Young war veterans returning home to unemployment
In the March 12, 2010 article " Young war veterans returning home to unemployment ," Associated Press writer Kimberly Hefling reports: WASHINGTON – 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, s...