Author: Josh Levy
You may have heard about the challenges of veteran unemployment, but did you know that veterans as a whole actually have lower rates of unemployment than the nonveteran population in both North Carolina and the U.S.? During 2013, North Carolina veterans had a lower unemployment rate (6.2%) than nonveterans in the state (7.7%). Nationally, U.S. veterans had an unemployment rate of 6.6 percent vs. 7.2 percent for US nonveterans.
However, if we look more closely within particular groups of veterans by period of service, some important differences emerge. Of particular concern is the unemployment rate for Gulf War-era II veterans, which is significantly higher than those of other veterans or of nonveterans. Taking a look at U.S. data only (North Carolina sample sizes are too small to use,) we see that in 2013 Gulf War- era II veterans had an annual average unemployment rate of 9 percent. Within this group, women veterans had an even higher unemployment rate — 9.6 percent vs. 8.8 percent for men. In 2012, the situation was even worse — Gulf War-era II veterans had an unemployment rate of 9.9 percent, with women veterans in the group at 12.5 percent compared to 9.5 percent for men.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Situation of Veterans
North Carolina is home to more than 775,000 veterans, making it the eighth largest veteran population in the country. Within the state, the top five counties of residence for veterans are Wake (59,000), Mecklenburg (57,000), Cumberland (49,000), Guilford (33,000), and Onslow (29,000). These veterans are mostly men — 89.2 percent male vs. 10.8 percent female — and have served over a wide period of time. Here you can see the age distribution of North Carolina's veterans:
Source: U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, Veteran Population Model 2014
As you can see, the largest group by far falls into the 65-69 age bracket, corresponding to Baby Boomers serving during the Vietnam era. In total, about 249,000 of North Carolina's veterans served during the Vietnam conflict. However, the largest group by period of service is actually those who served during the Gulf War-era I and II periods (1990 to the present, divided by 9/11) — approximately 291,000 individuals. Veterans serving in WWII, Korea, and peacetime are also represented among North Carolina vets, including about 200 whose service predates WWII.
As the military continues its reduction in forces due to budget sequestration, as well as the end of two major wars, new veterans will join North Carolina’s population, bringing both challenges and opportunities to the state. Veteran entrepreneurship and second careers among veterans are two ways in which veterans can help grow the state’s economy. Assisting veterans in finding employment will be key, particularly for certain groups of veterans who face unique challenges. LEAD has recently partnered with the Division of Workforce Solutions on a veteran-themed newsletter called NC Veterans at Work, which focuses on employment and transitioning from the military to the civilian economy. LEAD has also carried out economic impact reports on the military in the state, and works with Department of Defense personnel data to match military to civilian occupations and plan for projected separations. Check the LEAD Feed regularly for more veteran and military-focused research to come.
Sources:
U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, Veteran Population Model 2014
http://www.va.gov/vetdata/veteran_population.asp
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Situation of Veterans, 2013
http://www.bls.gov/news.release/vet.t06A.htm
http://www.bls.gov/news.release/vet.toc.htm
http://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/vet_03202013.pdf
http://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/vet_03202012.pdf
More on veterans from the Bureau of Labor Statistics:
Women Veterans in the Labor Force
http://www.bls.gov/spotlight/2014/women-vets/
U.S. military veterans and nonveterans in the labor force, 2013
http://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2014/ted_20140606.htm