As if things weren’t bad enough for veterans, many of whom don’t have health insurance coverage, job prospects are also quite poor for soldiers returning home from Afghanistan and Iraq. Overall, the unemployment rate for veterans (from all conflicts since World War II) is 8.1%, less than the national average of 10.2%.

 

But the jobless rate for those who have fought in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq is 11.6%, and things are even worse for 18-24 year olds: 13.9%. These numbers are from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, but Frank Ahrens at The Washington Post estimates the rate may be even higher—over 15% for young male vets and nearly 20% for young females.

-Noel Brinkerhoff

 

Unemployment Among Young Veterans Much Higher Than the National Average (by Frank Ahrens, Washington Post)