Supporting Veterans During the Pandemic

May is Military Appreciation Month, a time to honor service members who are in and out of the military. This month features notable dates such as Military Spouse Appreciation Day to recognize military spouses and their service to our country, V-E Day, Armed Forces Day, and Memorial Day to honor the fallen. As we honor the service and sacrifice military members and their families have made for our country, we should take a moment to consider their post-military life and the positive impact businesses can create.

In April, we saw the first full month of the effects the coronavirus had on the job market. Over 20 million jobs were lost and the overall unemployment rate rose to 14.7%, the highest since the end of World War II. The veteran workforce has also been seriously impacted by this crisis. In April, more than one million veterans filed for unemployment benefits raising the veteran unemployment rate to 11.7%, surpassing the peak rate of 8.7% that resulted from the 2008 recession. According to statistics from the Bureau of Labor, 13% of veterans who served in the post-9/11 era, and 7.1% of veterans who served between 1990 and 2001 are unemployed. As many industries are working on recovery plans, we must take our nation's veterans into account.

Finding a job after their military service can be difficult for a veteran on top of other challenges they may face. Rose International is committed to serving service members, reservists, and their spouses through its Deployment to Employment (D2E) program that provides outreach, recruitment and specialized training to assist and support military job seekers. Rose’s D2E team is comprised of veterans, reservists, military spouses and individuals with family members who have served in the military. Through resume workshops, interview preparation and more, our team helps military job seekers from beginning to end in their post-service careers. Since its inception, more than 1,000 veterans have been hired through our D2E program.

The pandemic created an unprecedented number of unemployed veterans. It’s our duty to serve those who have served our country by way of meaningful jobs and career paths. Businesses can help service members by helping them find fulfilling civilian careers where they can use and grow their skills, and apply their years of experience. Supporting military members and their families is essential especially during this uncertain time.