Wall Street wants to help jobless vets

Wall Street wants to help jobless vets

Some of the biggest names on Wall Street have joined the fight against veteran unemployment.

In a commitment to help lower the abnormally high jobless rate among veterans and military, five of the world’s largest financial firms - Bank of America, Citi, Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank and Goldman and Sachs - have formed Veterans on Wall Street (VOWS), a confederation of institutions committed to supporting veterans and their families in their transition from the service to the workforce. On June 23, VOWS will host a conference for transitioning servicemembers at the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum in New York City, inviting them to the venue for a job fair, workshop sessions on business practices used in the financial sector and networking opportunities. The event is sponsored by participating firms, and registration is free.

The American Legion will be in attendance as an invited nonprofit organization. The Legion will also serve in an advisory role to VOWS, offering the member firms advice and counsel on their efforts to fight veteran unemployment.

“It’s a huge opportunity for veterans to get hired in an industry where they are not represented,” said Joe Sharpe, director of the Legion’s Economic Division.