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Health & Fitness

Unemployment Rate Among Veterans Reaches Troubling Levels

In May the unemployment rate for new Veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan has increased from over 12 percent to over 13 percent.

Recently the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans Of America (IAVA) released some very troubling statistics. In May the unemployment rate for new Veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan has increased from over 12 in May percent to over 13 percent in June, while the national unemployment rate f percent.

Even more troubling is the fact that over the past five years the unemployment rate for Iraq and Afghanistan War vets has more than doubled. These statistics are very upsetting and more must be done immediately to reverse them.

My sister's fiancé United States Navy Corpsman Daniel Bernstein recently returned home after serving our nation In Afghanistan.  Dan was in Afghanistan for the past seven months. Dan is a Hospital Corpsman Second Class. Dan is one of the lucky ones. Dan has returned home and will start the New York City Police Academy. However 300,000 U.S. Service Members were not so lucky and returned home to an unemployment check after risking their lives oversees to protect our freedom and our democracy. These brave men and women deserve better from us.

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The amount of funding devoted to Veterans Employment and Employment for members of Military families on a City, State and Federal level is a joke. Both the New York City Mayors Office of Veterans Affairs and the New York State Division of Veterans Affairs have tiny budgets with no funding for employment services. There is basically no funding on a City or State level dedicated exclusively for Veterans employment or employment for military families, and if there is its so small it can’t possible make a difference.

The United States Department of Labor has about $28 million allocated to help veterans to gain employment. This is a step in the right direction, but more funding is needed. Organizations who do win these grants from the U.S. Department of Labor are only able to assist a tiny portion of the unemployed veteran’s population.

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I urge all New Yorkers to contact their City Council Members, State Legislators and Congress Members and tell them to honor our Veterans by increasing the budgets aimed at Veterans employment. No Veterans should be left behind.

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