Veteran unemployment rate decreasing

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) - The number of unemployed veterans across the United States is decreasing and education could be the link.

Many men and women serve in the military to protect the United States and in return receive free education.

Chelsea Brackall, Student Vice President of ISU Veteran Services says she sees more veterans turning to education to get ahead.

"We have a lot of older students here on campus, some of them have served 20 years and decided to come back, some just a few months, some a few years but they really want their education and they've worked for those education benefits and want to utilize them,” said Brackall.

In 2011 veteran unemployment was at almost 8-percent.

By 2012 the veteran unemployment rate dropped to 6.3-percent.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, more veterans are finding jobs and possibly due to the Veterans Affairs Education Benefits.

Mike Caress, ISU Veterans Benefits Coordinator says only 18-percent of veterans utilize their education benefits but that percentage is actually an improvement.

"The Post 9/11 Educational Benefit is much better than what we refer to now as the Old G.I. Bill. It pays so much more for the veterans themselves; there are more of them taking advantage of it,” said Caress.

As the numbers of veterans who use their educational benefits go up, the veteran unemployment rate continues to go down.

Caress and Brackall try to help veterans transition into the workforce.

"It is scary. For a lot of our veterans, they're out of the military, they’ve served 20 years and they wonder will I be able to get a job but our community is great, we have job fairs, they have them here on campus for our veterans, out at the air guard base. We really look out for our veterans here on campus,” said Brackall.

The unemployment rate for veterans between the ages of 18 to 24 is almost 25-percent. For veterans 25 to 29 it's nearly 11-percent.