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Young War Veterans Returning Home To Unemployment



Mar 12, 2010 13 Comments ›› Pat Dollard

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WASHINGTON (AP) – The unemployment rate last year for young Iraq and Afghanistan veterans hit 21.1 percent, the Labor Department said Friday, reflecting a tough obstacle combat veterans face as they make the transition home from war.

The number was well above the 16.6 percent jobless rate for non-veterans of the same ages, 18 to 24.

As of last year, 1.9 million veterans had deployed for the wars since the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Some have struggled with mental health problems, addictions, and homelessness as they return home. Difficulty finding work can make the adjustment that much harder.

The just-released rate for young veterans was significantly higher than the unemployment rate of young veterans in that age group of 14.1 percent in 2008.

Many of the unemployed are members of the Guard and Reserves who have deployed multiple times, said Joseph Sharpe, director of the economic division at the American Legion. Sharpe said some come home to find their jobs have been eliminated because the company has downsized. Other companies may not want to hire someone who could deploy again or will have medical appointments because of war-related health problems, he said.

“It’s a horrible environment because if you’re a Reservist and you’re being deployed two or three times in a five-year period, you know you’re less competitive,” Sharpe said. “Many companies that are already hurting are reluctant to hire you and time kind of moves on once you’re deployed.”

One veteran looking for work is Dario DiBattista, 26, of Abingdon, Md., a graduate student who did two tours in Iraq in the Marine Reserves with a civil affairs unit. He said he’s found that a lot of military skills don’t readily transfer into the workplace, and in many cases, there aren’t jobs to apply for even if companies want to hire veterans.

“If you don’t have a strong family support system … it’s hard to get over the hump to make the decision of where you’re going to live, what you do for work, where you’re going to go to school, if you can even qualify to get into school,” DiBattista said.

For veterans of all ages from the recent wars, the unemployment rate in 2009 was 10.2 percent. Historically, younger veterans have had more difficulty than their older counterparts finding a job because they often have less training and job experience. Some joined the military right out of high school.

One possible solution is to make it easier for veterans to transfer certifications they have for jobs they did in the military into the civilian workforce, Sharpe said.

The Labor and Veterans Affairs departments have a variety of programs addressing the problem. The hope is that one program, the Post-9/11 GI Bill rolled out last year, will be particularly effective. Under it, $78 billion is expected to be paid out in education benefits over the next decade for veterans of the recent wars to attend school.

The national unemployment rate last year was 9.3 percent, the highest since 1983.


  • deathstar

    Stay in guys.

    • http://www.bootparkergriffith.com The Sentinel at the Gate

      Exactly, and I hate to say it but until this whole Obongo thing blows over, you’re apt to find home a much more dangerous place that Iraq or Afghanistan. Unemployment is very much on the rise because the ass wipe in DC has no plans to create jobs but to destroy small business and jobs.

    • aboutTObegin

      deathstar, I know your intentions are looking out for the servicemembers because there are no jobs at home, but the issue at hand is the system the servicemembers are in, yes it is a steady income, but why work for a government that willingly puts you and your brothers lives on the line for political reasons? I could go on on that subject but will not, rather, many people want out of the system because the system is not what it used to be. look at the current administration for example, it is supposed to serve the people but does it really? This is why so many opt for unemployment rather than serve a usurper.
      that clearly shits Cleveland Steamers all over our Constitution.

      -aTb

  • http://www.urbandumpsterdiver.wordpress.com Annie Oakley

    I feel bad for these young men. I really do.

    If we took the number of people in America who are resident aliens (send them home) and illegal aliens (deport them) maybe we’d have some jobs opened up for these young men.

    By doing this one simple thing, we’d open up some jobs for our own who have already proven their oath to this country allowing them to eventually marry and have families of their own.

    • http://www.bootparkergriffith.com The Sentinel at the Gate

      Quite so Annie, but that’s most definitely not in Obong’s game plan. He cares absolutely nothing about real American citizens, but is all about tearing this country apart, thread by thread. His disdain for the troops is bordering on treason and great will be the day when this maggot goes down for the dirt nap.

  • Kirk

    I’ve seen this movie. Unfortunately, these young men may end up as old men, wandering the streets of the America they fought for, (like some approx. 200,000 have been doing these past 40-some odd years). It ain’t pretty, it ain’t right. God help them.

  • http://www.myspace.com/ssgduke ssgduke56

    My Son who, is still in the Army, was thinking about leaving the Army once his time is up. I told him it would be better for him to stay in due to California having the highest unemployment then any other States. When you have no manufacturing base capability anymore how can their be any employment. We are no longer have the ability to manufacture anything anymore because we outsource, shipped it overseas. Or worst the environmentalists makes it almost impossible to run a business in Socialist California! My advice is we better get rid of the corrupt politicians NOW are we will be in a reign of darkness for decades to come…..decades!!!

    • David

      I pray that your son and all who serve come home safely. When he does, have him run for congress so he can expose to all of America how congress and the executive branch treat our heros.

    • aboutTObegin

      many of us are thinking along those lines as well David and God help those that tried to tear this country apart because if we get elected, this will be our new war and relentless we will be.

      -aTb

  • Tom in CO

    It’s a real shame :(

  • Sully

    To Soetero and His Prog cronies, unemployment is a feature of their plans, not a bug.

  • http://www.dirtydozensbunker.com Sanders

    I can’t keep any recent vets working. They all, to a man, quit to go to college on their GI Bill money.

    I can’t blame a man for wanting to better themselves, but don’t cry to me about not being able to find a job when you quit a well paying job to sit in a class room.

  • JJIrons

    In truth, IMHO, these brave young soldiers who deserve much better need to take their lives into their own hands and join a *legitimate* Networking Company. No, I’m not kidding. As O’Barfo and his accomplices attempt to dismantle the economy in as many areas as possible, as fast as they can, traditional business is going to be a hurting unit for some time. Finding a JOB that can support a family is getting tougher all the time. This isn’t an accident, folks. It’s part of the DemonCraps plan. So, if you have any entrepreneurial drive, start your own business or better, join a legitimate Networking Company.