Daily Herald editorial

The unemployment rate in America is generally around 9 percent, but for veterans it is more like 12 percent. Worse yet, the unemployment rate for young veterans, ages 18 to 24, is around 30 percent, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics employment figures.

So why aren’t employers hiring them? They are entering a job market that punishes people with less education. Perhaps America needs to begin considering military services as a form of education. Many of the online means of submitting a resume do not even have a space for military service. The fact that someone is a veteran goes unnoticed.

Other employers see veterans as people who don’t have experience in the private sector. And some employers falsely worry about dealing with veterans transitioning to a civilian life. Though some vets struggle after wars — an issue society has paid more attention to lately — the fact remains that most veterans transition quite well.

Veterans are a good hire because they have a wide range of skills, understand the value of respect, take responsibility, are resourceful in a pinch, have a good work ethic, are proud of their country and, let’s not forget, usually are in good shape. Their skills often translate well in civilian life in ways not seen by employers. And veterans often are really good with technology because the military is tech-heavy.

The mixture of tech skills, resourcefulness and willingness to take initiative means this: The veteran usually becomes the person in the workplace who can figure things out when no one else can.

So hire a veteran. You won’t regret it.