A veteran in Cincinnati recently wrote to me that, “it is good to know we are not forgotten.”
There are more than 930,000 veterans in Ohio who have made tremendous sacrifices for our country. Members of the Armed Forces leave their families, endure great stress, and put their lives on the line for us. And, they do not ask for much in return – just the benefits they have earned and deserve.
Yet, too many young veterans are leaving the service without job prospects. With the unemployment rate for young veterans at a staggering 27 percent, we have a responsibility to connect skilled veterans with good-paying jobs.
That is why legislation I recently introduced, the Hiring Heroes Act of 2011, is supported by the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, Military Officers Association of America, and the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America.
This first-of-its-kind jobs bill aims to reduce unemployment among veterans returning to civilian life by ensuring that every service member attends a transition assistance program, to help them find employment.
Our veterans just want a fair shot at getting a good job, a quality education, and an opportunity to live out the American dream.
Veterans’ service to our country doesn’t stop when they leave the military and our government’s commitment to them shouldn’t end when they return home as valuable members of our society.
We can honor their service by providing job skills training to help connect America’s veterans with stable, good-paying jobs. At Youngstown State University, I recently met with a student-veteran – Sergeant Paul Hageman – who discussed with me the need to improve and strengthen career pathways for returning service members.
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