http://www.fednews-online.com?public ationId=9042

The Office of Personnel Management will not end veterans preference anytime soon. OPM Deputy Director Dan G. Blair testified before the Senate Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management last week, reassuring Congress of OPM's pledge to give the country's veterans preference when hiring throughout the federal government.

"This Administration and OPM are dedicated to ensuring veterans receive all rights and benefits to which they are entitled," said Blair. "The federal government serves as the nation's largest employer of veterans. The government employs more than 456,000 veterans out of a work force of more than 1.8 million civilian employees. Internally at OPM, we have one of the highest veterans' employment representations among independent agencies."

Blair also cited a list of benefits OPM has initiated for veterans.

OPM has enlisted 114 agencies to pay Federal Employee Health Care premiums for employees who are called up to active reserve duty in support of military operations in Iraq.

OPM is also working with the Department of Veterans Affairs to make it easier for veterans with service-connected disabilities to claim Veterans' Preference.