Eager veterans walked around with resumes in hand -- some in crisp suits and some in well-worn uniforms -- at Sunday's Mission Serve: Hiring Our Heroes Los Angeles job fair.
Also in attendance were Prince William and Catherine, wrapping up their California visit that focused on roll-up-your-sleeves charitable work.
William, whose foundation fights for disadvantaged youth, the environment and the armed forces, took the stage to praise the work the U.S. has done for military families, who continue to face growing unemployemt rates.
There are nearly one million unemployed vets in the U.S. and 100,000 in California alone, according to ServiceNation, a co-host of the event. And Prince William said he was taking notes.
"We have much to learn from you," he said. "Thank you for this opportunity."
Nick Booth, CEO of the Foundation of Prince William and Prince Harry, echoed that sentiment in an interview with The Huffington Post.
"You're doing so much in America that's very positive, and it's a chance for the UK to learn," he said. "We want to find out how we can continue to partner with Mission Serve and the Department of Labor. The British can learn from it, or we can work together. We're very much hoping we can take what's happening into a UK context."
The UK has a vested interest in helping military spouses as well, William stressed.
"But Mission Serve is about something more than just men and women in uniform," he said. "It is about our other halves.The half that makes the loved one's duty and sacrifices possible and worthwhile. It is about you: families, partners and friends."
Lisa Bell, a young mother at the career fair whose husband is a marine, said she appreciated all the support the career fair offered for spouses. She told The Huffington Post that she and her family recently moved to California for her husband to be stationed at Camp Pendleton.
"I'm mommy and daddy 18 hours a day. But I definitely need to find a job. The price of living here is crazy," she added.
More than 160 employers were on hand to potentially hire the more than 1,700 veterans who were registered for the job fair.
"There's a large need -- that's nothing new," said Chris Marvin, deputy director of ServiceNation: Mission Service. He stressed the fact that veterans have some of the most sought-after skills, such as leadership and discipline, and offered a simple suggestion:
"What if all business owners hired at least one vet?"