— Muskogee will be the host of the 2013 Eastern Oklahoma Veteran and Military Hiring Fair and Business Opportunity Summit today at the Muskogee Civic Center. Doors open at 10:30 a.m., and the event will continue to 3 p.m. Veterans are welcome to arrive by 9:30 a.m.

The primary purpose of this job fair is to help veterans and military personnel obtain employment and to inform veteran and military business owners of available resources and opportunities, such as federal contracts, loans and grants.

Approximately 80 employers are expected to be on hand. They include health care organizations, small businesses and federal agencies such as the U.S. Marshals Service, customs and border protection agencies, the Department of Homeland Security and the Census Bureau.

Workshops will be scheduled to serve veterans and the businesses they own or work for. Some of these collaborations include: business planning and projections, financing, web presence and marketing for small businesses.

Employment professionals will also discuss topics such as: how to get a federal job, how to develop a resume and how to file a federal claim, as well as benefits information.

The Jack C. Montgomery VA Medical Center will provide free transportation for veterans from the medical center and the Ernest Childers VA Outpatient Clinic in Tulsa.

Veterans who live in Tulsa can ride the VA shuttle from the Tulsa clinic to the Muskogee hospital. The Veterans Transportation Service will then transport veterans to and from the Muskogee Civic Center.

The shuttle’s schedule is as follows:

Departs Tulsa at 8:15 a.m. - arrives in Muskogee at 9:15 a.m.

Departs Muskogee at 9:30 a.m. – arrives in Tulsa at 10:30 a.m.

Departs Tulsa at 10:45 a.m. – arrives in Muskogee at 11:45 a.m.

Departs Muskogee at 12:30 p.m. – arrives in Tulsa at 1:30 p.m.

Departs Tulsa at 1:45 p.m. – arrives in Muskogee at 2:45 p.m.

Departs Muskogee at 3 p.m. -  arrives in Tulsa at 4 p.m.

 Jack C. Montgomery medical center staff members will also attend the hiring fair and will provide information about VA benefits and health care. They will also offer free flu shots to enrolled veterans.

For questions about transportation: VTS Call Center, (918) 577-3500 or toll-free at (877) 905-4538.

For information and to register: www.vetsjobs.net.