Job Fair Geared Toward Veterans

Veterans are struggling to find work as their unemployment rate stands at 30 percent, nearly four times the national unemployment rate.The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and American Legion hosted a job fair Tuesday in Mid-Missouri to help veterans find work. One veteran was able to find a job with RR Donnelley.”It’s close to home, I live close to a family farm, so I get to go out and play on my days off,” said William Arnold.The human resources manager at Arnold’s company says 10 percent of their hires are veterans.”We want to keep our military folks safe and we want them to have a place when they return,” said Jackie Barndollar.However, some jobs require extended experience, which veterans could receive through additional education.”The amount of time that the veteran may have served, there are certain benefits that the veteran might be eligible for,” said Veterans Service Officer Timothy Tuner. “There’s the GI Bill, and the Post-9/11 GI Bill.”Those bills allow some veterans to receive an education so that they can pursue their goals.The jobless rate for veterans who have served on active duty since 2001 is down by two percent since October. Experts believe that could be due to some of the employment programs geared toward veterans.Any veterans seeking employment help can contact the Missouri Veterans Commission at 1-866-VET-INFO or (573) 751-3779.