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Subscribe to RSSThe unemployment rate among younger veterans continues to outpace the share of out-of-work civilians with nearly one in 10 ex-service members from the Iraq and Afghanistan eras hunting for jobs, according to figures released Friday by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Younger male veterans are dragging a collective unemployment rate of 9 percent, compared to 7.6 percent in February 2012. Younger female veterans, who have faced far stiffer challenges grabbing civilian paychecks, posted an unemployment rate of 11.6 percent last month versus 7.4 percent at this time last year, the BLS said.
In raw numbers, 203,000 post-9/11 veterans were unemployed in February. One year ago that number totaled 154,000. Their overall unemployment rate was 9.4 percent in February. The U.S. unemployment rate last month was 7.7 percent, the Labor Department reports.
“The problem of veteran unemployment should be seen as a national disgrace,” said Cleve Geer, national commander of AMVETS, a nonprofit veterans' organization.
Many of those men and women possess — literally — battle-hardened skills, if not the ability to work under fire, yet some employers seem unable or unwilling to transfer those strengths into civilian jobs, veterans groups say.
“It’s hard for me to believe that a guy can drive a truck in combat but he can’t drive one on the highways. I mean, what the hell is that all about?” said John E. Hamilton, commander in chief of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. “You’ve got a (medical) corpsman out there in field with Marines doing everything short of open-heart surgery but he can’t be an EMT when he gets home. Are you kidding me?”
Yet the veteran-jobless rate soon may spike as sequestration forces federal agencies to hack budgets.
“That's definitely sending shockwaves around our community,” said Paul Rieckhoff, an Iraq War veteran and founder and CEO of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, a nonprofit advocacy group representing more than 200,000 members.
“One third of our members work in government some place. A lot are at the TSA, the Pentagon, and Homeland Security, working as civilians,” Rieckhoff said. “We also have a lot working in the contracting space.”
'Everybody's worried'
Among the 20 U.S. companies that hire and retain the most veterans — as ranked by G.I. Jobs — seven of those businesses cater strongly or even entirely to military personnel or federal agencies, including Booz Allen, a management consulting firm that holds contracts with the Pentagon, the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Transportation.
“Those (contracting) jobs for veterans are definitely going to be cut back some,” said Bob Tanner, a federally employed systems analyst and former Marine corporal who served in Iraq. He was unemployed from August 2006 until February 2007 after leaving the military. “There’s still a huge gap (in veteran-versus-civilian employment). But I think that gap is going to continue to grow if there’s a lot of layoffs.”
Added Rieckhoff: “In our population, everybody’s worried.”
In late February, however, his organization partnered with Futures Inc. and Cisco to launch an online employment tool called Career Pathfinder, which Rieckhoff vows, “can be the fuel injection that gets us to deeper impacts.” The free site helps translate specialized military skills to civilian jobs. It provides thousands of active job listings from employers who want to hire veterans as well as resume-building help and a career-mapping tool.
For months, though, the employment landscape has become increasingly laced with online tools meant to connect veterans to jobs, including VetNet, rolled out last November by Google and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s “Hiring Our Heroes” program. Is this the innovation that finally breaks the stubborn logjam?
“We hope so. It’s definitely got tremendous potential," Rieckhoff said.
The blueprint, he added: “is taking what normally happens at a career job fair and using technology to do all that at greater scale. If you think about the overall numbers (of post-9/11 veterans), you’re talking about a couple hundred thousand people who are unemployed. So if we can get a couple thousand employed from this program, we can make a real dent.”
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The Senate Republicans blocked the Jobs for Veterans Bill last year.
It was "flawed". The flaw was that The President was pushing it. The Republicans said it violated spending agreements.
Regardless, the help isn't there and that's a disgrace.
Why can't we just get rid of the occupational licensing laws?
“It’s hard for me to believe that a guy can drive a truck in combat but he can’t drive one on the highways. I mean, what the hell is that all about?” said John E. Hamilton, commander in chief of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. “You’ve got a (medical) corpsman out there in field with Marines doing everything short of open-heart surgery but he can’t be an EMT when he gets home. Are you kidding me?”
The reason why they can't get these jobs when they come home is because government puts a huge roadblock in their way (occupational licenses). I blame this problem on the government.
We need work done on our infrastructure-why not hire our Veterans? Give them first crack at the jobs-they need the work and WE THE PEOPLE need safe bridges, etc... (Win/Win)
No surprise here, especially considering that this nation of over pampered dumbasses elected George Bush to two terms.
Yeah.....the Obozo Clown Administraton and the Liberal MSM is literally CROWING like Roosters on Steroids about the just announced 7.7% Unemployment Rate ...Whoopy Whoopy Ding Dong!! Break out the Fireworks , banners, Grills and Hot Dogs!!! Another teeny tiny baby step "Forward" in resolving the Economic Mess the Obozo-Man has failed to address. We can break out those "Job Ready Shovels" again for sure. And start digging thru that huge PILE OF HORSE_SHEEYIT the Oblameless One has amassed in the 4+ years of disastrous "leadership" he and the Dims have blessed us with. Hell, there HAS to be a small herd of pygmy cattle in that pile somewhere. So get to digging. besides, Moochelle wants it out of the Rose garden.....visitors and 300,000,000+ neighbors are starting to notice the "STINK". Let's Harry and Nancy involved. Both are good at moving around in Horse SHEEYIT......they are cohorts with a LOT of DIMS. And Harry can help herd that small group of pygmy cattle into a corral in the Oval Office. And we can start a FRESH PILE of Obammys' Horse SHEEYIT!!!!
Moderate, have you just suffered an aneurism?
What does that rant have to do with the topic?
'Moderate' (not), your post is juvenile at best. I guess you don't remember that when the Pres took office that the country was in near financial collapse in the worst crisis since the Great Depression..but I guess history isn't your strong point.
I am a retired Army Doc, now work for the VA for less than I made pre 9/11 in the private sector. In my view, the actual unemployment rate is much higher, for many reasons (PTSD, substance dependence, general economy worse than previous post war drawdowns)
The other poster was correct, the war machine does wind down after EVERY war this nation has had since the Spanish American War..check your facts, please. Many vets are forced to claim disability for both legit and non-legit reasons..it is what it is. I saw a guy yesterday with the de rigeur 'Vietnam Vet' logo hat/shirt/jacket/tattoo (didn't ask about the underwear); turns out he lied about nearly everything..has an extensive arrest record, and while he claimed he was a medevac gunner in VN, his service record showed he only served CONUS, and the electronic record showed him claiming no combat zone in many other exams over the years..but he is now seeking service connection increase..has about TWENTY other SC claims. Oh well, I guess the concept of honor is lost on some...
Another reason the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan will continue - to keep more people out of the unemployment lines on the mainland.
@ Common Sense==== You got that right. Next it's Iran, or Africa. I hope not, but there are just no jobs for anyone.
The faux media machine posts 'breaking news' about unemployment at a new low, but then we have segments of our population (vets no less) who continue down the same dark path. The dems do whatever it takes to look like the heroes and avoid the real news or blame their own shortcomings on the gop.
Lots of Vets - including myself and my now fully retired Dad - find work in "government or government contract" space after a military career. So the uptick on vets unemployment should not surprise anyone. My Dad worked for 15 years as a teacher in a country public school system after 28 years in the military. I found a federal government job after my 22+ years in the military. Given where I live, I was offered some contracting jobs as well, but these too had basis in "government contract to private corporations"
so shrinking government spending will have marked effect on hiring of military veterans
In this months job report today - FEDs shrunk 4,200 jobs -- State and Local dropped 10,000
Since 2008 the government job area drop is still net over 800,000 and still dropping month to month..
every month net government job loss
Before folks say crazy things - about not being able to find non-government work.. I'm sure I could find civilian employment not related to government if I chose too. I'm well educated/exprienced with degrees and experience in Veterinary Medicine and Public Health as well as information technology.
I chose to serve in the military and with the federal government as a civilain for the last 3 years -- even though I earn less than many of my peers.
Also as always happens - the military draws down and more vets hit the jobs market as wars/conflicts draw down. This is happening now. The military surged up in end-strength by at least 120,000 from 2006-2009.
this growth is drawing down with stopping of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars
yup Stoney,
me too. Ex-military (years ago) and found the the private sector-non goven't contractor couldn't care less about my certifications or my experience. Sorry I didn't have that four year degree, I was busy defending my country
My professional degree as a doctor of veterinary medicine provides for lots of variety in job choices, but given my long military career and specific experience - government employement post retirement was at the time a straight forward and easier path..
It is getting harder for vets given the continued shrinkage of government related job
Some think this is good or not..
They had jobs, and they are no different these days than the average citizen. If these were the vets of old that were actually drafted into service, I'd say this is news. But the vets of today volunteered for service and they were paid well for their service just like any other job seeker who takes a job and gets layed off.
dam tired, paid well?
Tell that to the thousands of military families on assistance.
I would also argue that the "volunteer" element is a non-starter. A lot of these folks did not hink stop-loss would catch them and a lot of them did not count on what seems to be and endless repeat of deployments. In many cases we're in unchartered territory.
And finally, in my eyes they will always be "different" than the "average" citizen.
According to the most quoted Gov't figures, wages and compensation for the average serviceman rose 95% since 9/11 (I won't complain about the few perks I got before I got out)
Yes, we did all volunteer, but in all fairness this era of vets had much more to deal with in regards to multiple deployments and general stress.
I would argue, and I'm sure some will not agree, that we've asked these men and women to make sacrifices that in many cases is unprecedented. Four and five tours over ten years should be met by both the private sector and the federal sector with accommodating programs.
Fortunately, I did not have that kind of a problem.
Bravo!
Back in 1973, when I got out of the service, the skills that I had translated very well into civilian application. The problem, today, is there is no industry in the US. We got so busy pulling the rest of the world out of the hole we are now falling into. To all that serve, thank You.
Back atcha...
And you're right. It's an very, very different economy and business world today. Which really only further justifies more of a helping hand (in my eyes anyway).
As a retired Army enlisted, who had a break in service when I was younger, i feel for the vet who cant find a job, but alot of younger servicemen think that because they were in the military and in combat the civilian work force owes them something. I felt it did. It wasnt until years later that I learned that you have to go out and earn it.
There are plenty of programs out there to help, but the individual has to get out and look
agree, but shrinking government jobs at all levels does make things harder for today's vets -- less choice less opportunity
wiso, there are "some" programs out there which are vastly overwhelmed. I'm sure the service folks with families are getting out there and looking hard.
What they're dealing with is a whole lot of seekers with no matching opportunity.
There is also a significant population that are dealing with emotional disorders and physical infirmaties that require significant resources which aren't up to the task either.
It's just so complicated. Far more complicated than merely "pulling yourself up by the boot straps".
Record 89,304,000 Americans 'Not in Labor Force' -- 296,000 Fewer Employed Since January
March 8, 2013
By Elizabeth Harrington
(CNSNews.com) - The number of Americans designated as "not in the labor force" in February was 89,304,000, a record high, up from 89,008,000 in January, according to the Department of Labor. This means that the number of Americans not in the labor force increased 296,000 between January and February.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) labels people who are unemployed and no longer looking for work as "not in the labor force," including people who have retired on schedule, taken early retirement, or simply given up looking for work.
The increase marks the second month in a row, after rising in January from 88.8 million in December. Those not in the labor force had declined in December from 88.9 million in November.
The nation's unemployment rate decreased to 7.7 percent in February, down from 7.9 percent in January. Overall unemployment "has shown little movement, on net, since September 2012," the Labor Department said.
Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 236,000 in February, according to the report.
yes, large chunk of this is people retiring - as noted in article..
those retiring will increase.. lots of people in the federal workforce are retirement eligible or very close to being so.... With BCA of 2011 -- there is a 5% reduction planned into Federal civilian jobs over the next few years, but numbers ready to retire or nearly ready to retirement greatly exceed this percentage. fairly old workforce
Thanks tomthe tea GOP Taliban they blocked the vets jobs bill late last year,,fawk yourmass holes
You lose in 2016
Apparently this topic doesn't deserve the attention that a lot of the more ridiculous topics presented in here today.
It's no wonder that veterans, while folks will run around with their "support magnets" and lapel flags, doesn't draw a reasonable and responsible level of attention.
I think people are too busy finger pointing and playing the partisan blame game.