§ 1143. Employment assistance
(a)
Employment Skills Verification.—
The Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security with respect to the Coast Guard shall provide to members of the armed forces who are discharged or released from active duty a certification or verification of any job skills and experience acquired while on active duty that may have application to employment in the civilian sector. The preceding sentence shall be carried out in conjunction with the Secretary of Labor.
(b)
Employment Assistance Centers.—
The Secretary of Defense shall establish permanent employment assistance centers at appropriate military installations. The Secretary of Homeland Security shall establish permanent employment assistance centers at appropriate Coast Guard installations.
(c)
Information to Civilian Entities.—
For the purpose of assisting members covered by subsection (a) and their spouses in locating civilian employment and training opportunities, the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall establish and implement procedures to release to civilian employers, organizations, State employment agencies, and other appropriate entities the names (and other pertinent information) of such members and their spouses. Such names may be released for such purpose only with the consent of such members and spouses.
(d)
Employment Preference by Nonappropriated Fund Instrumentalities.—
The Secretary of Defense shall take such steps as necessary to provide that members of Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine Corps who are involuntarily separated, and the dependents of such members, shall be provided a preference in hiring by nonappropriated fund instrumentalities of the Department. Such preference shall be administered in the same manner as the preference for military spouses provided under section
1784
(a)(2) of this title, except that a preference under that section shall have priority over a preference under this subsection. A person may receive a preference in hiring under this subsection only once. The Secretary of Homeland Security shall provide the same preference in hiring to involuntarily separated members of the Coast Guard, and the dependents of such members, in Coast Guard nonappropriated fund instrumentalities.