Thanks for your service, vets! Now try finding a job

[mikesimon]

Thanks for your service, vets! Now try finding a job

(CNN) -- Suddenly, Patrick Caruso's days as a Marine were done.

Like many young men and women who've served their country, Caruso's first weeks back in the civilian world felt "kind of like a shell shock."

The familiar structure of military life was gone, and it was time to adapt to a very different mission: finding a job.

Caruso, now 29, recalled what it felt like when his Marine Corps enlistment ran out in 2007: "I remember having this feeling of, 'I have no idea what I need to do next.'"

Here are the stats: the overall unemployment rate for veterans in October, the most recent figures available, stood at 6.9%. Compare that with the nation's overall jobless rate: 7.3%.

But for young vets who served after the 9/11 attacks, the number is higher: 10%. That rate peaked at 13.1% in December 2011. But today, it still translates into 246,000 post-9/11 vets who were prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice for their country -- and who now are looking for work.

And in some ways, things are getting harder.

That's because a 2-year-old federal program that retrains veterans and offers tax breaks to businesses that hire veterans -- the VOW to Hire Heroes Act -- is set to expire at the end of the year. Also, Congress has slashed a social safety net that provides food stamps to feed more than 900,000 veterans and their families.

Opinion: Food stamp cuts will take food off the table

Contributing to high veteran jobless rates are issues surrounding the verbal art of communication on both sides of the interview process.

"Some veterans have trouble explaining the value of their military experience," said Mike Abrams, a former Afghan war combat Marine who helps fellow vets get jobs in the private sector. "On the other side, some recruiters and hiring managers who haven't served in the military have trouble understanding the military experience."

Vets frequently enter the civilian workforce with ready-made skill sets suitable for industries such as safety and security, telecommunications, vehicle operations, road and track maintenance, administration and management.
They've served our country. It's time for us to step up and be there for them.
Michael Melaniphy, American Public Transit Association

Many who exit the military find new careers in transportation industries such as railroads -- where up to 25% of workers are vets -- and aviation and public transit. "They've served our country," said American Public Transit Association President Michael Melaniphy. "It's time for us to step up and be there for them."

Caruso is now one of the newest employees at Denver's Regional Transportation District. As a signal power maintainer, Caruso works on signals and substations across an expanding light-rail transit network. He says he got the position in part because of his skills working on a team that tested amphibious assault vehicles at Camp Pendleton in California.

Caruso's new job gives him a "little bit of a sense of purpose," he says. It's about making sure the "trains get people where they need to go."

Vets make up 23% of the metro area's transit workforce. RTD's chief executive officer pushes hard for veterans, partly because he's one himself.

"I am unapologetic about advocating for returning vets and veterans in general," said former Command Sgt. Maj. Phil Washington, who leads RTD after a 24-year Army career. "I've talked to soldiers for the last 10 years about making the transition ... and the transferable thing you bring is leadership."

According to the statistics, younger veterans are having the most challenges finding work after serving. Washington, who enlisted in the Army as a teenager after enduring hardscrabble beginnings in public housing on Chicago's Southside, says he thinks those younger vets ages 18 to 20 are a strong asset to the workforce.

"(They) come in most cases with a can-do attitude that you can mold and shape," Washington said. They come with a background of selfless service, he added, "and I can work with that."

Yet it can be a struggle getting businesses to see the value of young war veterans, and helping those vets understand how to market themselves in the private sector. And that's where Abrams, the Afghanistan war veteran, comes in.

In 2010, when veterans' unemployment was skyrocketing, Abrams started Four Block, a semester-long training and development course for student vets sponsored by City University of New York. The goal was to teach vets how to choose appropriate career paths, network, interview and translate their skills into a new job. The program has taken veterans to networking events at JPMorgan Chase and Goldman Sachs.

"We've worked with about 100 vets and have more than an 80% success rate getting them entry-level jobs and internships," said Abrams. Four Block is now looking for support from corporations and nonprofits to expand to other cities.

Abrams offered these tips for vets who are hitting the bricks in search of a civilian job:

1. Don't expect someone to give you a job: "Employers respect and appreciate your service, but that rarely translates into a job offer. You need to communicate how you're able to add value."

2. Network with other veterans: "Veterans represent one of the largest professional networks in the world." Leverage groups such as the American Legion and contact veteran support organizations, says Abrams. Students can use resources such as a university student-veteran center.

3. Practice, practice, practice: "Practice your pitch, refine your resume and go on as many job interviews as you can," says Abrams. "And, do everything you can to get an in-person meeting with potential employers to put your practice to use. Remain flexible with your schedule as face-to-face meetings can be more valuable than a phone call."

4. Utilize technology:  "Like many people on active duty, you've probably used tools like Skype to keep in touch with family back home. Consider using this technology to practice for interviews, as well as making yourself available for interviews with potential employers in other cities. Make sure the room you're in is clean and quiet with lots of natural light.  Put your camera at eye level, and look at the camera, not the screen. Dress to impress, comb your hair and smile."

5. Communicate using civilian terms: "No one will understand that you were an E-4 0311 and served with 3/8 in J-Bad. Learning how to articulate your service in a way that civilian employers will understand is absolutely imperative."

http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/11/us/veterans-unemployment/index.html?hpt=hp_c3

[adgal]

Wishing there was a like button.  Good on you!!  

[R Glass]

Yes, We and The Patriot Guard led the Parade.

[Barb135]

Would I be wrong to guess that you were part of the "rolling thunder" of motorcycles..  Sounds like an awesome tribute to vets..  My thanks to everyone who participated..  

[R Glass]

Walker Veterans Parade

We Rode to the Veterans Shelter in Baton Rouge and escorted the vans to Walker for the Ceremony, then Rode in the Parade,

“Those guest veterans will arrive at about 9:45 escorted by state police, the Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office, motorcyclists in the Patriot Guards, Blue Knights and Iron Warriors.”

“Leading the way will be a “rolling thunder” of motorcycles who will then line the parade route in a guard of honor.”

http://m.livingstonparishnews.com/arts_and_entertainment/article_cc207e14-41d2-11e3-801b-0019bb2963f4.html?mode=jqm

[brice1967]

I read something today that said there were a little over 62,000 homeless veterans in America.

I couldn't find that link but found the following which paints a larger picture.
http://www.nationalhomeless.org/factsheets/veterans.html

Either way.... too damned many

[adgal]

Actually, the jobless and homeless issue amongst vets goes much further back then todays state of economy.  There is a very high incident of mental health issues such as PPD that impact returning vets.  And unfortunately our society (I can say our because the problem is equally big here) does not provide proper diagnosis and treatment for these issues.  That's a part of it anyway.  These issues can make it extremely difficult to secure work that will pay those bills.  I have spoken to many a vet that will tell you he felt cast aside by society.

[mikesimon]

"....That's because a 2-year-old federal program that retrains veterans and offers tax breaks to businesses that hire veterans -- the VOW to Hire Heroes Act -- is set to expire at the end of the year. Also, Congress has slashed a social safety net that provides food stamps to feed more than 900,000 veterans and their families...."

[el_em_en_oh]

A hireable, employable vet, is as good a candidate for employment as a hireable, employable non-vet.

The reason that vets are having problems finding job, upon their release/return from active-duty, isn't so much a factor of being a vet, so much as it's a factor of the state of the economy and the fact that the unemployment-rate is in the 20% range.

Vet's can't find jobs? NO ONE can find jobs (it's not just vets is what I'm getting at).

[brice1967]

I read something some time back about an organization that was going to retrofit or update some old buildings/hotels/motels and turn them into housing units for veterans.  (I wish I could remember were I read that...)

[adgal]

http://www.endhomelessness.org/pages/veterans

This sort of ties in and may interest you as well.

[brice1967]

One of the best employees I've ever hired was a vet.  This person had undoubted leadership skills and the ability to make sure things got handled.  This person took directives well, was always on time, dressed appropriately and was as cool as a cucumber in stressful times.  I know this person went off to be successful where they went.

One of the worst people I ever hired was a vet.  This person was late, disorganized, and didn't want to do their job.  (This person also comes from an era where if you had a chance to take the military over a prison sentence, you took the military.)  This person was capable of destroying morale and felt that they had no obligation to his co-workers and employer.
This person could not believe that he was replaced in less than 3 weeks.  This person also did nothing to help themselves.

There is a big problem for vets coming home, but some are very well equipped to finding gainful employment and some just aren't.  Some are very trainable, and then others not so much.

I don't know what it is that we need to do for vets, but I never believed that we do enough for them.