US – The economic challenges facing veterans

Commissioned by Volunteers of America (VOA) as part of an ongoing effort to better understand the needs of their veteran clients and continuously improve vet- eran services, the purpose of this study was to explore the economic and employment challenges facing U.S. veterans today and identify best practices for helping impoverished veterans find and retain stable, living-wage jobs. three approaches were used to examine these challenges and best practices, including a compre- hensive literature review, one-on-one interviews with VOA service providers, and focus groups with VOA veteran clients.

Employment Challenges and Risks for Unemployment

1. Unpreparedness for Civilian Employment

Interviews with both VOA service providers and veteran clients revealed a lack of preparation for finding civilian employment when leaving the military to be a large contributor to veteran unemployment. this included unrealistic expectations for the kinds of job opportunities veterans qualify for, as well as salary, the veteran perception of having to ‘start over’ as a civilian, and difficulty understanding how military experience translates to civilian employment.

2. Unaddressed Mental Health and Substance Abuse Issues

Unaddressed mental health (most often PtSD and/or depression) and substance abuse problems manifested themselves in several ways in relation to employment. Described by both VOA service providers and veteran clients, these included the impact on motivation to find and keep employment, difficulty placing veteran clients with mental health or substance abuse issues, and the ability to keep and find success in a job.

3. Continuation of Military Identity

VOA veteran clients described their inability to relate to civilians, discomfort around civilians, and difficulty adapting to civilian employment culture. Veteran clients often attributed their comfort with VOA programs to the support they received from peers with similar experiences and a shared military identity.

4. Criminal Background and/or Dishonorable Discharge

Along with the unique challenges that come with finding veterans employment, a criminal background or a less-than-honorable discharge creates additional barriers, particularly the unwillingness of employers to hire these veterans and lack of available jobs.

5. Stigma Associated with Hiring Veterans

Both VOA service providers and veteran clients described a reluctance on some employers’ part to hire their veteran clients. this was most often attributed to concerns over issues of mental health, long gaps in employment history, and an unwillingness to hire those with a dishonorable discharge and/ or criminal background.

6. Veteran Client Age

Although some employment barriers are relevant to all VOA veteran clients, older and younger VOA veteran clients each have their own specific barriers that must be addressed.

7. Availability of Appropriate Jobs

Both VOA service provider interviews and veteran client focus groups revealed the lack of available jobs that are appropri- ate to veteran skills and experience, and that also pay a living wage, to be a significant barrier for veteran employment.

Chosen excerpts by Job Market Monitor. Read the whole story at  The Economic Challenges Facing Veterans | Volunteers of America.