Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans are returning home to a bleak job landscape and often struggle to find employment — a problem that worries military officials.
One million veterans are currently unemployed. An estimated 30 percent of veterans under the age of 25 are jobless. As the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts wind down and the military continues to downsize, these numbers will most likely grow.
NBC News anchor emeritus Tom Brokaw and General Stanley McChrystal discussed the problem with TODAY’s Ann Curry. Brokaw and McChrystal stressed that returning veterans are a valuable resource that could play a significant role in helping the civilian economy get back on its feet.
“Last year the veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan had an unemployment rate that is nearly five times the national average,” Brokaw told Curry. “These young people are coming back during the biggest economic downturn since the great depression.”
In 2012, the veteran unemployment rate for those serving in the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts is 12.1% well above the national average of 8.3%. For veterans in the 18-24 age bracket, that number spikes to almost 30%, well ahead of their civilian peers.
Veterans find it hard to garner respect in the job market, McChrystal told Curry.
Click here to register for the March 28th job fairs
"We need to understand where soldiers come from," McChrystal said. “It’s difficult to appreciate what they bring…In the military, we stress team (which) subordinates the idea, 'I am special.'"
As a result, some veterans have a tough time networking and touting their skills to potential employers. A recent survey conducted by Military.com found that 61% of hiring managers do not understand how a military person's skill set can translate into stateside jobs.
The military also worries that if veterans continue to find it difficult to get jobs in the civilian world, new recruits will shy away from enlisting.
There are efforts afoot to help veterans get a leg up in the job market.
Find more info for the job fairs at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Hiring our Heroes website
The Returning Heroes bill was passed in November with bipartisan support, offering employers up to a $2,400 credit for hiring a veteran who has been unemployed for at least a month and $5,600 for hiring a veteran who’s been unemployed for over six months.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s “Hiring Our Heroes” campaign has hosted more than 100 job fairs for veterans across the country. On March 28, Monster/Military.com will host a virtual job fair for transitioning servicemembers, veterans and military spouses.
Both Brokaw and McChrystal stressed that, much like the post-WWII boon when returning troops helped shore up the nation’s economy, today’s veterans can play an important role in contributing to an economic recovery.
“There is a tradition of American business growing its leadership from military ranks,” Brokaw said.
For more on Hiring our Heroes, an initiative from NBC News and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce that aims to get veterans back into the workforce, click here. Learn more about job fairs for veterans here.
Today.com political contributor Halimah Abdullah is the site’s woman in Washington.
