Many Without Work, Vets Deserve More Than Thanks

CT Post editorial:

It’s an uneasy reality that these federal holidays are often treated as interchangeable, though they could not be more clearly labeled. The confusion has become so common that we have received news releases making the error, even from veterans’ agencies.

Yes, Memorial Day is the day we honor those who died in active military service. The older of the two holidays, it originated after the Civil War as Decoration Day to honor soldiers killed in battle.

Veterans Day was first proclaimed as Armistice Day on the first anniversary of the end to fighting in The Great War–also called The War to End All Wars–on Nov. 11, 1918. It is dedicated to those who served in the U.S. Armed Forces.

We offer this brief history lesson as a reminder that today is an opportunity to thank the veterans among us. Many will tell you they genuinely appreciate a simple “thank you.”

We can do more than that for them. Unemployment rates among veterans are higher than the national average in several Fairfield County municipalities. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, almost 20 percent of veterans in Bridgeport are without jobs, followed by 13.9 percent in Bethel and 12.7 percent in Shelton. Danbury is close behind at 12.3 percent.

At a time when the jobless rate among all veterans is 6.6 percent, the numbers tell their own story about our region. The figures drop in towns where it is more expensive to live, hitting 8.9 percent in Stamford and 1.5 percent in Greenwich. The math is simple: If you are having trouble finding work, you live in an affordable community. Stamford does have a veteran population, but most of it has aged out of the labor force. Twenty percent of Stamford’s veterans served in the World War II era, and one in 15 answered a call to duty after Sept. 11, 2001.

U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., who served as a sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, has sponsored legislation to offer tax credits to employers who hire veterans and provide skill training.

It’s an admirable effort, but Blumenthal must not be alone in this battle. Potential employers should consider the qualities veterans already bring to the table, including discipline, work ethic, leadership potential and team-building skills.

Our veterans may wear civilian clothes these days, but they will always be soldiers. It’s chilling to consider where we would be without them. On this day, we should consider the possibilities of where we might be if we welcome more of them to work at our side.