The employment report for the month of April contained good news for much of the country. An estimated 165,000 jobs were added to the economy, bringing the overall unemployment rate to 7.5 percent – its lowest in four years. But the findings were particularly positive for members of the military community. Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) revealed that the unemployment rate for post-9/11 veterans also dropped to 7.5 percent, Military Times reports.
Big improvements
While the civilian unemployment rate dipped just 0.1 percentage point, young veterans enjoyed a much more significant reduction. In March, the rate for that demographic stood at 9.2 percent. Some speculate that the improvement stems from the fact that young veterans make up a small portion of those sampled by the BLS, but it's hard to discount the substantial efforts made by both public and private organizations to help the most recent group of veterans find jobs.
White House plays big role
First lady Michelle Obama has been leading the charge in helping bring down the unemployment rate, largely through her Joining Forces initiative. Earlier this week she was joined by President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden in calling on private organizations to fully commit to hiring hundreds of thousands of servicemembers and their spouses over the next year.
"Together, we have been partnering to do everything in our power to help our veterans and military families find the jobs they need and deserve," the first lady said from the East Room of the White House recently. "These efforts are about so much more than a paycheck. This is about giving these men and women a source of identity and purpose."
Future will be telling
While the recent figures from the BLS are certainly encouraging, it remains to be seen whether initiatives like those from the first lady and others have a long-lasting impact, especially as the war in Afghanistan draws to a close by the end of 2014. Experts from the Department of Defense estimate that approximately 300,000 troops will separate from service each year for the next several years – and many of them will likely be looking for work.