VETERAN UNEMPLOYMENT RATE FALLING

FROM:  U.S. VETERANS ADMINISTRATION
Post-9/11 Veteran Unemployment Rate Still Falling; At 9.2 Percent
May 4, 2012 by Brandon Friedman
On Friday, the Bureau of Labor Statistics released Veteran unemployment data for the month of April. The unemployment rate for one closely watched group, Iraq and Afghanistan-era Veterans (or Gulf War II-era Veterans), fell more than a full percentage point to 9.2 percent.

While much work remains to be done, since January 2012, post-9/11 Veterans have experienced the lowest unemployment rate in any combined four-month period since 2008. Additionally, the trend over the past 28 months—since January 2010—remains downward for America’s most recent Veterans.

Tracking Veteran unemployment is notoriously difficult, and we often see significant swings from one month to the next—which is why looking at the long-term trend is critically important. While we’re heartened that the unemployment rate among younger Veterans has fallen over the long term, it is still too high as long as thousands of returning Veterans still can’t find meaningful work.

If anything, today’s positive figure reminds us that there’s still much work to be done. VA, in conjunction with the White House and our private sector partners, remains committed to ensuring that the unemployment rate for all Veterans continues its downward path.