Legion, DoL teaming up for Twitter chat

Are you a veteran who has questions about navigating a civilian job search? An employer looking to hire a veteran but are not sure where to start? Do you have friends or family struggling to find a job after transitioning from military service?

The U.S Labor Department, Acting Secretary of Labor Seth Harris and The American Legion will be on hand to answer questions about resources available to connect veterans with good jobs during a Twitter town hall on Monday, May 13, from 11 a.m.– noon EDT. Use the hashtag #VetsJobsChat to join.

The department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics recently released its report on veterans unemployment in 2012, which showed a decline to 7.0 percent from 8.3 percent in 2011. That’s good news, but for the Department of Labor and veterans service organizations like The American Legion, it’s an opportunity to redouble our efforts to make sure every veteran who wants a job can find one.

In his fiscal year 2014 budget for the Department of Labor, President Obama has doubled down on his commitment to employing veterans with additional investments in the department’s Veterans’ Employment and Training Service, the agency that leads the federal government’s charge to help veterans find good jobs. The American Legion is a longtime supporter of VETS; in February, VETS Assistant Secretary Keith Kelly spoke during the Legion’s annual Washington Conference.

Together, government agencies and veterans service organizations constitute a vast support network for our transitioning service members, and we want to make sure veterans and employers have the information they need to find the programs or services that meet their needs. For more information on the Legion’s efforts in the area of veterans employment, click here.

You can submit your questions in advance by using the hashtag #VetsJobsChat or by sending them via email to Contact.VETS@dol.gov.