Meet Sam and Eric
Veterans Helping Other Veterans
Life was great for Eric Jones. He was working for the National Association of Broadcasters in Washington, D.C. and it seemed everything was finally going his way. But when he was unexpectedly laid off, things suddenly took a turn for the worse.
Eric is originally from Los Angeles, California. He made his first trip to the “east coast” after accepting a full basketball scholarship to Howard University in Washington, D.C. in 1992. Eric graduated from Howard University with a bachelor's degree in Radio and Television Communications, but because he always had a desire to travel the world, he made the decision to join the military in 1997, immediately following graduation.
Eric served in the United States Navy for four years. During his time in the Navy, he served a one-year deployment in Iraq (the Gulf Coast), as well as several other three-to-six-month deployments in the Persian Gulf and Indian Ocean. Eric faced many challenges during his time in the Navy, and was honorably discharged at the end of his contract in 2001. Less than a month after being discharged from the Navy, Eric was offered a position at Eagle Publishing. He later went on to accept a position at the National Association of Broadcasters until being laid off in February 2015.
Eric tried everything to secure a new job after being laid off, but things just weren't working in his favor. Last summer, Eric heard about a Veteran’s Employment Workshop at the VA and decided to check it out. In October, while attending the Veteran’s Employment Workshop at Easter Seals Serving DC | MD | VA, Eric met Sam Adams, a Veteran’s Employment Specialist at Easter Seals, who told him about an open position as a Driver for the Adult Day Program. “When I told him about the position, I just remember him saying, ‘I really love people,’” said Sam. “Eric just needed something to get him back on his feet and feeling good about himself again.”
Sam, a retired veteran who served 23 years in the United States Army, knows all too well what it feels like for a veteran to find his way in the civilian world. “I was only 18-years-old when I joined the military,” said Sam. “I had to work hard, so I’ve decided to dedicate the rest of my life to giving back to our veterans.”
After driving at Easter Seals for three months, Eric was promoted to a Project Coordinator, and he “loves every moment of it!” “I’m just glad I met Sam,” said Eric. “Everyone is down on their luck sometimes, but I’m just glad fate brought us together.”
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