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The unemployment rate for 18- to 24-year-old veterans who have served since Sept. 11 was 30.2 percent in 2011.
The job market in this country has been gradually improving, except for some veterans: A new report finds that the situation has actually gotten a little worse for recent veterans who are trying to find work.
The unemployment rate for veterans who have served since Sept. 11 was 12.1 percent on average in 2011, according to a government report released Tuesday. That’s slightly higher than in 2010, when the average unemployment rate for the year was 11.5 percent.
That’s the opposite of how it is for nonveterans. The unemployment rate for nonveterans averaged 8.7 percent in 2011, down from 9.4 percent in 2010.
The situation is especially dismal for young vets. The unemployment rate for 18- to 24-year-old veterans who have served since Sept. 11 was 30.2 percent in 2011, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports. For 25- to 34-year-old veterans from that era it was 13 percent.
Unemployment is a particular problem for those veterans who have served since Sept. 11. The unemployment rate for all veterans, including those who served in previous conflicts, averaged 8.3 percent in 2011, down just slightly from 8.7 percent a year earlier.
Experts say young veterans are at a disadvantage in part because they have been serving in the military while other young people were going to college or a trade school and making connections in their field of choice.
These more recent vets also may be finding that the skills they learned in the military don’t translate directly into a new job because they lack the certification or training that they need to do the same job in civilian life.
In general, the unemployment rate for younger workers also has been higher than for older workers over the past few years.
Private groups, government agencies and some elected officials have been working to smooth the path for young veteran jobseekers. It’s a problem that’s expected to get worse as more troops withdraw from the Gulf and the military grapples with budget cutbacks.
“Our veterans have made sacrifices on behalf of the nation, and I ask all employers to renew their commitment to veterans, because the best way to honor our veterans is to employ them. No veteran should have to fight for a job at home after fighting to protect our nation,” Labor Secretary Hilda Solis said in statement Tuesday.
Related:
TODAY sponsors job fair for veterans
Defense cutbacks worry some military families
We are the median: Living on $50,000, military-style
Leave a Comment:
I think a big part of the problem is the way that hiring is done these days. There was once a time when companies were willing to train someone if they knew they were getting a smart, hard working person.
Those days seem to be gone. Now they are looking for VERY specific kinds of experience. If you don't have it, they won't give you a chance. In today's job market Albert Einstein wouldn't be able to get a job teaching math in college because he doesn't have "3 to 5 years of experience teaching introductory Calculus in a public university".
I suspect that the problem is how we count them. The moment someone in the "service" becomes a veteran, they are by definition unemployed. So as we bring them home and they get discharged, there is a steady feeding of "unemployed" to the veteran statistics. With that in mind, holding any where near 11% while the discharges are occurring is actually pretty good... says that most are finding jobs. Now if the number holds to 11% while excluding recent discharges... that would be a problem.
Junicon,
I couldn't agree more. I work in HR and it is CRAZY how many "qualifications" employers are asking for now. Let's face it, working in corporate America isn't rocket science and, as long as you are a smart hard working person, you can pretty much learn any job. I've gone on interviews and have been asked, "are you familiar with (insert odd system that only three companies in the world use)." To which I have to say no. BAM!!! No job for you!
I've got a Master's Degree, 10 years of experience, flawless credit, amazing work record and companies STILL want more. I call it the donkey principal. Got to keep the carrot moving further and further away. Don't get me wrong, HR is
responsible for some of this. Requiring a college degree for a file clerk is ridiculous. Certifications have become the biggest scam in America as well. Soon, you'll have to be certified to be certified. LOL
Anyway, great point. I feel sorry for these guys leaving the military. They are promised the world by recruiters only to realize too late they were lied too. My company gives military personnel a chance, others should as well.
So, employers are requiring too much? Does that mean they can not fill the positions? Don't companies hire workers because they can make money with that worker?
I know this will get deleted but now I know one reason why Obama wants to keep troops in Afghanistan....to keep the unemployment down during an election year.
Wow Linda that's like saying GWB invented the reasons to go to war in Iraq to keep his job. Funny too that the surge troops will all be home in September debunking your claim.
After that there are 70K troops there, not enough to swing any unemployment number. But go ahead with conspiracy theories without any shred of supporting evidence.
You should not be deleted for being wrong. No censorship is warranted.
Once again we see the ugly side of society !!!
Send our troops to war then screw them when they leave the service !!!! WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO THE G.I. BILL ????????????????? Society could care less what happens to the returning solider , forget the fact most have wives and kids along with a mortgage . Just toss us aside like last nights garbage . Tell you what !!! The next war we fight YOU GO AND FIGHT . Just don't expect to find a job or a heart felt welcome from us when ( IF ) you return. Get out of your Hurray For Me World and join the real world for once.
bob ( yes I feel very strongly about the poor treatment of our { my brothers } combat vets. If you love your freedom THANK A VET.
bobi1/28;
we went to war, what was touted by the Cheney chicken hawks, as a six month adventure, remember, Mission accomplished; no though , no planning and no concept of what it was going to cost, and no planning for wounded, troops, and a large deployment. remember the army chief of staff, that testified before the invasion and said, it was going to take a least 100 thousand troops to control Iraqi, Bush and Chenney had him to resign within 4 weeks, saying he was a fool; we fought most of the war with National Guard not regular army, up routed 100 thousand family's, a promise of only one tour, many are on their 3 tour and some their 4th tour, Casper, Rove, Cheney ,Bush all chicken hawks, except for Bush, none ever served, they were either 4f or student deferment, liars and cowards all .
Kinda figured this would happen, doesn't surprise me in the least, I also find it disgraceful, but the corporate machines are only interested in them if they are fighting and keep the military industrial complex thriving. Looks like occupy will have tens of thousands of new members.
I wonder how bloomberg(the pussy) and his personal army of riot cops will feel when they are facing combat hardened troops that aren't scared of them instead of college kids, the homeless and disenfranchised.
@ Saxon
bush only served on paper, he was off somewhere doing coke.
BUSH NEVER FINISHED OUT HIS RESERVE COMMITMENT !!!!!!!!!!!!!! HE WENT A.W.O.L. !!!!! Daddy G.H.W.B. as president got him off the hook for that.
bob
SAXON
Get your head out of the dark place !!!
KOREA was a police action by the U.N. Don't even think about saying that to a Korean VET !! They fought longer and harder than we did in NAM. All wars since WW11 were political ones. Wake the F--- UP !! It is all for greed , gluttony and it"s all about me attitude of our country.
bob
bob1/28; who the hell talked about Korea, i was talking about Iraqi.
LMarcT
No, the problem is that Obama hasn't done squat for the economy. Good try though.
Let's talk facts, NOT emotive non factual opinons. Newsvine a Forum to discuss Facts to "Get Smarter Here".
Once upon a time ago before there were US Contractors the US Military was the place to learn a trade and gain experience for a Job.
Then the Cut to the Bone Reduction Of Forces (RIFs) of the US Military occurred after almost every War, Conflict, Police Action, etc.. These US Military Veterans either joined US Contractors or formed their own US Contractors, then there were almost 3,000 US Contractors.
These 3,000 US Contractors of course started to have some Political Influence, so they demanded of our US Congressional Representatives their piece of the pie. First this started out as those US Military Jobs that most seemed not to really care about. Eventually, the higher skilled US Military Jobs started to be taken over by the US Contractors like, Logistics; Supply; Sea Air Land Transportation; Communications including Computer Networking; Aircraft, Vehicle, Ship, Weapons Systems, Facilities, Eletronics Maintenance; Food Service; Sanitation (Waste Disposal, Shower and Bathing Facilities, Water Purification, Laundry Services), Construction (Engineers), etc.. So what this meant was that the US Military did not need to train US Military Personnel in these areas anymore as they did since before World War II.
So from the conflicts since the 1990s till now the numbers of previously trained US Military Veterans (in the areas above) of the US Contractors has steadily decreased.
The Wars start up requiring the US Contractors just for the US Military to even conduct sustained operations. First Gulf War, Iraqis Freedom 1998 to 2011, Afghanistan after the 9/11 2001 Attacks, the United Nations Commitments, NATO Commitments.
US Military are still no longer trained in the skills of the list above. Many US Contractors cannot during the Wars even meet the minimum basic Contract Requirements of having some form of Experience (as during War is not the time to learn to do the jobs). These US Contactors with no experienced personnel make this a Political Issue since they lost the US Military Contracts as some even refused to hire the few trained US Military Veterans to obtain this previous experience. So these Contractors start screaming Halliburton, KBR, Blackwater (Xe) "No Bid Contracts" etc. just to detract from their own incompetence, and maybe in the Court of Public Opinion will force a contract for themselves from the US Military due to US Politicians pressure (Jobs in their States).
bob1/28,
FYI, unlike US Military Enlisted, US Military Reserve Officers can resign at any time. The only way that a US Military Reserve Officer gets a Commitment is by having gone to a Active Duty US Military School or by being a US Military Reserve Officer on Active Duty, obtaining "Indefinite" Status and PCSing (accepting another assignment and moving).
LMarcT,
Currently 1% of US Citizens are Serving in the US Military. 92% of US Citizens have Never Served in the US Military. No one ever explained the 7%, I believe those are previous US Military Veterans or those incapable of Serving. Candidate Obama's Solution to the constant deployments of the 1% was to force the 92% "to do their fair share" by instituting the Selective Service and or Manditory Compulsory US Military Service.
However, the Reality versus Candidate Obama's Verbal Contract is that he as President and Commander In Chief has ordered the implementation of a Reduction In Forces (RIF) of the US Military of 80,000 US Military Personnel + 27,000 US Military Personnel returning from the Wars + 10,000 US Military Personnel Returning from the Closed US Military Installations at Germany + 5 more Brigades. These US Military Personnel will all be joining the US Unemployment. Of course not mentioned is that xxx,xxx US Civilians provided support to the above list of RIFed US Military Personnel and will no longer be needed also, so they will be joining the US Unemployment also.
President Obama as Commander In Chief, RIFs will leave the US Military with 1/2 of 1% of US Citizens serving in the US Military. With these US Military having more deployments, consecutive tours for years, less of an interval between deployments, resulting in significantly more hardships for those of the 1/2 of 1%.
US Citizens demanded the Cuts to the US Military, US Military Benefits, etc. so there you go, US Politicians did what the US Citizens demanded.
Blah, blah, blah. Why don't you put a face on the US Military Defense Industrial Complex, that employs almost a hundred million overpaid expensive US Civilians. Because the US Military pays a "Fair and Living Wage" to these US Civilians the US Military ends up buying their $300 hammers, expensive USAF Toilet Seats, etc. instead of being allowed to go to Walmart and buy Made In China cheaper.
Sure let the US Military throw all of them on US Unemployment and when you are eating Obamachow (Dog Food of undetermines sources) during the Next Great Depression, let everyone know just how wrong you were.
Historically, during the Global Great Depression, many of the measures of President FDR failed to get the US out of the Great Depression, example the failure of the "New Deal to the American People" (spending money that US did not have to create Jobs). President FDR finally figured out that US Consumerism would NEVER get the US out of the Great Depression; but, the Sales of "War Materials" would, and did in 1939, before US Entry into WWII, 1941. To do this President FDR Nationalized US Businesses and US Industry (start of the current US Military Defense Industrial Complex), Suspended All US Labor Union Activities, start of the sales of War Materials manufactured by his US Military Defense Industrial Complex, based on a War Department Study to decrease the numbers of Catestrophic Ammunition Plant Accidents he implemented their recommendations Nationwide as those things that the suspended US Labor Union later claimed that they did (but could not do since they were suspended, nor could they do these thing Nationwide.), etc.. A reminent of President FDR's original US Military Defense Industrial Complex can be seen in the US Military Depot System, these US Military Depots still maintain the History of President FDR's US Military Defense Industrial Complex as well as current History.
Since you cannot figure things out Antistupidity, do this mathematics problem: How many Made In China Apple iPads would you have to sell to equal just one Made In US F-15 sold to US Ally Saudi Arabia.
This is an example of how US Consumerism does not even come close to the Sales of War Materials aka Foreign Military Sales. If you want to make things even more complex, add in the cost of F-15 repair parts (for years), factory modification, factory upgrades, factory rebuilds, etc.. Now also do the calculations of numbers of US Civilian Jobs for both the Made In China Apple iPads versus the Made In US F-15 in relation to the US Economy.
saxon,
you are acting like a little child that has to be told over and over and over again the same thing; do not put your hands on the stove when the burners are on.
Bush did NOT start Iraq. That was demanded by President Clinton with the justification Weapons of Mass Destruction. And based on that demand US Congress passed into US Law, H.R.4655 "Iraqis Liberation Act of 1998" also Justification, Section 2 "Findings" Weapons of Mass Destruction. After US Military Operation Desert Fox, H.R.4655 becomes US Military Operation Iraqis Freedom 1998 to 2011.
As far as no planning pertaining to Iraq you might want to NOT make yourself seem so uninformed, especially to those involved with 2002 to 2003 Operation Hotel California.
As far as a US Military Conventional Warfare General determining how to win an Asymmetric War (which Iraq turned into after the defeat of the Iraqis Military Conventional Warfare Forces), sure that works (sarcasm).
you were told before to read this from my firsthand experience and not crap written from some non participant based on information for other non participants:
Iraq:
http://david393071.newsvine.com/_news/2011/10/17/8369272-iraq
The only reason that you are even doing the Deflection of Blame Game is because President Obama lost Iraq to the Shia and Kurdistanis Allies of the Islamic Republic of Iran due to President Obama's March 2009 Improved Relations with Iran Policy (Iran allowed to do anything without US Interventions). So the Islamic Republic of Iran did do everything and anything to increase their Strategic Sphere of Influence with the help of their Allies the Chinese and Russian Federation:
Iran 2009 to 2012 Strait of Hormuz
http://david393071.newsvine.com/_news/2012/01/03/9928679-iran-2009-to-2012-strait-of-hormuz
The Result being that the Islamic Republic of Iran pressured their Allies the Fundamentalist Islamic Shia Government of Iraq to no longer negotiate with President Obama for US Military to remain. The Iraqis basically told President Obama and SOS Clinton to go take a flying leap. The Fundamentalist Islamic Republic of Iran then negotiates with their Allies the Fundamentalist Islamic Shia (Southern Iraqis Oil Fields) and the Kurdistanis (Northern Iraqis Oil Fields) so that the Fundamentalist Islamic Republic of Iran's Allies the Chinese and Russian Federation get all the Iraqis Oil Contracts, 2010. So all that Iraqis Oil that could have paid for the US Military Liberation of Iraq with decades of Iraqis Oil are all gone to the Chinese and Russian Federation, who in return for this are providing more support to their Ally the Fundamentalist Islamic Republic of Iran.
This decreases the overall amounts of Oil possible for the US and US Allies, making the Libya Oil of Strategic Importance to the US European Allies and the Fundamentalist Islamic Republic of Iran knows this, so they support the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group as the "Rebels" to start a Civil War to Overthrow US Ally Gaddaffi (President Obama's CIA Islamic Jihadists in Gaddaffi's Prisons). The ally of the Fundamentalist Islamic Republic of Iran, Qatar, negotiate with the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group so that the Ally of the Fundamentalist Islamic Republic of Iran, the Chinese get the Libyan Oil.
Tax cuts.
Only one problem with your who stole the oil from us theory, David. Oil is a global commodity sold on a global market. It doesn't matter where it comes from or who pumps it out of the ground. It's sold on the global market to anyone who wants to buy it. It was never possible for oil in Iraq to pay for the invasion of Iraq because neither the US Govt. nor the US military owns the oil or means of production or transportation.
It was only possible to use global companies to increase Iraqi oil production and revenues to pay for their own economic recovery. If we can get them to pay us back for our invasion and occupation expenses, then great. Does not matter what company is exploiting the fields that provides the revenues to do that.
The GI Bill is better now than it was in early 90s. In early 90s rates had not increased in decades so I got a flat 350 a month while school was in. Now they get tuition, books, housing allowance. Vets need to use the GI Bill and gain a marketable skill.
As a vet I find it appalling our nations finest people would have trouble finding a job, a down right national disgrace.
There is a silver lining in this all, most vets leaving the military have some form of GI bill or Post 9-11 bill to go to college full time. Thus there is an influx of students in school getting degrees and training that will be hitting the job markets in droves in about 3 to 5 years from now. Then the argument will be that kids who only have school and no real work experience or leadership not finding jobs.... How the tables will turn.
I plan to start my own upstart business and will focus on hiring fellow vets as I know the value they represent.
Unfortunately those GI bills don't pay all the bills in most states. I think if the government wants to increase revenue they should start a defense tax. Everytime you hire someone, non-farm payroll, you pay a new tax of $1000.00 to hire them, unless they served in the military for a minimum of 2 years. (Yes, I know most contracts are 4 years, but sometimes things happen...)
The money generated by the progam could be used to either pay on the deficit or pay to help give our returning troops the skills they need to compete.
Consider this would also make employers to not have a high turnover rate!
Agreed. Someone that enlists and serves should be given preference. It's the right thing to do.
Luckily I already had a B.A. degree before going into the military (enlisted, as I have no maths skills and the OCS test is 98% higher mathematics), but after getting discharged, I decided to pursue another degree... and found that my GI Bill only covered 1/3rd of my tuition. I worked two jobs and had an hour's commute to the school for two semesters, then had to quit--I couldn't afford the money or the time to get the kind of specific education that I wanted.
Charlie: People don't know how to do the "right thing" any more. During WWII, 50% of the people in this country had a loved one/family member serving in the war; now, only about 15% of people have that direct connection.
We have lost our consideration for those that serve and prefer to villify them and the military, clinging to stereotypes that we see in movies without fully understanding the dedication that veterans have shown to this country or the way in which the Armed Forces actually work. As a result, there is a drastically-declining amount of respect for those that do and have served.
The reality is that the employment help given to veterans isn't enough, nor is the help given to civilians enough... but for civilians to be essentially spitting on vets and calling them "whiners" doesn't solve either situation, and is just another way to spit on America as a whole.
Veterans get preferential treatment for employment with the government and most civilian companies. There is only so much society can do for them with the economy as bad as it is.
In reply to the conflicting reports of what the GI Bill covers...
Providing that a person fulfilled their commitment and gets 100% of their educational benefits. A veteran gets 100% of their in-state tuition paid for and $1000 per year for books. They also receive BAQ equal to that of an E-5 every month while in school. If for some reason a person does need to go to a school in which they do not get instate tuition, then the VA will pay up to $17,500 per year for tuition. But if the school is a Yellow Ribbon school then they can apply for one of the limited slots to gets the difference paid for.
The GI Bill is an awesome benefit that most soldiers need to take advantage of. Many returning vets will be happy to find that universities have veterans programs to help in the adjustment to going back to school. I am currently enrolled in a Veterans only- Leadership Class, so there are even classes for us. There are opportunities out there but a person may have to seek them out. Going to college could be the key to helping a vet be able to effectively utilize their skills in the civilian world.
Our veterans can thank the executives of the Fortune 500 Companies for the fact that their are no jobs available. You see their jobs were outsourced so that major American corporations could remarkably improve their bottom line profits by using foreign labor. These executives were rewarded with huge salaries and bonus packages for their dirty work but then they really don't care. Money talks and millions are unemployed so that a fortunate few could receive millions of extra dollars annually in their bank accounts. These accounts are of course offshore accounts in many instances! No taxes!
Guess we know where the true "patriots" are...
Companies are literally outsourcing jobs overseas, or cutting down to skeleton crews. It's all about the dollars. Unfortunately being penny wise, they are becoming pound foolish.
Companies only outsource overseas operations that are no longer profitable in the US. The reason jobs are dying in the US is because our Government and its Federal Reserve has been printing new dollars like toilet paper for years and have finally managed to make the economy deadly ill.
Stop blaming private entities for the sins of the STATE. It is our own Government that killed our economy; not greedy CEO's, speculators or investors.
I'm jumping in on this. The companies that outsource do so because of profits and the way our tax laws are laid out. Last year the Rep party actually approved tax breaks for companies that outsource. No penalty for hiring illegal immigrants, also. Stop buying these company's garbage products and it won't be profitable for long.
They have been pound foolish for decades.
@JEM-1989317
More capitalization has evaporated in the past decade from major, brand-name companies disappearing than the new companies that have gone IPO in that same time. There is a reason that the major stock indexes have gone down in the past decade (especially after adjusting for inflation).
This happened in a time when corporate tax rates have declined, personal income tax rates (especially at the top) have declined, when capital has been taxed less and there was little or no enforcement of regulations (did you notice that loud BOOM sound in 2008?).
The government didn't do anything it had not done in the 30 years before the current decade (a time that had seen market booms and busts as well). But, yet, everything imploded and failed to recover. The business "leaders" in the private sector had mistaken gambling with investing. They conveniently forgot that if you remove the productive capacity in the country, the economy would deflate like slowly removing air from a balloon. When they could not make profits the honest way (actually inventing better products/services), they resorted to fine print, bad customer service, phony accounting, over-leveraging and trying to make money from money with derivatives while patting themselves on the back for a job well done and handing themselves huge bonuses.
But gravity has a way of catching up with you. In the end, the corporations and their executives were too greedy and tried to squeeze blood from a stone. When the hunters run out of prey, they start to eat each other. And, that's when the show really begins to get interesting.
Our country has not properly cares about veterans since 1945. I'm a 30 year vet and thank God daily that I wasn't wounded in Vietnam. How many stories have I read about vets who came back to a job that was not there anymore or a wounded vet who has to travel several hundred miles to get to a Vet clinic. Why can;t they get a Medicare card and have the VA pay for care. We talk a big game here, but it always falls through.
5 Days ago,MSNBC proclaimed on this website how easy it was getting for Vets to find work
I saw that report too tonttt. They can't get their stories straight.
Jobs are improving! Oh please enough with the CRAP!There's more jobs out there, whether they be for vets or the ordinary person!
Those jobs are called TEMPORARY! They hire you for awhile, if and when things pick up and again that's for a while,and as soon as it slows down,BOOT YOUR ASS OUT THE DOOR!
Why not hire that way and make it sound like jobs are picking up.The Employer gets out of paying health insurance and any other benefits,and gets off with cheap labor.The person working gets SCREWED,because they're there one minute and out in the cold the next!
I just love the way MSBSNBC, loves to twist and spin things to their satisfaction and make everything wonderful,when all a long they're trying to spin Crap into Gold.
Let's just put it out there shall we?
Welcome to the rest of us out of a job. When enough of the tax forms come into the IRS with zero income unemployed, maybe congress will get a clue. Unless our government cuts spending, kicks out lobbyist, taxes overseas firms, reforms the tax code for all under 35,000.00 a year to zero, raises the poverty level from 12,000.00, floods the markets with oil so the price of gas comes down to reality, maybe one can get a job flipping burgers at McDonalds after they deport all the illegals from working there.
I guess that helps explain why Obama is in no real hurry to bring the troops home.
"Experts say young veterans are at a disadvantage in part because they have been serving in the military while other young people were going to college or a trade school..."
The main reason, though, is that so many joined the military because they could not find another job. It's a case of poor skill sets. I've seen it as a teacher when I was often interviewed by the DIA (Defense Intelligence Agency) about former students of mine who were applying for the kind of office jobs that develop skills transferable to civilian life that, in the military, required security clearances . The former students who were getting those jobs were, naturally, consistently the academic kids who didn't have the money to go on to college. The kids who were poor academic students became grunts who generally learned little unless they were wise enough to get themselves in the motor pool, etc.
If we're going to truly honor our veterans, then we should fund their income and tuition for a period for retraining after service so they can catch up on skills needed for work. If they had been goofing off in high school or had bad home lives that impaired their learning, the maturity and discipline they picked up in the service should help them take the step up they need.
True enough. "shooting brown people" just isn't a skill that most employers are looking for in today's job market.
It wasn't easy getting a job after returning from Viet Nam either. It was made even more difficult when the draft ended and all the newly non-draftables took the jobs. Unemployment was like 13% and inflation 16%. It took me three months to find a mail room type job while living in my parent's basement with my wife and newly born child.
The good news was that I got that job because I was a vet and the manager had served too. Although my military experience wasn't exactly what was needed, it got me in the door. I have since had a very successful career and am looking forward to retirement.
So thank you US Army and good luck to all those vets looking for work.
I think a lot of it is their choice. I live in a town that gives tax breaks for hiring vets and I'm sure our state does that also. On my street there are two family's that where in the service. One has been going to school since 2006 and the Marines are paying. He has experience as a Mechanic and went to a trade school before he joined the service, his job in the service was mechanic related. He got out and went to school for welding. When he was done with welding he went to school for engineering. He is still going to school for engineering, but his wife is trying to get pregnant. What he gets from the government to go to school makes him eligible for food stamps and State Insurance for his child. His child was born 6 days before his discharge (was that planned)? The other family follows the footsteps.
Was there not a story just last week about unemployment for Vets going down ?
yes, actually MSNBC stated "jobless rate among returning vets plunges". Today it's a different story. Go figure.
The military doesn't exactly train people for a lot of civilian life skills (I had to teach 18 and 19-year-olds fresh out of basic how to write checks when I worked at the credit union on a base). I have a dear friend who is an accomplished Army officer, but is having a tremendously difficult time finding a job now that their active duty time is over. They sent me their resume and anyone who has not been in the military would not understand half of it. You have to find a way to present your military career in the same sort of terminology civilians would use to describe their jobs in order for it to translate well. I realize that is only part of the problem, but it's a start that I can offer up.
On the same turn of the coin, there are a lot of life skills that people learn in the military which they didn't learn as civilians. I was part of an "I" (integrated" company at RTC Orlando in 1992, where the company was a 50/50 split--half women and half men. Save for sleeping and bathroom rotations, we shared the entire boot camp/basic training experience together. This was a VERY valuable tool in teaching men how to work not just efficiently but properly with women, and vice versa... and it's not something that the average job experience provides, particularly in stressful situations. We learned each other's strengths and how to work around each other's weaknesses.
You're right about that, but I think the military actually did a better job teaching life skills when you said you were in. I've known people who came out of the military prior to, really, 2001, and they were mostly able to step right into civilian work, but I'm afraid the focus has shifted in the last decade.
How can this be; Obama the Great said just the other day that he is doing more for vets than anyone else has ever done before! Did he lie, again?
Obama Administration:
Ineptocracy (in-ep-toc'-ra-cy) -- a system of government where the least capable to lead are elected by the least capable of producing; and, where the members of society least likely to sustain themselves or succeed, are rewarded with goods and services paid for by the confiscated wealth of a diminishing number of producers.
I think that its awful how the job market is treating veterans right now. Although I think that defending the country is noble, I do believe that servicemen and women have the responsibility of preparing themselves for the transistion, I too often have met many veterans that have seperated without making a real detailed plan on what they intend to do upon seperation. I think that so many good points have been made on this thread but the reality is that within this job market you are competing with people from around the globe and it takes a global perspective in the job market. You can no longer look at the job hunt as I want a job in Mayberry, U.S.A. You have to realize that oversea's in China and/or India, Veitnam, Malaysia, the workers will do your job for 1/5th the cost. So what additional value do you bring. Does your state or city offer a welcoming business tax rate to companies that build and hire locally? If so you might want to relocate, you must be willing and able to relocate, Gone are the days of the past. This job market is rough but the reality is that every seed of adversity contains a seed of opportunity that harvest is equal or greater then the adversity it may harvest. So the vets that I know. the men and women that I served with will never quit or complain about the job market because they have a winner attitude. Many of the vets that struggle, I do believe struggle because they weren't what we all percieve as vets in the first place. No matter the US Army or Corporate America, so people just show up and collect a check. If thats your mindset, Veteran or not your going to struggle to standout and employers recognize that. Enough veterans have transistioned where they know what a Other than Honorable is or medicore evaluations mean. For those that are winners in life the downside is that the Armed Forces are downsizing so staying in may not even be an option for several of them. I recommend that any veteran or loved one of a veteran take a look at starting your own business. Thats going to be the next path to the American Dream. Entrepreneurs arise!! Its our time to thrive and set the pace gone are the days of trading hours for dollars. Stop looking for a handout and become the hand that pulls other people up. America has to become the place that the World looks to for leadership and trust me complaining about the job market or lining up in front of Social Services for a Handout is never the Answer. Freedom can be lost in a Generation and Guess what, we are citizens of the United States of America but the wider the gates of the U.S. Treasury becomes to its people and more people become dependent on the Government, we'll eventually all become Slaves of the United States Of America. America was created with the idea that every piece of it outside of personal possessions were owned by its legal citizens but when the Government owns you, what happens? Liberalism must be controlled. Social Services are required but we really need help to become producers of jobs and not seekers of jobs. Thats my rant on this subject!!
I have worked with a returning vet. He did multiple tours, has a college degree, went to Westpoint, etc. He was NOT much of a team player. Wanted to change everything and the way we did things practically from day one. He just could not work in our system that has been working for 45 years. This company is wonderful to work for, like family, it is vet owned and operated. If they can not handle working for civilians then they should stay in the service. Possibly due to his experiences he was not ready to work in the real business world. Some of these vets may not be able to handle a job in the civilian world till they make the mental/emotional transistion from military life.
It may not be all the employers/governments fault. There are enough issues on all sides to go around. Employers need to look at the skill sets of all potential employees equally. The government need to better screen those being discharged for potential problems and steer them in the right direction to give them a good chance of making it. The vets themselves need to do their best to fit in with the business enviroment and recognized that their choice to enlist may have affected future earnings.
Some vets will do well, go on to be successful and some will not. I suspect those that don't would have had the same problems if they had not enlisted.
Quite right. The military can change people to an extent, but the truth is that a lot of what you go in as is what you come out as.
I myself am prior service, was discharged in 1999 after 4 years active duty
The Civilian system does have a methodolgy that has no "official" rules to it, but rather a framwork that Business likes to see in a resume
A person graduates High School, goes to a University Full time, works Part time and does not bounce around to much from job to job. and has more than a 3.0 GPA. Also needs to have good credit too.
Anything else and its gets harder. Due to privacy of your military records (which you have a right too) and the fact some people "Pretend" to be a vet messing it up for the real vets. Most Businesses unfortunately pretty much disreguard most of your Military background. (unless it shows your retired, they are ok with that)
My advice is if your going to leave the Armed Forces, Stay with the DoD, or work for the State Department, else you will start from the bottom
I used the GI Bill, and did not have to work during college. Well come to find out, I was asked several times why I did not work during my time in college. Sometimes I would get the impression that showing veteran status on a resume is bad. Some interviewers because of past experience dont care for people who were in the service (maybe they had mean step dad, or whatever)
Also too what was interesting that most of your training you receive equates to college credit, when you move away from a military installation and go to school, your college credits do not count. An example for me is that I had 3 semester hours of PE that was earned because I complted Basic training, something simple as that did not transfer........
I am good now, have a good paying stable job. But I had to learn the hard way on how this system works, and most interviewers will not express to you as to why you did not get the job (For Liablity reasons, CYA) So It can be difficult to pin down what you can do better next time.
Unfortunately, The Bottom line for the most part, being prior service does not mean anything to a Business. They want Business experience
Wait someone didn't read their social media screen! Jobless rate is down the recession is over and everything is great.
You can go arounf having all the sex you want and your pills and condoms are paid for. You can run a race and everyone gets a ribbon, there are no losers.
Smoking is a sin but sodomy isn't and everyone has to understand........
If that failed pigbag theory of "trickle down" was so great, why aren't the vets and other people finding jobs? Score one for the pigbags, they just proved that theory was pure manure.
The problem is how these Veterans are now seeking employment in the few parts of our society where their skills seem to transfer quite will; mostly our nations growing SWAT teams and other law enforcement agencies. Our militarized police forces are now going to become even more militarized and our police are becoming even more dangerous.
Hello DUMMY !!!
WE cook , We fight , WE work with Computers , Suffocated Equipment , Multi-million dollar equipment the likes of which you have never seen. Don't tell us we don't have a skill to sell. Who flies most of your civilian helicopters ??? We have been trained and trained very well . Ask anyone who works with us during a crisis . We are the only ones who keep a cool head and get the job done wright the first time . The rest of you run and hide yelling for your mommie.
bob
Civilian jobs dont have the milion dollar equipment you refer to so they dont need your skills. My employer does not have a fleet of attack helos or tanks and dont need snipers. Civilian employers are looking for a specifc skill set. They want employees who have used the equipment that they have. The demand for civilian helo pilots is not great. I left the Navy qualified to operate a 1200 PSI steam system. Without an engineering degree that meant bubka and I was not an enlisted watch stander with hands on maintenance exp so didnt fit that criteria.
All I can say is bring back the draft and allow everyone to have some skin in the game! Isn't that what it is called now days? I'm a vet; been out for 33yrs. collected unemployment for two weeks. Didn't even get my first check until I had my job. Went back into the construction field and was doing pretty good until our government decided it was time to open our borders.
Thus allowing all kinds of illegal immigrants to just come into the country and steal these jobs they claim Americans won't do. BS. I'll call them on this, I worked in this field for three decades and never once did I quit doing this work. It's more about corporate America than, it ever was about the American people.
A lot of those whom are going to be unemployable are going to be those with the infantry status, whether it be elite or what ever. These guys are trained to kill and a lot of people worry about that. This guy just might go postal and they know he has the ability to kill at will. Who can blame them with all the stuff going on these days.
I am thinking if we're going to be the worlds police force then why not get paid for it. Charge these people wanting or needing the help of our military. They sure do pay EX and other contractors for it.
Take away all the free trade agreements on companies who chooses to operate outside of the nation. Make sure anyone working has a citizenship whether it is natural or appointed. I mean all illegals too. Not just the ones from south of the border. Drop the NAFTA law and this will help our neighbors to the south as well as ourselves.
There is a lot that could be done, it is left up to the government to either recall some of these ridiculous laws they have passed and institute ones that actually look out for the people they are supposed to be serving.
Can you tell me that I am wrong and what should one look forward too! I can only say that when things get too far out of hand, Americans are known to be a very nasty people even unto themselves.
Well good luck to one and all and hopefully we can change this administrationfor the better. The only change we're going to get is the one we make for ourselves.
The sad truth is that veterans do get preferential treatment with most Government and Civilian jobs. Its just that when there are 5+ job seekers for every job opening, opportunities are very rare for those who lack specific job skills.
Jem that is the truth; only now days there are hundreds if not more applying for the same job. It crazy and no-one is responsible for anything anymore. Bad thing is when you get older the pool of jobs seem to be degenerating faster than ever. Almost as if they were trying to tell you to retire and if you weren't kissing butt all of your life then you are screwed.
Kind of the same in the military ya know. I know sounds like a big whiner huh.
I hate to say it but this is one area where the government has traditionally fallen down on the job. It's a decades-old problem.
The government should make it a policy that vets seeking work after a deployment should mostly be guaranteed to be able to find work within a few weeks after for at least a year or two. The tax break program already in place is probably the best way to accomplish this, but the incentives need to be expanded until employers have sufficient motivation to (mostly) eliminate the current problem.
One thing that might help is to make it a graduated tax rebate. For example: If you employ a vet for at least 4 months within the first year and a half following deployment, you get 40% of their salary back (up to -- say -- $3500 per month) for the first month and then the rebate decreases 3% each month after.
Could that be expensive? Of course, but as a society we need to take our obligations to our soldiers more seriously.