WASHINGTON, D.C. -- With the unemployment rate for veterans aged 20 to 24 at a staggering 27 percent, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) visited Cleveland State University today to outline a new bill that is the first of its kind to ensure broad job skills training for all service members returning home and helps ensure that more jobs are available for veterans as they transition to civilian life.
The bill, known as the Hiring Heroes Act of 2011, is supported by Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, Military Officers Association of America, and Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America.
It aims to reduce unemployment among veterans transitioning to civilian life by ensuring that each separating service member attends a transition assistance program.
The bill will also create new direct federal hiring authority so that more service members have jobs waiting for them the day they leave the military, and will improve veteran mentorship programs in the working world.
"Our investment in our service members shouldn't end when they return home as skilled, experienced civilians. Today, the unemployment rate for young veterans is 27 percent-which is simply unacceptable. That means more than one in four of these young veterans can't find a job to support their family or to ease the transition to civilian life," Brown said.
"Our veterans' service to our country does not stop when they leave the military. From leadership experience to technical and scientific skills, veterans are key to our nation's economic competitiveness.
Brown was joined by CSU President Ronald Berkman, as well as Clarence Rowe, a staff sergeant in the Marine Corps who graduated from CSU last month, both of whom discussed the need to improve and strengthen career pathways for returning service members.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- With the unemployment rate for veterans aged 20 to 24 at a staggering 27 percent, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) visited Cleveland State University today to outline a new bill that is the first of its kind to ensure broad job skills training for all service members returning home and helps ensure that more jobs are available for veterans as they transition to civilian life.

The bill, known as the Hiring Heroes Act of 2011, is supported by Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, Military Officers Association of America, and Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America.

It aims to reduce unemployment among veterans transitioning to civilian life by ensuring that each separating service member attends a transition assistance program.

The bill will also create new direct federal hiring authority so that more service members have jobs waiting for them the day they leave the military, and will improve veteran mentorship programs in the working world.

"Our investment in our service members shouldn't end when they return home as skilled, experienced civilians. Today, the unemployment rate for young veterans is 27 percent-which is simply unacceptable. That means more than one in four of these young veterans can't find a job to support their family or to ease the transition to civilian life," Brown said.

"Our veterans' service to our country does not stop when they leave the military. From leadership experience to technical and scientific skills, veterans are key to our nation's economic competitiveness.

Brown was joined by CSU President Ronald Berkman, as well as Clarence Rowe, a staff sergeant in the Marine Corps who graduated from CSU last month, both of whom discussed the need to improve and strengthen career pathways for returning service members.

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