Combat Veterans Find Military Service Can Hurt Job Prospects [View All]

Combat Veterans Find Military Service Can Hurt Job Prospects
Saturday, April 24, 2010

Traditionally, Americans have gone out of their way to hire combat veterans, but the mood has shifted when it comes to veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Unable to find work due to public concerns over what they’ve brought back from the war, some veterans are leaving off their military experience from resumes. Hiding their military service from potential employers is grounded in the struggle former soldiers have endured in finding civilian employment and the reality that their unemployment rate is far higher than the national average.

The jobless rate for recently discharged veterans is currently 14.7%, compared to the national unemployment rate of 9.7%. For former military personnel under 24, the rate is more than 20%.

Many employers are said to be concerned about hiring ex-soldiers for fear they have post-traumatic stress disorder or other mental health problems.

A group of lawmakers led by Senator Patty Murray (D-Washington) is proposing legislation that would help veterans by expanding job training programs, GI Bill benefits and career counseling advice.

http://www.allgov.com/Top_Stories/ViewNews/Combat_Veterans_Find_Military_Service_Can_Hurt_Job_Prospects_100424