Obama challenges private sector to hire military veterans

American companies could get tax credits for hiring our veterans.

August 05, 2011|Chad Plein, KY3 News | cplein@ky3.com

WASHINGTON D.C. — President Obama says his singular focus is getting the unemployed back to work and in particular our military veterans.

"If you can save a life in Afghanistan you can save a life in an ambulance in Wyoming," the President said. "If you can oversee millions of dollars in assets in Iraq you can help a businesses balance its books here at home."

The Labor Department says one out of every four veterans between the ages of 20 and 24 are unemployed. The President's challenge to the private sector includes tax breaks.

If a company hires a military veteran who's been unemployed for less than six-months, the company will get $2,400 in tax credits. If the veteran's been out of work for more than six-months, the company will get $4,800. And if the company hires a veteran out of work for more than six-months and has a service-connected disability, the company gets $9,600.

That's a proposal of $120-million dollars for this program over two-years.

"Our incredible service men and women need to know that America values them not simply for what they can do in uniform," President Obama said, "but for what they can do when they come home."

"It's time to step up and recognize our military," Vietnam Veteran, John Walker said.

Walker is helping out at the Ozark Empire Fair at the Veterans Haven booth. He's raising both money and awareness for our veterans. Walker is a Stephen Minister, meaning he consoles veterans daily and knows the need they have here at home.

"Some people just need a hand-up," Walker said. "I'm really proud of the President coming up with this."

The President's challenge is for 100,000 military veterans to be hired by 2013. A veteran's spouse is also included in this initiative.

The President also would like to see the creation of a "reverse boot camp" for veterans where they will be reintroduced into the civilian workforce. The Executive Director of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America said the current system of getting veterans into the workplace "is not working."

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