Ben Keen touches the lives of almost 300 veterans in the Pittsburgh area.

When he began Steel City Vets with the goal of uniting Pittsburgh veterans, he had no idea it would lead him to Nashville, where he will be accepting an award for his efforts.

“The transition is as individualistic as one’s fingerprints,” said Keen, founder and executive director of Steel City Vets.  “It doesn’t matter what organization you go with, as long as you’re doing something to better yourself.”

Steel City Vets is just one organization in Pittsburgh that provides resources to veterans who are transitioning from military to civilian life, as well as providing benefits to all local veterans.

The population of veterans has drastically increased, due to the fact that the United States has been at war for almost 15 years.  Allegheny County alone has a total of 220,000 veterans, 50,000 of which have served post 9/11. This ranks Pittsburgh the highest city in Pennsylvania, and in the top 10 percent of the nation in population of veterans.  The most recent generation of veterans are between the ages of 20 and 40, and many of them have young families.  

“Pittsburgh’s got a very strong support [system] for the veterans community,” said Doug Mosley, National Service Officer for Military of the Purple Heart Pittsburgh Regional Office.  “Just keep these guys in mind.  They sacrificed a lot for what everybody has, and too many people don’t appreciate it.”

Keen is not the only veteran who faced the challenge of transitioning into civilian life.  Justin Rivera, an Army veteran who served in Iraq from 2005 to 2008, encountered many obstacles during his own transition.  

“It was pretty hard because I was so used to the structure,” Rivera said.  “I [was] so used to someone else doing it, that it’s kind of difficult to get back into it and just do it yourself.”

Rivera returned home with feelings of loneliness, as well as neck and back pain.  Medicine was prescribed to him without follow-up consultations.

“I hope that there would be more awareness to medication subscribed, and [people] being more aware of having more self control,” Rivera said.

After a few months passed, Rivera turned to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for assistance.  The VA provided counseling, job search assistance, and professional resume writing. The VA hired Rivera through a program called Compensated Work Therapy, which pays minimum wage and does not require the veteran to pay taxes.

Rivera explains how the VA got his life back on track, and how he now works at a hardware store in Erie called Duchini’s.  He also has a son, Archer Daniel Rivera.

“I think people need to be more aware of all the different things the VA has to offer,” Rivera said.  “If you’re struggling with PTSD, don’t be ashamed or embarrassed.  There’s groups and everyone has their own story, and it makes it comfortable to talk.”

Steel City Vets is committed to finding sustainable, living wages for Pittsburgh veterans, Keen said.  Their program works with businesses in the area to arrange job placements.  

Keen said he does not expect businesses to hire a veteran simply because they have served in the military, but wants companies who claim to hire veterans to give them a fair chance.

“Nowadays more veterans are getting out with an education, whether it’s a bachelor’s, some are coming out with their master’s, some are coming out with their doctorate’s,” Keen said. “So people having this image of the dumb soldier is outdated.”

In order to prepare a veteran for job placement, Steel City Vets hosts a transition assistance program titled “Greens to Jeans.”  Veterans spend the morning writing resumes and undergoing interview preparation.  In the afternoon, they participate in small job fairs.

“The aim is, worst case scenario, that a veteran comes in without anything: no resume, no job, no interviewing skills, nothing,” Keen said. “[They] walk out with a professionally written resume, suit, interviewing techniques and has at least handed a resume to a couple of people and may have a job offer.”

In addition to job assistance, Steel City Vets has been a co-sponsor for the Pat Tillman run in Pittsburgh for the past five years.  The group hosts many events, including this winter’s Steel City Comedy Tour on Dec. 12 at the VFW in Coraopolis.  Tickets are $25 and include food from Pittsburgh Smokehouse.

Steel City Vets works with other organizations including The Mission Continues, Wounded Warrior Project, Veterans Support Foundation, Heinz Endowments, Veterans Breakfast Club,Veterans Leadership Program and Checkpoint.  Keen also stresses that their doors are open to anyone wishing to work with Steel City Vets.

Another organization in Pittsburgh that provides assistance is the Military Order of the Purple Heart Service Program.  The organization works with all veterans to provide assistance with compensation and pension benefits.

“You don’t have to be a member, we help all veterans from any branch of service from any organization,” Mosely said.

Mosley explained because the economy isn’t improving, more veterans are in need of assistance.  Cash assistance is provided to what Mosley calls “vets in dire need.”

“Homeless people need help.  Winter’s coming, so we request cash assistance for folks looking for heating oil,” Mosley said.  “Their car breaks down, they can’t get to work, no groceries, no heat, they’re getting evicted, stuff like that.”

Keen began Steel City Vets after facing his own hardships.  His eight years and seven months of service in the Army led him to face post-traumatic stress disorder upon returning home.  Keen served many deployments including Iraq, Ansbach, Germany, Clarksville, Tenn., Seoul South Korea and Fort Huachuca, Ariz..

“I survived multiple deployments, but I was on the path of killing myself on the couch,” Keen said.

Keen’s young daughter inspired him to better himself, and also begin helping others.  Social media pushed the organization to where it is today.  Because of his efforts, Keen has been named the 2016 American Staffing Association’s National Staffing Employee of the Year.  Keen’s daughter, who was his inspiration from the beginning, will join him on a vacation earned by Keen’s efforts.

“I sure as hell wouldn’t be going to Nashville to receive an award,” Keen said. “which is going to let me take my kids to Disney World for the first time.”