The news website NorthJersey.com has an interesting article dated March 7th that outlines the bleak job market facing returning service members. According to the article, the overall unemployment rate for vets is 2 points higher than the general population. Federal law requires that employers hold jobs for those called into military service but the article points out that the U.S. Department of Labor has a record number of cases open investigating violations of that law, and that the U.S. Department of Justice filed a record number of lawsuits against employers for violating that law.

The author has one staggering statistic: the unemployment rate for the youngest of returning vets, those 20-24 years of age, is at 24%! Some speculate that percentage would be much higher had not so many service members reenlisted once faced with the slim job prospects.