Resources Available to Veterans Looking for Civilian Jobs

As U.S. troops, many of who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan, are returning home and discharging from the military, they are having difficulties in both adjusting to civilian life and finding civilian jobs, the latter of which is compounded by the current state of the United States’ economy. However, there are resources that are available for returning veterans in order to ease their transition and improve soldiers’ success upon re-entering civilian life. One of the main resources is available through the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (VA). The VA coordinates all of the Federal government’s programs to assist former soldiers. The most well known of these resources is the GI Bill.
Under a recent expansion of the bill, soldiers now receive tuition to attend public colleges. For those service men and women who feel that a four year school is not for them, there is also vocational training to help translate skills learned in the military into civilian applications. This program allows returning veterans to get the education they need in order to build upon the training they received in the service and get entry level jobs. Landing the best possible entry level job is a great starting point for a successful career.

Often, local governments also have job assistance programs to help returning veterans who already have an education and are ready to enter the workforce. One such example is on Nassau County, Long Island, home to the Warriors to Work program, where the county’s veterans’ affairs agency actively works with local employers to get them to commit to hiring veterans. It succeeded in placing over 200 veterans in advanced and entry level jobs in 2009. Programs like Warriors to Work show that local governments can be great resources as well.
Finally, in addition to government resources, many veterans are finding help in transitioning by networking with non-government groups, such as the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. These informal contacts can help new veterans connect with those who have already successfully transitioned to civilian life and, perhaps, even give them a lead on a job.
Article by freelance writer, Chris Y

Originally posted by Candice A