Vets Back From War Face Shocking Reality

Columbia, MD Patch:

When Andrew Smith III talked with his U.S. Marine Corps platoon mates in Iraq before he returned to Maryland in 2009, he recalled they agreed finding a job in a recession would be tough.

Read the whole story: Columbia, MD Patch

Comments

[sully1yanks]

03:14 PM on 05/12/2012

Out troops always deserve the best.

[TruelyFedUp]

11:32 AM on 05/12/2012

They should be given free land bases when they get home - in fact anybody that has no job should have the option of helping to develop and live on free, self sustaining eco villages that are built and run by the residents. They could be designed like college campuses with modest housing, shared kitchens and dining halls, organic gardens, health clinics, laundries, schools for the kids, small business centers and trade schools for adults, etc. With the resources and land that is available we should have NO homeless people in this country no matter what the economic environment.

[Tahut]

11:26 AM on 05/12/2012

I work at a US post/base and see these young men and women with high hopes of leaving the military and going out into the civilian world with newly acquired work and managerial skills. Almost all of them are expecting to get picked up by a defense contractor working overseas earning huge tax-free salaries doing the same work they did as soldiers. But the Republicans has cut off the revenue sources and defense contractors are hunkering down waiting out the storm. Whats more, those work and managerial skills aren't the ones civilians are looking for in potential employees either ... they're better suited for a defense contractor. The US economy has shifted from a manufacturing base to service-based and the military skill set doesn't meld well with a service-sector economy.

But the real rub is the military is involuntarily releasing good people as a down sizing measure for the pending austerity years to come. Good people that are the key to a successful and strong military being cast adrift a flotsam to serve the whims of a Congress that is heading into turbulent waters without a rudder to steer or a destination in mind.

A military needs people, not high-priced weaponry. During WWII the Germans had superior materials, but the US prevailed using less than stellar equipment but in larger quantities. Eventually, we defeated the German military by sheer numbers over their superior, but dwindling equipment. It was a lesson learned and now forgotten.

[Rick Eriksen]

12:00 AM on 05/12/2012

I am sure the military would just have soon left all the troops right where they were when they were do to come back just like they do everything else they use up or do not want or need anymore…let’s face it our military is just another too big to fail money pit for tax payers, and the fact that we actually do have disposable soldiers proves decisively that we are supporting failed policies and politicians of all stripes…but nothing will change it until we are all standing on the street holding up signs that says we are slaves now…and we will work for food…

That is exactly the goal of the Republican capitalist that push their agendas, and exactly where we will all wind up in the very near future…that picture on the story says it all…that is your future…enjoy it…

[DeManted101]

10:56 AM on 05/12/2012

Thanks Rick. I'm old enough to remember the old days.. "down with the I.M.C. !" And for the youngsters who don't have a clue and the geezers who'd just as soon forget, it stands for the Industrial Military Complex. The greatest creation of capitalism, some would say..

[Tahut]

11:31 AM on 05/12/2012

It's not the military member as it is the high priced weaponry the DoD would rather have. Unfortunately, the DoD would rather fight wars as arm-chair quarterbacks (drones) rather than going out into the field and getting their boots dirty. The US can easily support a large military, but practical weaponry and equipment ... no more exotic frills.

[Stephen Davies]

11:42 PM on 05/11/2012

Maybe Mitt could give them a job in China !

[Enroh Mot]

12:26 AM on 05/12/2012

With payroll checks automatically deposited in a Swiss bank.

[DeManted101]

11:17 AM on 05/12/2012

To clarify my mis-post..(sigh)..I was referring to the Mitt-nit.

[DeManted101]

10:58 AM on 05/12/2012

I wouldn't bet they don't already have some direct, long term investments there already...

[Stephen Davies]

11:41 PM on 05/11/2012

Why should I care ! Grorge Bush and the GOP don't give a dam

[sachazg]

11:30 PM on 05/11/2012

Hey George Bush, what's your plan for all of our veterans. Surely you had one before leading our nation into 2 wars...

[Tahut]

11:33 AM on 05/12/2012

He never planned on the wars ending during his Administration ... he left it for someone else to clean up.

[duxguts]

11:28 PM on 05/11/2012

I believe big business regards them as disposable assets.

[DeManted101]

10:59 AM on 05/12/2012

And I believe there isn't a difference between big business and the military.

[JustMeinNJ]

11:11 PM on 05/11/2012

I've read about vets who go on interviews and are told they aren't qualified. That breaks my heart. Planning a mission, managing troops, dedication, intelligence, handling what we consider "high pressure situations". They are more qualified than most of us paper pushers.
In a hiring position the first person I would choose would be a vet.

[Six Mill]

09:33 AM on 05/12/2012

those weren't the ones not getting hired. mission planners and leaders will find good positions.

[DeManted101]

11:14 AM on 05/12/2012

Sad but, true. Grunts carry out the mission and take the highest risk for the least reward ? I suppose that justifies not trusting them to perform profitably in the minds of Human Resource departments of the US supporting mega-corporations ?

I have to wonder when we'll understand the only true resource capitalism has in abundance is "human" and the one resource it must de-value to make a profit is human.

[Tahut]

11:35 AM on 05/12/2012

Military experience isn't directly related to civilian needs. It's more easily adapted with defense contract work, but Congress has pulled the plug on it. And most of those vets were hoping to land a defense contract job because of the easy transition.

[JustMeinNJ]

09:12 PM on 05/12/2012

I disagree. I would hire a vet to manage people or projects in any industry. You have tasks and goals - deadlines to meet, politics to play - doesn't matter the product.

[realitytrumpsbull]

11:02 PM on 05/11/2012

The Obama administration and Congress just set up a program for vets to get a year's vocational training. It sucks, trying to find a job, it sucks LESS, if you've been through some formal school to help get moving in the right direction. There's work out there, there's money out there, but times are tight, right now. You could always re-join the military, but I think for some people at least, that's not really in the cards for various reasons.

[Tahut]

11:40 AM on 05/12/2012

They can't re-join. Many are being tossed out because their commands are directed to thin the ranks even though they wish to make the military their career and are at the top of their class. And for others, the requirement for retention have been jacked up to levels where only the few are eligible. One can lose their ability to re-enlist over situations that were once trivial matters that never went any farther than the 1st Shirt.

[librarianesque]

10:33 PM on 05/11/2012

a heartbreaking read. i know many vets who deserve a fair shake, not only because of their sacrifice but also because they are intelligent, educated, hard workers and qualified.

[sully1yanks]

10:16 PM on 05/11/2012

Where is the 500,000 jobs for Veterans our President promised LAST YEAR.
I guess he can't keep his empty promises.

Proof via NBC
www.nbc33tv.com/news/national-news/obama-tries-to-get-vets-jobs-when-they-r...

ROMNEY
2012

[Tahut]

11:41 AM on 05/12/2012

It's being filibustered by republicans in the senate

[sully1yanks]

01:55 PM on 05/12/2012

You mean the Democrat Majority Senate.

[charemor]

06:33 PM on 05/12/2012

What about that Republican mandate to create jobs? What about all of the jobs that the tax cuts were going to create? What has the GOP done about jobs?

[sully1yanks]

09:11 PM on 05/12/2012

Mr O & his Veto power gets you 0 JOBS.

[Six Mill]

10:10 PM on 05/11/2012

they can stay in the military and be paid more than they ever could on the outside. many are unskilled and aren't in demand. no, staying is the best option for a lot of these people....that is if they want a reasonably comfortable post conflict life for their family and want to continue eating

[vascopyjama]

09:49 PM on 05/11/2012

Sadly it will only get worse. My fear is that it will boil over one day and there will be some serious civil unrest in the streets.

[Six Mill]

10:05 PM on 05/11/2012

don't even try it...you will be beat back.

[Enroh Mot]

10:59 PM on 05/11/2012

Beat back cops working to protect the banksters.

[DON McDONALD]

09:42 PM on 05/11/2012

"Shocking"...nothing like it I fear, I'm 60 with more than 30 years experience, you're young with none of the kind that in either case corp America cares about!

Frankly IF you can do as my son-in-law (with an MA in teaching, 5 years experience, and a multi-lingual certification) and daughter (a nationally certified pharmacy tech) did, become a jailer and booking clerk...they get paid more (even starting at the bottom...and who knows, in the v-e-r-y l-o-n-g (or maybe not so long) run all the extras may pay off!

I'm informed that while the pay wasn't higher, that theor department hired exactly 4 people in the last year, they were two of them...BUT, is this where we want them and those like them to go?

[Tahut]

11:43 AM on 05/12/2012

but those jobs they did get are whimsical at best ... they could disappear overnite.

[DON McDONALD]

04:02 PM on 05/12/2012

If you really think there will be a lot fewer jailors and jail booking clerks, then you may be right...I rather doubt it though...