lot," Beyond the Yellow Ribbon Chair Kenn Roehl explains.

"Right now we have over 225 vacant manufacturing jobs. These are $50,000 a year folks. These are good jobs that are going unfilled because we don't have the right skill alignment," says Chamber of Commerce President John Wade.

They’re skill alignments Wolfsteller is confident you'll find in area vets.

Veterans in the same boat he was five years ago, anxiously looking for a purpose.

"Our sense of purpose was so huge while we were serving. To come back home to have that sense of purpose again is wonderful," Wolfsteller explains.

Organizers of the event say that several businesses have already signed up for the event.

They're looking to sign up 80 businesses in Southeast Minnesota.

Businesses or Veterans who have questions can email hiringourheroes@uschamber.com