NewsWest 9
MIDLAND - We all know the oil boom is hard to compete with. Even the Midland County Sheriff's Office is having a hard time hiring. But now thanks to a new partnership with the United States Army, the Sheriff's Office might get a little help while supporting local veterans at the same time.
Jobs are everywhere in the Basin but filling them is another story. Just ask the Midland County Sheriff's Office.
"We've had people working overtime," Sheriff, Gary Painter, said. "We've had positions open for quite a while. We're trying to get those filled because it's hard to compete with the oilfield."
But Sheriff Painter is hoping that will change.
The Sheriff's Office and the U.S. Army have partnered up for the Army Pays program to bring jobs to local veterans.
"It's an initiative to help reconnect America's Army with America," Ted Groholske, Southwest Pays Marketing Analyst with the U.S. Army, said.
Here's how it works: The Sheriff's Office will be added to a list of employers for these local heroes to look into when they get out of service.
All they have to do is ask within.
"They can come into our office and expect to receive a job application and an interview," Painter said.
"It's a tool that veteran can use," Groholske said. "You know this may not be a guarantee of employment but I know I get to talk to somebody and get an interview with somebody that's looking for what I learned in the Army or what I did."
The Sheriff's Office has been short-staffed when it comes to jailers and other jobs inside the detention center.
Sheriff Painter said men and women with a military background are perfect for this kind of work.
"They're already regimented, they're already used to having a chain of command, they're used to following orders," Sheriff Painter said. "They are highly trained and very efficient and those are the kind of people we want to work."
He hopes the chance at a steady job will draw in soldiers and fill open spots.
"We have a great opportunity for advancement," Sheriff Painter said. "They can gain rank while they're here. They can become supervisors."
Making it a win-win situation for everyone.
