"Joblessness hits male vets of current wars" (Military Times) Vets 15% v. 9.7 overall.

[jody]

Joblessness hits male vets of current wars

WASHINGTON — Unemployment for male Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans has tripled since the recession began, rising from 5 percent in March 2007 to 15 percent last month, Labor Department statistics show.

More than 250,000 of these veterans were unemployed last month. Another 400,000 have left the workforce to attend college, raise children or because they have stopped trying to find a job, Labor Department economist Jim Walker said. The overall national unemployment rate is 9.7 percent.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

“These guys are disciplined. They’re great workers, and we should be getting them jobs,” said Murray, who is sponsoring legislation to improve resume training, expand the G.I. Bill to include apprenticeship programs and assist veterans starting small businesses.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

About one in five Iraq and Afghanistan-era veterans report having a service-connected disability compared with 13 percent of all veterans, according to the Labor Department. Among those Iraq and Afghanistan veterans with jobs, a third work in the public sector, the department reports. President Barack Obama announced in November an effort to expand federal recruitment, training and hiring of veterans.

I believe Obama has the authority to change the number of points awarded to those veterans from 5-10 points to say 50 points that they deserve.

As Commander in Chief, Obama needs to issue an executive order to that effect immediately.

[Coyote_Bandit]

1. Ummmm......

That sounds just terrible - until you realize that official 9.7% overall unemployment stat is grossly understated. Veterans are certainly having a better time finding work than some other groups in our society. And they probably aren't doing a whole lot worse than unemployed workers as a group.

The real question is why the Obama administration isn't doing more to create fucking JOBS. Apparently, they'd rather throw $$$ at the big businesses and hope for trickle down job creation than to directly assist in the creation of small business.

[demigoddess]

2. like Duh!!! I could have told the world, if they had listened, that this happens after

every war. Except maybe WWII, but that was a whole different situation, but people (republicans) seem to think that we will relive it. After the vietnam war, recession and unemployment. I do not see how this will be any differently. It may be one of the reasons they don't just get out and send everyone home.