[skip navigation]

This page is large and may take a few minutes to load. We appreciate your patience during this process.

To Print: Right click and select Print Preview OR click on File > Print Preview / File > Print > Print Preview.
When the Print Preview window opens, check to make certain that "Shrink to Fit" appears in the Print Size box. Click on the Printer icon to print the document.


www.invernesstechnologies.com

SPRING, 2011

SPRING 2011 GREETINGS!

Well, after a long and difficult winter just about everywhere, it’s springtime in Washington, D.C., the cherry blossoms have bloomed and the Government didn’t shut down! All good news!

First, I want to say how grateful we are that all of our TAP facilitators, DoD and VA program partners in Japan are safe following the terrible earthquake and tsunami that struck that region in March. It is a terrible tragedy for the people of Japan, and they continue to deal with tremors and the ongoing nuclear reactor incident that continues to plague the region. The U.S. military and many volunteers play an important and ongoing role in the recovery efforts and we appreciate their contributions! One of our TAP facilitators in Japan, Lydia DeLeon-Rush, evacuated to the U.S. just following the earthquake but was able to continue delivering workshops for us in Washington State. We were happy to have her help here in CONUS.

TAP expansion efforts continue. We have recently been tasked to deliver TAP workshops at Buckley and Schreiver AFB, CO; Ft. Leonard Wood, MO and will start workshop delivery at Camp Shelby, MS in the near future. We welcome many new facilitators this quarter in the states of CA, CO, KY, MO, VA and WA as well as in Japan; Okinawa, Bahrain and Germany. We know our new trainers will do an outstanding job supporting our transitioning service men and women and spouses!

I also want to say “Thank You-Congratulations-Goodbye” to Jen Farrell our Pacific TAP Project Manager. Jen recently gave birth to a beautiful baby boy, Everett, in February, 2011 and will be relocating from Okinawa, Japan to CA with her husband in the near future as he takes a new assignment there. Jen did an outstanding job for us as the manager of the Pacific Region and I want to acknowledge her hard work and dedication to the TAP Program. Thanks Jen and congratulations on the new addition to your family-you will be missed! At the same time we WELCOME John Letaw as the new Pacific Project Manager. John is located in Iwakuni, Japan where he has been the TAP facilitator at MCAS Iwakuni for the past year. Marjorie Love recently completed a whirlwind tour of Japan where she met with and trained John in his new position and also visited a number of other sites where she got to observe a number of our facilitators in action. We’ve included a short story about Marjorie’s trip and the sites and facilitator’s she visited.

This month we are featuring several interesting articles and I encourage you to read on and incorporate these new training resources and tips in your workshop delivery:

v  

Props as Training Aids to Enhance Your Workshop Delivery

v  

G.I. Jobs Military-to-Civilian Pay Calculator

v  

Dealing with PTSD in the Classroom-one Facilitator’s Story

And of course we continue to highlight our fabulous TAP staff in the Facilitator Spotlight and Photo Gallery sections. Again, thanks to each and every one of you for the outstanding job you do and the contributions you make to this program.

You truly make a difference!

Regards,
Diane

[top of page]

In this issue:

Helpful Links:

Update to the TAP Workshop Slides!!

DOL has updated a few slides to be used in the TAP Workshop delivery beginning immediately. 

The changes are minor, including updated statistics and changes to some Website links.

We have mailed you an updated PowerPoint slide presentation disk for your use – please be sure to replace the existing disk with the new one as soon as you receive it.

Project Manager - Pacific Region

Inverness Technologies

John Letaw began serving with Inverness Technologies in January 2010 as a TAP facilitator.  In February 2011, he was promoted to the position of Project Manager-Pacific Region. In this role, he is responsible for a team of TAP facilitators located at 22 military bases throughout the Pacific Region (Okinawa, Korea, Guam, and mainland Japan).  Given all that has happened recently in Japan, John was tested early as a manager and quickly proved his value by insuring continued TAP workshop coverage when necessary, even under the most stressful circumstances.

We are proud of John and very pleased at his promotion to Project Manager in the Pacific.

Props as Training Aids to Enhance Your Workshop Delivery

By: Melissa Lawton, Project Manager-Western Region

Sitting through a presentation can be challenging for participants, regardless of the importance of the material being delivered. Many of us use props as training aids to enhance our workshop delivery. Props are any items that you use as part of your presentation to make the workshop more interactive, get points across or just have a little fun.

Props accomplish a variety of objectives and can focus the attention of your audience, reinforce key points, add variety, and just make the presentation a bit more “fun” for participants.  Props are also helpful as people tend to remember stories and examples and props help to reinforce those memories and help individuals retain information longer.

Even every day, ordinary items can be used effectively as props such as pointers, pens, chairs, markers, stress balls, padfolios or portfolios, desks or tables, and even resumes and cover letters. To maintain the element of surprise, your props should be hidden until you are ready to use them.  If you do not, the audience begins to wonder how these items will be used and can become distracted – missing important information in your presentation. 

For example, I play a game with neck ties in many of my workshops, but if I let the participants see the neck ties before the start of the Dressing for Success section, participants will start speculating about what is coming.

Inverness trainers use a variety of different props:  bingo cards, inflatable beach balls, post cards, portfolios, handbags, Payday candy bars, name tents, “magic wands,” business cards, newspapers, stress balls, neck ties, playing cards, “monopoly money,” back packs and telephones.

You might already be thinking of some fun ways to use these other props.  For example:

·         If you have some retirees in your workshop, you could ask: “what is the number one game retirees play?”  Golf is the usual response, so when you start passing out some bingo cards, the audience usually will give you a big chuckle.  Of course, the bingo card relates to transitioning or a transition topic, but they still have a lot of fun.

·         Throw the stress ball or the beach ball to participants and that person has to answer your questions.

·         The neck ties are used to see who can tie the tie the fastest and the best.

·         …and the list goes on and on.

Whether you just delivered your 300th workshop or your third, we can all “bump up our game” each time we facilitate, and props are one way to help us do this.  Make each workshop you deliver a meaningful learning experience and have a little fun along the way.  Your participants will be ever so appreciative.

[top of page]

TAP FACILITATOR SPOTLIGHTS

KAREN BANES

Country and Principal TAP Training Site(s):

All sites in Hawaii

Brief Bio:

Karen has been a trainer with Inverness Technologies since July 2007.  She is the spouse of a 20-year Navy veteran and has traveled extensively.  She hails from Pensacola, Florida, and attended the University of Southern Mississippi where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Business Education.  She continued her education by earning another Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources Management and then a Master’s degree in Vocational Education at the University of West Florida.  Karen taught high school for over 13 years and a variety of subjects before entering the private sector where she has over 6 years of experience in all aspects of human resources.  A manager in both the telecommunications and temporary employment services, Karen has been responsible for the recruiting and hiring of hundreds of employees. 

Locally, she has worked as a counselor at the Pearl Harbor Navy College Office.  Later, she became the first Hawaii College Representative for both the University of Maryland University College and Thomas Edison State College.   Both colleges continue to thrive on Oahu.  Karen’s spouse has made the transition from military to civilian life and again to federal employment.  Having experienced this transition first-hand, Karen can provide both the perspective of the civilian world looking to hire and the military looking to transition.

Interesting/Fun Fact:

Karen is an avid ocean-lover.  She is an accomplished sailor, Scuba certified, and volunteers with various organizations such as NOAA which help to protect endangered native Hawaiian species such as the Hawaiian Monk Seal, the Honu (Hawaiian Green Sea Turtle), Humpback Whale, and coral reef conservation.

[top of page]

DONNA BAYLOR

Country and Principal TAP Training Site(s):

Illinois, Scott Air Force Base, IL

Brief Bio:

Donna Baylor has been a TAP Instructor for Inverness since April 2010.  Originally from Michigan, she now lives in Collinsville, IL.  Her public speaking experience spans almost two decades. An international speaker/trainer, Donna is a business consultant and training specialist with a background in business management and hypnosis.

Donna has been a Certified Hypnotherapist and Hypnosis Instructor since 1986. That training brought her a unique insight and understanding of people.  She uses these strengths to deliver her own powerful and effective workshops that respond to participants’ values, dynamics and concerns.

She is a high energy professional who motivates, inspires and communicates clearly with both groups and individuals. Donna has conducted thousands of workshops in areas of personal growth, customer service, management and high-powered communication.

Interesting/Fun Fact:

Donna’s hypnosis program, “Better Golf”’ was once featured in Woman’s Golf Magazine. She has co-authored 3 books, “Creating a Workplace Community,” “Real Word Communication Strategies That Work” and “Conversations on Success” (w/Jim Blanchard).

[top of page]

HEATHER GUNTER

Country and Principal TAP Training Site(s):

Fort Leonard Wood, MO

Brief Bio:

Heather Gunter has been our facilitator at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri since January 2011.  She is from Illinois and has served in the Army.  Following her service, she earned her bachelor’s and master’s degree in Workforce Education and Training Development from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.  She worked as a quality assurance lead for the NATO Maintenance and Supply Agency evaluating the effectiveness of contracted services provided to NATO military in Kandahar, Afghanistan.  She served as the Chief of the Professional Development Center at the Maneuver Support Center of Excellence at Fort Leonard Wood, facilitating leadership training. Additionally, she served as a training developer and instructor for the Department of the Army, Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear School.

Heather’s passions are facilitating and taking care of the military to ensure they receive fun and high quality transition workshops. She continually seeks ways to grow both personally and professionally.  Heather is married to a retired Army soldier and is a proud parent of a daughter and son.

Interesting/Fun Fact:

Heather is training to compete in a triathlon and half marathon.

[top of page]

ANGIE KIKER

Country and Principal TAP Training Site(s):

Menwith Hill, United Kingdom

Brief Bio:

Angela (Angie) Kiker has been a TAP facilitator with Inverness since November 2008.  She is from the Washington D.C. area.  In 1997, Angie and her family of five moved to the United Kingdom where both she and her husband worked for the US Government at Menwith Hill Station. Angie left that position to complete her Masters degree in Counseling Psychology from the University of Maryland, Europe and Bowie State University, and a Post Graduate Degree in Adult Education from Huddersfield University. She has since followed her passion as a helper and teacher, and taught adults in a variety of courses, including childhood development, parenting, assertiveness, stress management, ID theft and Mental Health First Aide.  As a former base Ombudsman, Site Administrator and Housing Officer, she has worked with many issues related to transitioning.  She has three beautiful children, two of whom she has assisted with transitions into university life, one in Scotland and the other in Florida. Angie’s father served in the US Navy during the Korean War as a Chef Petty Officer, her father-in-law served during the Korean War in the US Air Force, and her grandfather served in WWI.  Angie loves to work supporting the US Military members in their career transition.

Interesting/Fun Fact:

Angie is a Campanologist at Ripon Cathedral, and enjoys bell ringing for special services when she has the opportunity.  She and her husband of 25 years bought a HUGE bell in memory of her mother and Michael’s father.

[top of page]

RENÉE McNULTY

Country and Principal TAP Training Site(s):

Misawa, Japan

Brief Bio:

Renée McNulty has been a TAP facilitator since July 2005.  Renée's dad is retired from the Navy, so her childhood was spent all over the globe, but she claims to be "from" Washington, DC.  After earning her degree in Political Science from Brown University, she accompanied her family to Turkey, where she met husband Mike, a contractor to the US military.  As a "following spouse" in support of Mike's career, Renée found her niche as a teacher.  Beginning with a UN program working with young business professionals in Turkey, Renée's professional path grew into teaching at the high school level.  After getting her M.Ed from Framingham State College, Renée and Mike found themselves in Iwakuni, Japan, where Renée stepped into a TAP facilitator opening with the former DOL TAP contractor, NAMS, working with transitioning Marines.  A year later came a move to Misawa, where she continues to enjoy the challenges of delivering workshops, now primarily to Air Force and Navy personnel, and, as of October 2009, as part of the Inverness Team.  Renée is thrilled with what she sees as considerable improvement in the close team approach that Inverness has brought to the TAP program and is constantly amazed by the resourcefulness and vision of the veterans she is honored to come to know through TAP.  In addition to the Misawa workshops and an occasional chance to deliver elsewhere in the Pacific region, Renée also enjoys teaching English in the Japanese schools.

Interesting/Fun Fact:

Renée and her husband spend most of their free time either mountain biking or skiing in Northern Japan.  They also regularly meet up with daughter Erin, a veterinarian, for adventure travel to different parts of the world. Renée got to experience Tokyo on foot last year, as she completed the 2010 Tokyo Marathon. On the podium just two days later, she got to combine her can-do attitude with that of workshop participants.

[top of page]

 

Dealing with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in the Classroom

One Facilitator’s Story

By: Dee King-Shepard, Inverness TAP Facilitator, Yokosuka, Japan

 

Nancy Glowacki named to Important VA Committee

Inverness is pleased and very proud to announce that our own Nancy Glowacki, a long-time TAP facilitator with Inverness in the D.C metro area and a leader in the Veteran community, has recently been appointed to the serve on the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Advisory Committee.  This is a panel of experts that has and will continue to advise the VA on a number of issues and programs affecting women Veterans.

“The Advisory Committee on Women Veterans’ work is very important in guiding VA’s efforts to address the ever changing needs of women Veterans,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. “VA welcomes the newest members.”

Established in 1983, the advisory committee makes recommendations to the Secretary for administrative and legislative changes.  The committee members are appointed to two-year terms.  Nancy is one of four new members.

“Throughout history women have played essential roles in the military,” Shinseki added. “It is VA’s responsibility to anticipate and prepare for the evolving needs of women Veterans, their families and survivors.”

Women Veterans are one of the fastest growing segments of the Veterans population.  There are 23.4 million Veterans and approximately 1.8 million are women.  The VA estimates that by 2020, women Veterans will comprise 10 percent of the Veteran population.

Congratulations to Nancy for this tremendous honor and wonderful opportunity to continue to serve our nation’s Veterans. 

[top of page]

The “G.I. Jobs” Military-to-Civilian Pay Calculator

Most separating service members are unsure how much they'll need to earn “on the outside” to equal their military pay.  The G.I. Jobs Military-to-Civilian Pay Calculator does the math for you!  The calculator shows service members the civilian salary equivalent to their current military pay, taking into account critical factors such as:

·         Benefits like health care, dental, etc.

·         Special (incentive) pays

·         Location after the military

·         Applicable tax rates

This tool can be shared with TAP participants during the Workshop.  If you are able, you may want to use the Internet connection and demonstrate the tool using information from a participant or data you make up. You can discuss this tool in conjunction with Slide 2.2-1 (Financial Needs) and mention it again with Slide 5.2-2 (Negotiating Job Offers).

This will give the participants some idea of how much civilian salary they’ll need to at least maintain their current standard of living. The Website is:
http://calculator.gijobs.com/paycalculator.aspx.

Be sure to give this a “test drive” before (and if) you demonstrate the tool in the Workshop.  It certainly does provide a better understanding of how location, taxes, taxable benefits and more will play into their financial needs assessment as they prepare for the job search.

 

[top of page]

PHOTO GALLERY

CONUS

Marjorie Love Visits Japan TAP Sites

 

During February 2011, the Vice President of Overseas Program Operations journeyed to mainland Japan, a trip that covered over 13,000 air miles and in-country transportation that included trains, busses, subways, taxis, foot travel, and lifts in helpful trainers’ cars.  Four military bases were visited along with six Inverness trainers.  Marjorie Love observed two TAP workshops and met with all site managers at the bases visited.  In addition, intensive 1:1 time was spent in training John Letaw in Iwakuni on the Project Manager duties and responsibilities for the Pacific Region. 

 

In Atsugi, Grace Policarpio was delivering her final TAP workshop with Christine Jamplis observing for her OJT.  Christine was highly motivated and excited about the program after her TAP observation and was ready to facilitate her first workshop in March.

While in Yokota, Marjorie visited with trainer Dee King-Shepard and with site staff members.  Although there was not a workshop in session, Dee and Marjorie enjoyed lunch together and had a chance to discuss various aspects of the curriculum. 

 

In Yokosuka, even though the site was on a two-hour snow delay, Lydia DeLeon-Rush was very prepared and organized to kick off Day 1 of her workshop, arriving early (she and Marjorie arrived on site together at 6:30 a.m. that day) to post charts, have information written on the board, prepare activities, etc.  Jermaine Higgins, also an Inverness trainer in Yokosuka, arrived to deliver a portion of this workshop to allow Marjorie the opportunity to observe him during this visit as well.  Jermaine segued very smoothly into the skill statement exercise by asking members of this retiree class what skills they have developed over the past 20 years and asked the class to think about their skills and how they are going to use them in the future.  He expertly weaved in the importance of civilianizing the skill by saying, “If I don’t understand your vocabulary (as a hiring manager), then I don’t understand how powerful your skill is.”

 

This was a very rewarding trip which was made so much easier through the help and coordination of Jen Farrell, John Letaw, and all the trainers who kept Marjorie moving in the right direction, thereby able to accomplish all goals and objectives.  Much has changed in mainland Japan since the devastation and destruction from the earthquake and tsunami that occurred shortly after this trip.  We salute our Inverness employees on the mainland (and those presently displaced) for their inspirational courage, resiliency, and fortitude. 

 

Thank you, all.  We are proud to have you as team members!

 

Diane Miller, Inverness Executive Vice President and pictured second from the left, recently visited Buckley AFB in Colorado.  Joining her in the photo are (from left to right) James Newby (Community Relations Consultant), Diane, Adrienne Hanson (Community Relations Consultant), and Patricia Pope, the Director of the Airman and Family Readiness Center at Buckley AFB.

Our Fort Campbell, KY Facilitators meet with the Yolanda Rayford, CONUS Project Manager, Eastern Region.  From left to right: Lindsey Dumser, John Melton, Marguerite Ivy and Yolanda Rayford.

 

 

NVTI

During a trip to Colorado in April, 2011, Diane Miller met with (and dined with) the Inverness facilitators attending the NVTI class that week.  Pictured from left to right are: Michelle Bretey (HI), Lydia DeLeon-Rush (Japan), Angela Hamilton (CO), Michele Lewis (GA), Diane Miller and B.J. Holman (Germany).

Our Inverness Facilitators at NVTI in January, 2011 were, from left to right: Vincent McNair (Fort Jackson and Shaw AFB, SC), John Letaw (Pacific Region Project Manager), and Robert Rhymes (MCLB, Albany, GA).

 

 

Overseas News and Photo

Our Inverness Facilitators for Yokosuka NB, Japan are, from left to right: Lydia DeLeon-Rush and Jermaine Higgins.

Marjorie Love and Inverness TAP Facilitator Dee King-Shepard met in Yokota, Japan.

 

 

 

In Atsugi, Japan, Marjorie Love (center) our Vice President for Overseas Program Operations, met with Inverness Facilitators Grace Policarpio (l) and Christine Jamplis (r).

Jen Farrell left her Project Manager, Pacific Region position when she gave birth to a beautiful boy, Everett Lee Mattox!  Everett was born at 10:20 a.m. on February 22, 2011 at the US Naval Hospital, Okinawa, Japan.  He weighed in at 8 pounds, 10 ounces, and was 21.5 inches long.  Mom, Dad, and baby Everett are all doing great!  Congratulations, Jen and Kyle!

 

 

 [top of page]

 

 [top of page]

 ©2011 Inverness Technologies, Inc.
6858 Old Dominion Drive, Suite 200
McLean, VA 22101
Phone (703) 448-3038
Fax (703) 448-3075


To Print: Right click and select Print Preview OR click on File > Print Preview / File > Print > Print Preview.
When the Print Preview window opens, check to make certain that "Shrink to Fit" appears in the Print Size box. Click on the Printer icon to print the document.

[top of page]