OKLAHOMA CITY -
They've bravely
served our country overseas. Now some of Oklahoma's finest are struggling to
find work here at home.
The latest jobs report shows the unemployment rate for veterans is
higher than the civilian unemployment rate. Right now our nation's newest
veterans, those who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan, are having the
toughest time finding jobs.
The unemployment
rate for those veterans is now above 10 percent, much higher than the national
rate just under eight percent.
Hundreds of
veterans looking for work navigate their way through a job fair in downtown
Oklahoma City.
"The actual job
search, looking, going out and doing it…like they say, it's a job in itself, so
that's been hard," Kristopher Van Boven said.
Van Boven served
in the Army for nine years, and did two tours of duty in Iraq. Now, back on
Sooner soil, Van Boven and those he served with are trying to find civilian
jobs, and it hasn't been easy.
"I know a lot of
guys that had issues," Van Boven says. "They were hoping to get better jobs.
They had a hard time getting companies to pick them up for those jobs. That's
what I'm having a problem with right now as well, just finding the right fit
for me."
"If there's a
company out there that's going to hire one person this year, why wouldn't they
want it to be a veteran? With the tax credits they get for hiring veterans,
plus they've already given so much to us. It's our duty to give back to them,"
Recruit Military Vice President of Sales Mike Rollins said.
The recruiting
firm is encouraging companies to give back to vets who are working toward new
goals in their lives.
"I want to take my
experience in the Army to a management position," Van Boven said.
More than 60
companies were at Thursday's job fair. Other vets said they feel confident in
finding jobs here in Oklahoma City because of our low unemployment rate, which
is now at 4.6%.
You can find an online
job board at www.recruitmilitary.com
Hundreds of veterans looking for work navigate their way through a job fair in downtown Oklahoma City.
