Helping veterans can be as easy as buying a raffle ticket this fall.

The state Lottery Commission is launching a “Hometown Heroes” raffle Monday to pump money into a program that delivers small grants to veterans in need of cash as they look for work in the civilian world.

Tickets cost $10, and they’ll be available at markets and convenience stores that sell lottery tickets through Nov. 10 – unless the 300,000 raffle tickets move quickly.

“This is going to be a quick sellout,” said Bill Hanson, director of the state Lottery. “Regardless of what the public may think about …

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South Sound veterans and service members can scope out the labor market Friday at a Hire America’s Heroes career day at Cheney Stadium in Tacoma.

The Seattle-based group aims to connect vets with work in the private sector once they’ve decided to leave the military. It’s bringing Alaska Airlines, Amazon, Boeing, Puget Sound Energy, Starbucks and a mix of other companies to the Tacoma baseball stadium.

The event is free to service members and early birds can pick up free tickets to Friday night’s Tacoma Rainiers game. You can register for the event here.

Hire America’s Heroes has …

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Veterans might have an easier time finding work after they leave the military under a couple of laws Gov. Chris Gregoire signed over the past week.

One signed yesterday allows private employers to establish preferences for applicants with military experience.

“As our veterans return from their duties overseas, it’s important for them to be reintegrated back into our communities. Employment can be a critical vehicle for this transition,” said the bill’s author, Jay Rodne, R-North Bend. “House Bill 1432 simply permits employers to give veterans preference in employment decisions, but it’s not a requirement. This will provide veterans …

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The Pentagon today is reassuring service members and civilian employees in the Defense Department that they’ll receive their full paychecks this week despite the close call in Congress that nearly shut down the government Friday.

“Basically, all active duty and reserve service members will receive full mid-month pay on the 15th of April,” Pentagon spokesman Marine Col. Dave Lapan said. “It may be in two separate payments, but on the 15th everyone will receive their full allotted pay.”

Last week, service members readying themselves for the shutdown read announcements from the Defense Finance and Accounting Service …

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1:30 p.m. update: Madigan Army Medical Center will stay open through a shut down, but mostly for emergencies, urgent mental health services and pregnancy care. Madigan officials are posting updates online at the hospital’s Facebook page.

Here’s the hospital’s official announcement:

Madigan Healthcare System will primarily limit services to inpatient care, urgent and emergency outpatient care, as well as urgent behavioral health care or crisis intervention.  Some services will remain open such as those for dialysis, hematology and oncology.  All pregnancy care will continue, but pharmacy services will be limited.  Routine, wellness and specialty appointments, to include elective …

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We’ve been in touch with officials at Joint Base Lewis-McChord who are making preparations for a government shutdown. They don’t have much to report just yet.

Here’s a message from the Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III outlining what’s likely to unfold if lawmakers can’t reach a deal to keep the lights on. Military and civilian employees who work through a shutdown will get paid, but not until after lawmakers pass a budget. Emergency medical services would continue to take place at Defense Department hospitals. That presumably includes Madigan Army Medical Center.

The following comes from a Pentagon news …

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Washington’s military brass got a warm embrace from the state’s cities Wednesday when an association of local governments signed a “community covenant” affirming their support for the armed forces.

The covenant doesn’t bind local governments to any specific initiatives. It’s a gesture of goodwill honoring the more than 66,000 members of the military stationed in Washington.

“They are our neighbors, they are our parents, our brothers, our friends,” said Gov. Chris Gregoire, who signed the covenant at a conference in Olympia for the Association of Washington Cities.

Rising military spending in the state contrasted with the budget gloom facing the …

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Veterans looking for civilian work will have their admission fees waived at a “Hire America’s Heroes” job fair Saturday.

More than 60 companies are expected to attend the event at Qwest Field’s West Club Lounge. The employers include Boeing, General Electric and Microsoft. It’s open to the public, but civilians must pay $50 to get in.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics last year found that veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars have a slightly higher unemployment rate than the civilian population. Saturday’s event includes job-coaching, interview preparation and resume help.

Hire America’s Heroes is a partnership between Washington corporations …

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