Employers value vets' skills, but many haven't hired them

Employers overwhelmingly think well of veterans' skills, a national study says, but most haven't hired a veteran of the Iraq or Afghanistan wars in the past three years.

Of 600 human resources officials polled last month, 38 percent said they had hired a veteran of the wars in the past three years. Twelve percent said they'd made "a specific effort" to hire those veterans.

More than 95 percent said military experience instilled positive traits, such as a "strong sense of responsibility" and the "ability to work under pressure."

"It looks like most of them are not going out and particularly focusing on veterans," said Evren Esen, survey manager for the Society for Human Resource Management, which released the study. "But they see that they do have a skill set that would bring value to the organization."

Chantelle Bradley, the area branch manager of Spherion Staffing and Recruiting, said some employers "have specifically asked, 'Can you get me someone who is a veteran?' "

The most recent jobless data offered a mixed picture.

In April, the U.S. Department of Labor reported the unemployment rate for veterans was 3.8 percent in 2007, compared with 4.4 percent for those who had not served in the military. However, the jobless rate for males ages 18 to 24 who had served since September 2001 was 11.2 percent, slightly above 10.5 percent for men in that age group who were not veterans.

Jim Jones, a real estate agent and retired Navy captain, said there's been a more sympathetic response from the public toward veterans, which should translate to a receptive attitude from employers.

"We're seeing more and more people walking up to individuals in uniforms and thanking them for their service and welcoming them home," said Jones, president of Tin Can Sailors: The National Association of Destroyer Veterans. "The attitude is probably more positive than I've seen in years."

Philip Walzer, (757) 222-3864, phil.walzer@pilotonline.com