Veterans Bring Invaluable Experience to Any Work Environment

February 6, 2007

Veterans Bring Invaluable Experience to Any Work Environment

COLUMBUS, OH – Congresswoman Deborah Pryce (R-Columbus) submitted the following editorial:

Twice a year, our nation officially pays homage to America’s veterans, and most of us rightfully take pause to reflect upon the courage and sacrifice of those who have worn the uniform of our Nation. There is so much more, however, that many of us could do the other 363 days of the year to thank a veteran for his or her valor, and ensure that they can transition quickly and seamlessly to civilian life – we can hire one.

Currently, our national unemployment rate remains low at about 4.6% However, for young veterans ages 20-24, last year’s unemployment rate sat at 10.4%, more than twice the national average. While the rate remains incredibly and unacceptably high, it actually represents an improvement from 2005 when 16% of young veterans were without a job.

While the U.S. Department of Labor continues to analyze veteran unemployment data to determine the precise cause for the disproportionately higher unemployment rates, some suggest that many returning veterans take their time searching for the right job while utilizing the unemployment compensation to which they are entitled. Regardless, employers across our nation and in all facets of our economy should make a coordinated effort to ensure that quality, high-paying jobs are plentiful for these returning heroes.

This past week, to help spur such a concerted focus on veteran employment, Congress passed legislation urging the President to create a national “Hire a Veteran Week,” and to call upon employers, veterans services organizations, and governmental agencies to all help increase employment of the men and women who have served in the Armed Forces.

Employing a veteran is appropriate and noble, but it is often its own reward. Veterans have a unique skill-set, are typically intimately familiar with the highest, state-of-the-art technologies, are inordinately disciplined, and
as they have selflessly volunteered to serve in our nation’s all-volunteer armed forces, their loyalty is manifest.

During my tenure in the U.S. House of Representatives, I have been fortunate to have employed several veterans on my staff, and have always been astounded by their unique insights, invaluable experiences, and unwavering professionalism. This past week, my good fortune improved again, as Dennis Bartow – an Airborne trooper who served with Army Special Forces in Iraq, Oman, Kosovo, and Kuwait – joined my staff in Columbus. Among other things, Dennis will assist our central Ohio area’s veterans with their concerns and needs, and bring firsthand expertise and counsel on the War on Terror.

Support for our troops should never cease upon their discharge from service; America has an equal moral imperative to provide for them as they assimilate back into the civilian society and economy, just as we provided for them on the combat fields. And while hiring a veteran is one means of paying gratitude to them for their service to our nation, it needn’t be done solely out of pure benevolence – whatever your motivation, you will find your decision to hire a veteran to be mutually beneficial.

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