Orton chosen Veterans' Advocate winner

Vermont Business Magazine, Jun 01, 2004 by Herrington, Kate

A long time admirer of the military, Geri Orton has been selected by SBA as the 2004 Veterans Small Business Advocate. Since 1986, Orton has served as Veteran Programs Assistant to the State Director for the Veterans' Employment and Training Service of the U.S. Department of Labor, Montpelier.

"Geri Orton has shown a special dedication to helping enhance the job training and career opportunities for veterans," said SBA New England Regional Administrator Jeffrey Butland.

"I advocate for veterans to receive what is due them," Orton said. "Without our veterans, what would we have? We wouldn't have the freedoms that we have in this country now."

Officially, Orton's job includes a variety of responsibilities: monitoring federal grants overseen by veterans' representatives; providing casework assistance to servicemen regarding the Uniformed Services Employment and Re-employment Rights Act (USERRA); ensuring the implementation of veteran employment and training programs; and assisting with budget and administrative services for the Vermont office of the Veterans Employment and Training Service.

Unofficially, Orton also contributes to a variety of volunteer activities for veterans: working with the Friends of Veterans organization to prevent homelessness among veterans through fundraiser walkathons, Hire-A-Vet Day and working with the homeless shelter in Barre; providing volunteers with the names of local veterans who need and want assistance; serving meals to veterans at the Montpelier Elks Annual Veterans Dinner "to show my appreciation for what they've done for me"; and organizing a Veterans' Night for the Vermont Expos, which included half-price tickets and a salute to the veterans from all branches of the services in the audience.

"When I was a girl growing up, I admired anybody who was in the military," Orton recalls. "I had a real hunger to learn everything about the Civil War an the Revolutionary War. I actually thought of joining the service when I got out of school but at the time, it wasn't as desirable for women to be in the service, as it is now, They weren't treated as equals."

As a West Virginia farm girl, Orton worked hard, excelled in school, developed a positive attitude with support from family and friends, played baseball with the boys, and read a lot. All these activities helped her develop the personal confidence and skills to succeed in her subsequent career working for the federal government. Before moving to Vermont with her husband, a Vietnam Veteran from Vermont, she began her career in Washington, DC, where she worked for Defense Communications under a fourstar general, the Smithsonian Institution Museum in the Commerce Department and Federal Aviation.

Orton recognizes now that she enjoys working with veterans "because they experienced things I really wanted to experience. I love hearing their stories. Most of the vets feel comfortable talking with me about the things they have done and have seen. All the vets have something to bring to the table."

In addition to her job responsibilities and volunteer activities with veterans, Orton has served on Senator James Jeffords' Small Business Committee for Veterans; assisted the Secretary of State's Office and Veterans Affairs Office with creation and distribution of the "I am voting in honor of a Vet" pin; and worked with the Vermont Small Business Development Center to set up business and computer training classes for veterans.

Orton particularly enjoys working with the local Vermont veteran employment representatives because they appreciate the support she gives them and are more than willing to go out of their way to help other veterans. "When you work with good people, it makes your job better," Orton said. Each of the veteran representatives, she feels, "is special in his own way. Most of them never receive the recognition and honor they deserve for the time and energy they've spent woring for vets.

Asked what she might like to share from her experience with veterans, Orton said she hopes business owners who want good employees will consider hiring a veteran. "Veterans have been trained, they're disciplined, and they have qualities of service and determination which make for very good employees," she asserted.

Orton and this year's six other award recipients will be honored by the US Small Business Administration at a special ceremony presented by Vermont Business Magazine at Burlington's Waterfront Park, June 9, 2004, 4 p.m to 7 p.m.