BY DOROTHY NICHOLSON

COMMENTARY

Now more than any time in our nation’s history our armed forces are under a tremendous amount of stress. With more young Americans coming home from wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, we are seeing extremely high numbers of unemployment and homelessness among our returning veterans. The Bureau of Labor Statistics puts unemployment for veterans ages 18 to 24 at over 21% — more than double the national average. This problem isn’t just prevalent with younger soldiers – it is seen across all ages and backgrounds.

To be frank, these are unacceptable statistics.

That is why the news of recent legislation proposed by New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand is so encouraging. The Hiring Heroes Act of 2011 will provide job-training skills and make the government’s Transition Assistance Program (TAP) mandatory for servicemen and women. A joint effort of the Labor, Defense, and Veteran Affairs departments, TAP is only used by 1/3 of veterans seeking employment. Mandatory participation can go a long way in placing veterans in positions where they can use the skills developed in the service in private sector settings. This is one small step that can be taken to make sure veterans know of all the job placement and training opportunities available to them.

We can and must do more to ensure our veterans are able to make a living once they return from service. In New Jersey, my organization Bright Star Scanning is working to accomplish this same goal as Senator Gillibrand: giving our veterans job training and employment prospects when they return home from their service.

Bright Star is using a two-step approach. First, returning veterans are placed in a job-training program where they learn compliance management, workflow mapping and analysis, business process optimization, and high-volume document imaging services to federal, state, and local government agencies. Next, they are placed with a team where they put these skills to use under the supervision of a mentor.

We are training returning veterans with a 21st century skill that can be applied in both the public and private sector. Just like Senator Gillibrand’s proposed legislation, we are looking for new ways to combat the high unemployment rates among our returning soldiers. We need a new approach to protect these people who are doing so much to protect our way of life.

A government that is not actively protecting our veterans is failing.

Right now we are failing. We never hear of soldiers questioning our foreign policy or deployment-after-deployment as we fight wars on two fronts. They are trained to take orders and carry out missions. They need a voice advocating on their behalf to bring down these high unemployment statistics among their ranks and give them the job training they need to thrive in the 21st century economy.

Senator Gillibrand’s legislation is a great first step.

Veteran employment placement must become a priority for our local, state, and federal governments. A good place to start is preferential hiring practices in jobs that are natural fits based upon skills learned in the military – specifically with police and fire departments. If our veterans can protect in warzones abroad, they are surely qualified to protect our streets at home.

We need proactive programs and legislation to combat this growing problem among our heroes returning home from active duty.

No one can argue with the moral obligation our country has to protect our veterans when their active duty concludes. We can’t simply brush under the rug the problems they face when returning home. Along with ensuring there is access to adequate health care, we need to give them the tools needed to secure employment and provide for their families.

Anything short of that is unacceptable.

I hope Senator Gillibrand’s legislation will get the ball rolling on putting our veterans to work when they return home from their service abroad, in careers in which they can be proud.

Dorothy Nicholson founded Bright Star in 2008 with a singular goal in mind: provide training and jobs for the brave men and women who served our country, and for those who have had setbacks who are trying to make a better life for themselves and their children. Bright Star works with federal and local agencies including the United States Department of Veteran Affairs, Veterans Industries, United Way of Hudson County, Catholic Charities of Newark, Eva's Village and the Hoboken Homeless Shelter to train and employ veterans in the tri-state area.