With finding work after years of service in the armed forces still a pressing issue that faces veterans it is always good to see efforts being made to make the transition back to civilian life easier. This article from USA Today discusses a government program that has been put in place to help with this transition. The program is another great effort to help service members be prepared for life after the military and decrease the level of veteran joblessness nationwide. Click here to read the entire article.
By: Gregg Zoroya
The hope is to reduce the joblessness that has stubbornly plagued veterans who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Last month, 10% of these veterans, or more than 200,000 former servicemembers, were without work, . The overall U.S. jobless rate is 7.9%. The veteran problem is even worse among those ages 24 and younger. One in four are jobless, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics.
With the Iraq war over, the Afghanistan conflict winding down and a downsizing of the military underway, 1.2 million soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines will go through at least initial phases of the new transition effort in the next four years.
"This is a cultural change for the Department of Defense," says Susan Kelly, deputy director of the Pentagon office handling the program, "We are saying not only do military members need to be military-ready, mission-ready, but we're also asking for the first time for them to meet (civilian) career readiness standards before they separate."
The initiative was the result of legislation passed by Congress last year and presidential task force recommendations.
"It goes to the heart of taking care of the people that fight for us," Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said Thursday of the program.
