Tuesday, February 7, 2012

As more vets return from war, many have difficulty in finding jobs

Part of the new generation of veterans, many are returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. They will make the adjustment to civilian life as many have done before — but times have changed. The economy is nowhere near as welcoming as World War II vets experienced, or for veterans from the first Gulf War for that matter. And the types of jobs most available do not necessarily lend themselves to the skills of ex-soldiers. This is especially troubling to experts, who say that a steady job helps soldiers transition to civilian life after years of regimented existence.

Some things are better for veterans. Employers now sometimes go searching job boards to hire a vet over a non-vet. Being in the war isn't something to hide on your resume anymore.

The veteran unemployment rate has been historically lower than for non-veterans — 7.7 percent compared to the national 8.5 percent unemployment rate. But the problem is with young veterans around age 18 to 29. In 2010, the unemployment rate for people between 20 to 24 and 25 to 29 was respectively 15.4 percent and 10.7 percent, while veterans in those age groups were unemployed at rates of 20.6 percent and 14.9 percent. Deseret News

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