WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) participated in a roundtable discussion in the Capitol on Wednesday focused on initiatives to expand career opportunities for veterans. The meeting featured leaders from businesses and organizations that have demonstrated a strong commitment to employing veterans and providing them with the resources and support necessary for success.
Maureen Casey, JPMorgan Chase’s Director for Military and Veterans Affairs, was among the participants and briefed senators on the company’s successful practice of hiring veterans as part of the 100,000 Jobs Mission, a coalition of companies committed to providing job opportunities for veterans. Other participants shared their perspectives on how private organizations can work with the Senate to strengthen programs that help veterans successfully transition to civilian employment.
“America’s highly trained veterans bring valuable skills and experience to the civilian workforce,” Senator Coons said. “Yet too many veterans come home to find their opportunities limited rather than enhanced by their time spent serving our nation. No veteran should return from defending our country abroad only to face unemployment or underemployment at home. Today’s discussion highlighted successful programs that have helped businesses, like JPMorgan Chase in Delaware, recruit more of our nation’s talented veterans. I look forward to working with my colleagues to build and expand upon these important efforts so we can get more of our veterans back to work.”
At 10 percent, the national unemployment rate for post-9/11 veterans is significantly higher than the overall national rate of 7.3 percent. In October, the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated that 750,000 veterans were without jobs of approximately 11 million of working age.
“It’s important for the public and private sectors to continue working together to position our nation’s military veterans for success in their post-service careers,” Casey said. “Veterans have the knowledge, skills and experience employers need, so hiring them isn’t just the right thing to do for veterans, it’s also the right thing to do for our business. That’s why JPMorgan Chase has hired more than 6,000 veterans since 2011 and why we are proud to be part of the 100,000 Jobs Mission, whose members have collectively hired nearly 93,000 veterans so far.” Casey is JPMorgan Chase’s Director for Military and Veterans Affairs.
The 100,000 Jobs Mission was launched in 2011 as a coalition of 11 companies committed to hiring 100,000 veterans by 2020, and has since grown to 126 members representing nearly every sector of the U.S. economy. After hiring a combined 92,869 veterans in less than three years, coalition members have doubled their goal to hire 200,000 veterans.