BULLY PULPIT

Obama to Address Vets’ Unemployment

Expected to climb as troops return from Afghanistan.

With job growth now a top priority on his agenda, President Obama is scheduled to address the issue of soaring unemployment among recent veterans on Friday at Washington’s Navy Yard. Veterans’ unemployment rates skyrocketed to 13.3 percent in June, which is more than 4 percentage points above the national average—and they’re expected to continue climbing as U.S. troops return from Afghanistan. The government has created more than a dozen programs aimed at aiding vets’ unemployment through job-search courses, career centers, and hiring fairs. However, many former servicemen say they’re rejected from jobs not because they’re unqualified, but because of their lack of formal education and inability to adapt their military skills in today’s tough market.