Most veteran advocates agree that addressing unemployment is a significant issue, but a new report found that there was progress made in the last year. Findings from the Department of Labor reveal that unemployment among soldiers who have served after the September 11 attacks fell from 12.1 percent in 2011 to 9.9 percent at the end of 2012, The Associated Press reports.
While the findings are certainly encouraging, the DOL still stresses that there is work to be done, especially in the face of looming budget cuts. Federal, state and local governments will likely feel the effects of sequestration, which could result in reductions to their workforce, and given that an estimated one-third of veterans work in the public sector, this could have a significant impact.
Still, with Congress passing a host of laws, including one that offers tax credits to businesses that hire veterans, there are reasons to be optimistic. Furthermore, the military is now required to provide transition assistance training to troops leaving the service so that they are better equipped to find job once they enter civilian life, the AP reports.
The findings, which were culled by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, also included a number of other encouraging facts. For instance, among veterans of all generations, unemployment dropped to 6.9 percent in 2012, which is lower than the general population.