Vets: Help unwanted

Vets are struggling to find work, and America needs to help  

IF YOU HAVE BEEN in an airport recently you may have been treated to the heartwarming sound of public applause directed at America’s uniform-clad soldiers returning from Iraq or Afghanistan. Now, we need to extend that appreciation to a practical need: jobs. Why don’t we begin on Capitol Hill?

A not-yet-released report prepared for the Department of Veterans Affairs finds that the percentage of jobless veterans jumped to 23 percent in 2005, up from 20 percent in 2000. Half of the vets ages 20 to 24 who were working were earning less than $25,000 per year.

Some of those without jobs, it’s true, were in school. But others were searching for employment, while still others had given up looking. So add this to the body counts, injury reports, and financial tallies: The inability of America’s fighting forces to switch back to civilian life is yet another cost of war. And it’s one we cannot tolerate.

Armies, as the saying goes, do not wage wars. Countries wage wars. Yet, from the Iraq war’s inception, America’s civilian population has remained sheltered from sacrifice, save those who have yielded their sons, daughters, wives, and husbands to the cause…

Our government–both the president and Congress–sent these troops to war. Now the least the nation can do is help those who are returning to civilian life establish careers. But more than 70 percent of those returnees say they are having trouble applying their military experience to a civilian job, finds a survey by Internet job bank Monster .com. Seventy-six percent say they feel ill-equipped to interview for jobs or negotiate salaries.

Even National Guard and Reserve forces–troops who are expected to be able to move in and out of active duty–are struggling. Hearings conducted by Sen. Edward Kennedy in November revealed that, since Sept. 11, 2001, nearly 11,000 reservists and National Guardsmen have been denied prompt reemployment. More then 22,000 lost seniority. Nearly 11,000 didn’t get their health benefits back.

We–both private and government employers–need to turn this around. It’s unfair to ask young people to risk their lives and well-being in the conduct of our foreign policy, only to ignore them when they come home.

Now here’s the kicker: Most people know that veterans are given preference in hiring and retention in federal jobs. However, that law applies only to the executive branch. The Air Force Times reports that an office on Capitol Hill that sets hiring practices for Congress has recommended reducing the preferential "weight" of veteran status in filling such support and administrative jobs as custodian, elevator operator, messenger, and security guard. "Job experience" would count more.

Granted, there probably aren’t too many elevators in Basra, but we would suspect that any soldier who has survived that assignment could push buttons on Capitol Hill, and should receive preference for the job.

Sen. John Warner, are you listening? Sen. Jim Webb? Rep. Rob Wittman? Congress has to approve these new rules, and Virginia’s delegation should lead the charge against them.

America–all of America, even the Capitol Hill elite–must help our vets reintegrate into society. That’s a minimum duty of anyone who styles himself a patriot.

Editor’s Note:

War veterans, if you are looking for employment www.HireVeterans.com has THOUSANDS of jobs with companies that are ACTIVELY SEEKING to hire war veterans and it costs you nothing. These are America’s companies that put their money where their mouth is and they are supportive of America’s Heroes. Check it out now!

Employers: If you want to hire a veteran(s) for job openings at your business, go to www.HireVeterans.com and become one of the companies that is standing up and supporting our veterans who have laid their lives on the line for us. They are America’s Best men and women and they deserve to have jobs once their tour of duty is completed. Thank you for making a difference!

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