Updated: Jun 11, 2014 7:40 PM EDT
Wednesday the Veteran’s Resource Center held a “Heroes Night Out” benefit fair for returning vets trying to find employment.
“It’s important for the community to step up and take care of them because they are doing a lot for us,” said Julie Puzan with the Texas Veterans Commission.
The unemployment rate for young vets is well above the civilian unemployment rate. The U.S. Department of Labor said 9 percent of veterans who joined the military after 2001 were unemployed last year. That’s compared to the civilian unemployment rate of 7 percent. Veteran service groups said underemployment is an even bigger problem.
“Every veteran has a story and every veteran’s story is special, whether they served in combat or didn’t serve in combat. So it’s really important that every veteran gets taken care of and gets special treatment,” said Veteran Jaime Nicoletti, who works at the Austin Vet Center.
Nicoletti served in the military for 11 years and was deployed to both Iraq and Afghanistan.
She knows first-hand how hard it is to transition out of the military.
“When you’re in the military it’s not just your job, it’s like your whole identity. So you lose your job, you lose your identity, it’s kind of like you feel like you lose everything,” said Nicoletti.
Nicoletti got a job with the Austin Vet Center to help other vets find jobs and services they didn’t know were available.
“I think it would’ve been easier for me to transition if I would’ve gone to multiple job fairs not just one because I would’ve known more of what’s out there,” Nicoletti said.
The benefits fair helps introduce vets to career opportunities. It also gives them a chance to learn about the benefits available to them.
Nicoletti said she wants veterans to know they aren’t forgotten when they leave the military.
“Veterans are the ones that fight for us, so we’ve got to fight for them,” said Nicoletti.
