Slight improvement in jobless rate for Post-9/11 vets

In an economy that created just 88,000 jobs in March, the jobless rate for Post-9/11-era veterans slightly improved.

For veterans of all generations, the Labor Department reported Friday that the unemployment rate in March was 7.1 percent, a slight increase over the 6.9 percent rate in February.

However, for veterans who have left the military since Sept. 11, 2001, the March jobless rate was 9.2 percent, down slightly from 9.4 percent in February.

The national unemployment rate for March was 7.6 percent, a slight drop from 7.7 percent in February. The Labor Department reported that there are 11.7 million unemployed people. The number of people who have been jobless for 27 weeks or longer is 4.6 million, a sign of a weak economy.

Both Congress and the Obama administration have taken a keen interest in helping separating service members find jobs, an issue that could be critical if the services are forced because of budget cuts to further reduce the number of active-duty service members.

The House Veterans’ Affairs Committee plans a Wednesday hearing to look at a growing pile of legislation aimed at improving the job-hunting skills of veterans and making it easier for them to get credit for military experience and training.