Veteran economics
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MARK AUSTIN THOMAS: This weekend the nation celebrates Veterans Day. We honor our Vets and consider them heroes, but many are struggling financially. Marketplace’s Hillary Wicai reports.
HILLARY WICAI: Last month the unemployment rate for young veterans was 11.5%. That’s more than 3 points higher than non-veterans of the same age and more than 2.5 times the overall national unemployment rate.
Tom McGriff is the National Commander of AMVETS, a veterans support group. He says veterans who come back and want to go to school are having a tough time too. McGriff says delays in education payments are causing financial hardships.
TOM MCGRIFF:“You can’t start trying to go to school full-time and wait three months to get your first payment from your GI bill. It has to be more timely and accurate.”
AMVETS recently conducted an online survey. Eight in 10 vets feel more can be done to help them after they leave the military. About four in 10 feel underemployed and two-thirds report having trouble getting disability benefits.
In Washington, I’m Hillary Wicai for Marketplace.
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