Nationwide, veterans face a higher-than- average unemployment rate. While the U.S. unemployment fell to 9 percent for January, the jobless rate for all veterans over the age of 18 was 9.9 percent, and 15.2 percent for those in the service since 2001.
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I'm sorry but everytime I see a headline or story like this, it blows my fucking mind.
I cannot believe that business owners aren't putting Vets at the top of the hiring lists.
Call me old fashioned, but goddammit, these kids have put their lives on the line - gave 3 or 4 or more years of their lives for the US - for me and you - years that they will never get back and yet they can't find a job when they get out.
Hey, I know what I'm talking about. When I got out in '81 I walked street after street putting in applications at every fucking business I came across, only to be told that there was nothing for me even though I was a hard charging young ex Buck Sergeant. Not only that but I couldn't even draw unemployment because I had "voluntarily quit the Service" (honorably discharged) yet folks that were kicked out were eligible to draw benefits........
Six months later found me as a bodyguard/driver for a drug dealer.
You gotta do what you gotta do but I fell into the lifestyle of dealing Meth and weed. Hey, it was fun but it wasn't exactly the American dream if you know what I mean......
And so now you know my secret.
It wasn't a job that I'm proud of, not even a life that I reveal to a lot of folks. But fuck, I had to make a living and the job paid well enough to support myself and a cutie and her child, even provided lots of extras.
I did good, made a name for myself and provided for the three of us, but what really pissed me off was that all these motherfuckers that sucked government teats wouldn't hire us that provided those goodies.
Dammit, I wasn't asking for your world, but I sure could've used a decent job.
And now our vets are going through the same shit again.
Brothers and Sisters, if you are in a position to do so, please PLEASE hire a vet even if they're not not completely qualified. Train them if you can. Goddamn it, appreciate the sacrifices that these youngsters have made for us. And please remember that nobody forced them to give 3 or 4 or more years of theyre' lives - they volunteered, each and every motherfucking one of them.
If I were ever in the position to hire anyone, I'd probably hire nothing BUT veterans. Even if they don't know the job, they know one thing for sure: TRAINING! Who is better at being trained to do stuff they didn't know how to do than someone who has been through the military?
ReplyDeleteJust a word to vets looking for a job. I thought it would be good to show I was intellegent and trainable on job resume, but employers are turned off if you state you are trained in expolosives, anti-tank, machine gunner, mortor, heavy and light arms. I never got one call back when i "revealed" my specialties
ReplyDeleteYeah, I went thru that in all of 2002 when I got out. I finally got a job as a courier driver with my truck in the day, had a pizza delivery job and did part time at an Non-Destructive testing Lab. until I could get an aircraft maintenance gig even though I was an FAA licenced A&P mechanic. I was tainted because I was a Cavalry trooper which meant not only did I work on Helicopters I also had to learn how to scout, operate Bradley's, M-1 Tanks, work with our Sappers and our Dismount and mortar infantry. life sucked for that year.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was in position, I put all vets, not just recent ones, all vets at the tp of the list.
ReplyDeleteHad to drop a few, but not as many as fuckin' hippie never served.