Unemployment for young vets surpasses 20%

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Unemployment for young vets surpasses 20%
By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Friday Dec 11, 2009 15:02:03 EST

With the unemployment rate for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans now exceeding 20 percent, a key Republican wants the Obama administration to use economic stimulus funding to create jobs for veterans.

The 20.8 percent unemployment rate for November for veterans ages 18 to 24 is an increase from the 17.3 percent rate for veterans in that age group reported for September, indicating a deteriorating jobs picture for entry-level positions.

The new numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics reveal there are more than 1 million unemployed veterans. “That is unacceptable,” said Rep. Steve Buyer of Indiana, ranking Republican on the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, who has been pushing since December — without much success — to have stimulus funds used for veterans programs.

Buyer has introduced a bill, HR 4220, that tries on a number of fronts to help veterans find jobs.

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Buyer’s bill is one of many job-creation ideas pending in Congress that may not get a serious look until early next year, when lawmakers are expected to tackle the job side of the national economic situation. The Obama administration has already said that effort could involve using some stimulus funding for job creation.


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/12/military_veterans_unemployment_121109w/