Jobless Rate Skyrockets to 15.2% for Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans

The unemployment rate for OEF/OIF veterans soared to 15.2 percent in January—the highest rate recorded since the Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking this data in 2006.  This number follows the already staggering 11.5 percent OEF/OIF veteran unemployment rate in 2010, compared to 9.4 percent for the rest of the country. More worrying still is how much worse the situation could get. Defense Secretary Robert Gates announced in January that he intends to slim down the Army and Marines by 2015. This in addition to the planned drawdowns in Iraq and Afghanistan, will create a flood of new veterans facing serious employment challenges.

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