June 22, 2014

One Thing That Is Going Right for Veterans

Featuring: Phillip Carter

Source: National Journal

Journalist: Jordain Carney

Every day seems to bring more bad news for veterans. But amid the ever-growing scandal at the Veterans Affairs Department, there is one thing going right: Many more veterans are getting jobs.

The unemployment rate for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, which now stands at 5.3 percent, is at its lowest point in nearly six years. Unemployment levels for these newer veterans peaked at 15.2 percent in 2011.

And this follows a larger trend within the overall vets population. Unemployment rates for all veterans dropped to 5 percent in May, down from a peak of 9.8 percent in 2011, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

"It's important to recognize this continuing downward trend for vets overall, and particularly for post-9/11 vets," said Jacqueline Maffucci, the research director for the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America advocacy group. "But we also can't declare victory just yet."
 
Read the full article at National Journal. 

Author

  • Phillip Carter

    Former Senior Fellow and Director, Military, Veterans, and Society Program

    Phillip Carter was the former Senior Fellow and Director of the Military, Veterans, and Society Program at the Center for a New American Security. His research focused on issu...