ROANOKE, Va. – This week is Virginia Women Veterans Week.
Leaders with the Virginia Department of Veteran Services say there are more than 100,000 women veterans in the Commonwealth.
The organization is working to help veterans transition back into civilian life.
“It required you to be tough,” Air Force Veteran Meagan LoBuglio said.
LoBuglio served in the military for 12 years.
“It was awesome, I am so grateful for the experience,” she says.
After serving the country, LoBuglio wanted to finish school, but soon, she missed military life and attended a women’s veterans conference put on by Virginia Values Veterans or V3, a state agency that helps veterans.
“It was such a melting pot but also a sisterhood and it’s incredible.”
According to state leaders, LoBuglio is one of 109,000 women veterans in the Commonwealth.
LoBuglio now works for the same agency, V3 as a Regional Program manager helping veterans find jobs.
“It’s really exciting to help veterans transition into civilian employment.”
There are 1,500 folks that participate in the Virginia Values Veterans program.
The program offers free training to employers, for best practices in recruiting, hiring and retaining military job seekers.
Since the program started in 2012, about 82,000 veterans have been hired.
“It’s a program that we are very proud of and we really want to blow up butted 06:50 as we look into the V3 program it is a critical part of helping veterans find work,” Commissioner Daniel Gade of Virginia Department of Veterans Services said.
There is a conference in June in Richmond to connect veterans with other veterans.