This was my research/policy paper that I had written for my Political Science class. It will compare 5 states in how they are handling this issue and it will provide for my personal opinion on ways to change the future so that this is no longer an issue.

1. A Look at Veteran Unemployment in Five States, the Services Offered and Current and
Proposed Legislation to Curtail This Issue
Thomas F. Thorpe
Political Science 125 State and Local Government
Montgomery County Community College
May 2015

2. Thorpe 1
A Look at Veteran Unemployment in Five States, the Services Offered and Current and
Proposed Legislation to Curtail This Issue
In a time when the nation is ending over twelve years of war, our returning Veterans face
many hardships. Although Veterans were mostly used in a federal capacity, states should have a
higher stake in them because they live, work and continue to be members of the community in
the states in which they reside. Some states are going above and beyond to provide employment
opportunities and services to Veterans, while others are not. Services offered from past
legislation and future services that are currently being proposed have shown what states have or
have not done and what they plan to do to get Veterans gainfully employed. Veterans must
assimilate into a civilian life and culture that at first may seem foreign to them. This can be
attributed to many factors, and today we will look at one of these factors, the unemployment rate
among Veterans. We will evaluate five states, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, Arizona and New
Jersey. We will look at the background information and statistics regarding Veterans and
unemployment in each state. Then we will see what legislators are doing to ensure that their
Veteran constituents continue to be productive members of the society for which they were
willing to sacrifice their lives. Lastly, the author will gauge the states and their efforts, offer
advice for policy recommendations and offer his personal opinion on the issue.
Background Information
In 2012, there were approximately 1.4 million active duty service members in the
military. The United States population is at 320 million and growing (U.S. Census Bureau). This
equates to roughly 0.44% of the population that is actively serving in the military. The Veteran
population is 21.8 million, with 20.2 million male Veterans and 1.6 million female Veterans
(VA.gov). This means that the Veteran population makes up approximately 6.80% of the total

3. Thorpe 2
population of America. Of this Veteran population, 44% (9.4 million) served during World War
II, Korea and Vietnam. 31% (6.5 million) Veterans served during Gulf War I, August 1990 to
August 2001, and Gulf War II, September 2001 to present. The remaining served outside of
wartime periods (BLS.gov). The Veteran population is on the decline, especially since almost
half of which are now over the age of 65 years.
The United States average unemployment rate for 2013 was 7.4%. “The average
unemployment rate for Veterans of wars was 6.6%, though it’s worth noting that the average
unemployment rate for post-9/11 Veterans was 9.0%” (Feloni and Kiersz). Feloni and Kiersz
provided a map, see appendix A, using the United States Bureau of Labor statistics from 2013
that shows the difference among civilian and Veteran unemployment rates. New Jersey is the
state with the highest Veteran unemployment rate when compared to the civilian unemployment
rate. The state with the lowest Veteran unemployment rate when compared to the civilian rate is
South Carolina. However, South Carolina also has an above average unemployment rate for
post-9/11 Veterans, at 10.9%. Indiana had the highest unemployment rates for post-9/11
Veterans at 16.9%. When looking at the map, it is also apparent that where there is a high
military presence, bases and installations, the Veteran unemployment rate for that state is lower
than the civilian unemployment rate. In looking at the Veteran population of each state, it also
shows that “states that have large numbers of active and retired military are better equipped to
accommodate those returning home from overseas” (Feloni and Kiersz).
The Department of Veterans Affairs published a special report in 2013 that showed the
unemployment rate by conflict. For World War II, Korea and Vietnam Veterans, the rate was at
27%. For Gulf War I, the rate was at 21%. For Gulf War II, the rate was at 28%. For all other

4. Thorpe 3
periods, the rate was at 24%. While these numbers seem high, Veterans had generally lower
unemployment rates, by about 0.5%, than the civilian rate.
Referencing the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics ‘Employment
Situation of Veterans – 2014’, the Veterans in the United States as whole has a Veteran
Employment Rate of 47.9%. The Veteran Unemployment Rate was 5.3%. There are 10,485,000
considered to be not in the labor force. Not in the labor force can mean several things. “This
category includes retired persons, students, those taking care of children or other family
members, and others who are neither working nor seeking work” (bls.gov).
The statistics clearly show a disconnect between the military and civilian populations.
The Veteran population is on the decline, which means civilians have fewer interactions with
them. The requirements for jobs are increasing and education is becoming a factor when it comes
to hiring. Veterans have plenty of experience, leadership skills, abilities to adapt, promptness and
the desire to succeed, but employers and Veterans alike have a tough time transitioning these
skills into valuable work experience. However, when Veterans are afforded the opportunity to
succeed, they do it well. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Veterans earn an average of
$10,000 more than civilians. The Veteran population group, while small, also owns 2 million
businesses or 9.0% of all businesses in the country. According to the Small Business
Administration and a study they conducted in 2012, “Veteran-owned employer businesses were
somewhat more likely to offer benefits such as health insurance, contributions to retirement
plans, profit sharing, and paid leave than firms overall.” Not only do they provide a place for
people to work, but Veteran business owners are also taking care of their employees.

5. Thorpe 4
Pennsylvania
History and Legislative Background
Pennsylvania is rich in history and the political process. One of the most notable events in
American history took place on July 4, 1776 when delegates of the Second Continental Congress
signed the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia thus relinquishing themselves from
British parliamentary control and creating the United States of America (History.com). Fast
forward two hundred and thirty years and the same political process and actions of the original
Continental Congress are still in place. Pennsylvania’s Legislative Branch is a General Assembly
comprised of a House and a Senate. The Governor is the head of the Executive Branch. As of
April 2015, the House of Representatives has 203 seats. The Republicans have the majority with
119 seats and the Democrats have 83 seats. There is one vacant seat in the House. In the Senate,
the Republicans have the majority as well. Of the 50 seats in the Senate, Republicans have 30
seats and Democrats have 19 seats. There is also one vacancy in the Senate as well
(Ballotpedia.org).
Veteran Population and Unemployment
Pennsylvania has a large Veteran population with 939,069 Veterans, the fourth largest
population of Veterans in the country. Of these veterans, 697,433 have served during a wartime
period (VA.gov). The U.S. Census of 2010 has Pennsylvania’s population at 12,787,209. This
means that 7.34% of all Pennsylvanians are Veterans. According to the Bureau of Labor
Statistics, the state unemployment rate for February 2015 was at 5.2%. However, this data gets
contradicted by Pennsylvania’s own March 2015 Edition of the Workforce Investment Area Fast
Facts, which credits the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics as having the Pennsylvania

6. Thorpe 5
unemployment rate at 5.6%. This 5.6% rate was the same for January 2015 and it was 5.7% for
December 2014. The Veteran unemployment rate for February 2015 was 4.5% and in January
2015 and December 2014 it was 4.7%. There is also a note regarding the data for Veterans, as
this data was only just introduced in the March 2015 edition, which states there was no data
available prior to December 2014.
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment Situation of Veterans – 2014 reports shows
that Pennsylvania has 44.3% Veteran Employment Rate, or 390,000 Veterans. Pennsylvania also
has a 4.7% Veteran Unemployment Rate totaling 19,000 Veterans. It also states that 472,000 are
not considered to be in the labor force.
Legislation that has Passed
There has been a wide range of legislative measures which deal specifically with
Veterans that have passed and have been signed into law and action. We will look at several of
these measures and how they are helping the Veterans of Pennsylvania gain suitable employment
within the Commonwealth.
The Veterans Leadership Program of Western Pennsylvania. The Veterans
Leadership Program of Western Pennsylvania (VLPWP) is a non-profit organization that
supports Veterans with housing placement and employment assistance. From their website
www.vlpwpa.org:
“Typically, the public believes that the U.S. government takes care of all
of its Veterans and service member’s needs. Services may not be available to
address issues that affect a Veteran’s ability to be self-sufficient, such as job
training and placement and affordable housing. Currently, estimates state that
there are 61,799 Veterans in Pennsylvania below the poverty line, placing our
state 5th highest in the United States. The unemployment rate for young Veterans
is 69% higher than the national unemployment rate.”

7. Thorpe 6
During a phone interview with the Veterans Leadership Program of Western
Pennsylvania job resource coordinator Rick Kozel, he said that funding is given to the VLPWP
through the Pennsylvania Department of Labor. In order for them to assist Veterans, the Veteran
must be homeless or on the verge of homelessness. They are only able to assist this very specific
group of veterans. While Veteran unemployment and homelessness is important, why would an
organization just limit itself to such a small portion of an already small population group? For
this question, there was no answer and Mr. Kozel stated that he was not an employee of the state
and that this small group of Veterans is where the focus of the organization is placed.
The Veterans Trust Fund. On November 26, 2012 the Pennsylvania Department of
Motor Vehicles announced that they would issue a vehicle plate. The “Honoring Our Veterans”
plate would benefit the Veterans Trust Fund, with fifteen dollars of the registration fee being
donated to the Veterans Trust Fund. This bill also allows Veterans to check the box for a Veteran
designation on their drivers’ licenses and also allow anyone renewing his/her driver’s license to
make a three dollar donation to the Veterans Trust Fund, this donation is added to the regular
fees of renewal (dmva.state.pa.us).
The Veterans Trust Fund was established in 2012 by Pennsylvania law, 51 Pa. C. S. §
1721, and is a special non-lapsing fund of the Pennsylvania State Treasury. It also authorizes the
Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs to solicit and accept donations to the
Veterans Trust Fund on behalf of the Commonwealth. Donations are tax deductible under the
charitable contributions in the Internal Revenue Code (26 USC §170(c)(1)), which includes the
contributions to state governments that are used for public purposes as charitable contributions.
The Veterans Trust Fund is designed to give grants to other charitable organizations,
veteran service organizations and county Directors of Veterans Affairs. The county Directors of

8. Thorpe 7
Veterans Affairs offer many services, ranging from benefits to educational and employment
resources and opportunities. On March 6, 2015 the Pennsylvania Department of Military and
Veterans Affairs (DMVA) announced that they would grant out $99,840 from the Veterans Trust
Fund to twelve County Directors of Veterans Affairs offices. They also announced that they
would give $41,000 to the Veteran Community Initiative, Inc. to co-sponsor the first
Pennsylvania Veterans Appreciation Day Symposium to be held October 10, 2015 at Fort
Indiantown Gap (Nissley). The DMVA received thirteen applications for a grant, and the article
did not specify which county or why the county did not receive the grant.
Executive Order 2013-13. On November 11, 2013, Governor Tom Corbett –
Republican, signed Executive Order 2013-03, establishing the Governor’s Advisory Council on
Veterans Services. While this does not specifically relate to Veterans unemployment, it does
show that Pennsylvania is headed in the right direction regarding Veterans. The Council on
Veterans Services purpose “is to review, evaluate and assess state Veterans’ programs in
collaboration with senior staff from state agencies and commissions to increase information
sharing, ensure program fidelity, coordinate complementary programs and facilitate meaningful
enhancements in service accessibility to Veterans’ benefits and services within the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania” (state.pa.us). It will serve as the coordinating body for all
agencies that are responsible for Veterans’ programs and increase interoperability between
administrators of Veterans’ programs. It also states that it will “establish a compendium of
Veterans’ programs to enable quick reference and enhance access.” It will seek feedback from
the Veterans’ community with pre and post program surveys. It will also provide the Governor
and the Council an inventory of all Veterans’ services and programs that each respective agency
offers.

9. Thorpe 8
This is a big step for Pennsylvania and its Veterans. One executive order signed by the
Governor brings all Veteran programs and services to the desk of the Governor’s office. This
should help Veterans in the future as the Governor of Pennsylvania is made more of aware of
programs and services. By seeking feedback from veterans involved in these programs, one can
hope that changes will be made for the better. It should be noted that as of January 2015,
Pennsylvania has a new Governor, Tom Wolf – Democrat, and there has not been enough time to
evaluate his actions regarding Veterans and Veteran unemployment.
Legislation that is Being Proposed
House Bill 157. House Bill 157 (former HB 107), Regular Session 2015-2016, is a
proposition that will translate a Veteran’s military education and training into licenses and
certifications in the civilian world. The memorandum from sponsor Representative Doyle
Heffley – Republican, states that “this will prevent the duplication of training and education of a
Veteran and get them into a civilian career faster.” This will be a huge step in getting veterans
jobs. The military spends countless man hours and money training its members, yet when he/she
leaves military service, the Veteran cannot translate his/her work experience and knowledge to
the civilian sector.
The State of Pennsylvania, and more so Rep. Heffley, is taking a good initiative on this
issue. But in order for this to be 100% effective in benefitting Veterans, this must be passed on a
federal level in order to receive the appropriate certifications and credentials. It is a step in the
right direction and state certification, depending on the area of work, is usually able to be
recognized by other states as well.

10. Thorpe 9
Senate Bills 284 and 285. For the 2015-2016 Pennsylvania Legislative Session, Senator
Lisa Baker (Republican – District 20), issued a memorandum that she will introduce a two bill
package that contains two amendments to current legislation. The first, Senate Bill 285, is an
amendment to Title 51 (Military Affairs) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes which will
provide for another way to fund the Veterans’ Trust Fund. It will authorize persons who have
motorcycles registered in the state of Pennsylvania to purchase an “Honoring Our Veterans”
license plate. This bill would allow $15 of each sale of the license plate to go to the Veterans’
Trust Fund (Legis.state.pa.us). The current motorcycle registration fee is $18 (dmv.state.pa.us).
The second bill, Senate Bill 284, of the package is an amendment to Title 75 (Vehicles)
and authorizes the use and sale of the license plate itself. These two bills coincide with Act 194
of 2012, the “Honoring Our Veterans” license plate for passenger vehicles and will further
increase the monetary funding for the Veterans’ Trust Fund. This legislation was previously
introduce in the last session as Senate Bill 1146 and 1147 (legis.state.pa.us).
House Bill 784. Representative Bryan Barbin (Democrat – District 71), is introducing
House Bill 784, which is titled the “Veterans First Tax Credit”. This bill would provide a tax
credit for a Pennsylvania business that hires an unemployed Veteran. It will allow businesses to
receive a $1,000 tax credit for that year. This bill was introduced twice in the House and passed
unanimously during the 2011-2012 and 2013-2014 legislative sessions. The tax credit in the
current proposed bill has been lowered from previous years, $4,000 to $1,000 due to the
estimated budget deficit (legis.state.pa.us).
In a phone interview with Representative Bryan Barbin’s office, George (an employee
who handles many of the bills and did not offer his last name although it was requested more
than once), informed the author that the past legislation would get tied up in the Senate

11. Thorpe 10
committee and would not get to the Senate floor for a vote. Rep Barbin is re-introducing the
current form of this bill and is garnering more bi-partisan support to get the bill passed during the
current legislative session.
Senate Bill 155. Senator Robert Teplitz (Democrat – Senate District 15) is introducing
Senate Bill 155. This bill is titled the “Veteran’s Entrepreneurial Training and Support Act.” This
bill would establish a program that would be tasked with providing Veterans and reservists with
small business and entrepreneurial focused services. It will “assist Veterans and reservists in
obtaining the necessary skills to create, manage, and operate a small business” (Teplitz 2014).
This bill is a part of a much larger legislative package, called PA Works, that is designed to
stimulate the economy, help businesses progress and to create more jobs in Pennsylvania. PA
Works is estimated to create 28,000 new jobs, $2 billion in new private investments and save
Pennsylvania $150 million (legis.state.pa.us).
This bill was Senate Bill 203 from the previous session and was introduced by Senator
Kasunic (Democrat) and co-sponsored by Senators Farnese (D), Brewster (D), Fontana (D),
Tartaglione (D), Stack (D), Costa (D), Hughes (D) and Vulakovich (R) (legis.state.pa.us).
Senator Kasunic retired (Foster 2014), and was succeeded by Senator Patrick Stefano (R) for the
32nd
Senate District (Gleason 2014). Senator Michael Stack is now the Lieutenant Governor of
Pennsylvania and his Senate seat is now vacant and is scheduled for a special election vote
during the May 19 primary (Murphy 2015).

12. Thorpe 11
Texas
History and Background
Texas is comprised of a House and Senate, and the Republicans have majority in both, As
of April 2015 there are currently 150 seats in the House of Representatives. Democrats hold 51
of these seats and Republicans hold 98. There is one vacant seat in the House (house.state.tx.us).
There are 31 seats in the Senate. Democrats hold 11 and Republicans hold 20 of these seats
(senate.state.tx.us). Texas is often seen as a Republican stronghold in the country. However, this
is fairly recent and dating back to 1845 when Texas officially became a state, it remained almost
entirely in control by the Democratic Party. To put this into perspective, William P. Clements
was the elected in 1978 for one term and was Texas’ first Republican Governor in over one
hundred years. George W. Bush became Texas’ second Republican Governor since the
Reconstruction Era, when he was elected in 1994. Over two dozen Democratic Party elected
officials have switch sides to the Republican Party since November 2010 (texasgop.org). This
swing from Democrats to Republicans’ party majority and control can be attribute to many
factors and it will ultimately help shape the future of Texas and that of the United States.
Veteran Population and Unemployment
During the author’s 8 plus years of active duty service in the Marine Corps, it seemed as
if everyone from either California or Texas. This coincides with the Department of Veterans
Affairs numbers for Texas, which has the second largest population of Veterans in the country
with 1,680,418 Veterans. Of these 1.6 million Veterans 1,308,440 have served during wartime.
There are currently 1,503,343 male Veterans and 177,075 female Veterans who call Texas home

13. Thorpe 12
(va.gov). According to the 2010 Census, Texas has 25,145,561 residents. This means that 6.68%
of the total Texas population have served in the military.
Texas’ unemployment rate was 4.3% for the month of February 2015 (bls.gov). However,
in an article by Sheryl Jean in the Dallas Morning News (March 2014), it states that in 2013
19,000 Veterans, or 8.7% of the Veteran population were unemployed. The total unemployment
rate for 2013 was 6.3% for Texas. The article also references Lieutenant Colonel Glenn Roper,
U.S. Army – Retired and a Texan, “while there’s a lot of job search help for Veterans, Roper
would like to see more help on the front end, such as coaching of interview skills and résumé
writing. He said soldiers often don’t know how to translate their military experience to the real
world.” This area that Lt. Col. Roper mentions does get a boost from the Texas legislature and
how they are handling this specific issue will be covered later.
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment Situation of Veterans – 2014 reports shows
that Texas has a Veteran Employment Rate is 54.2%, totaling 889,000 Veterans. The Veteran
Unemployment rate is 4.1%, or 38,000 Veterans. There are also 714,000 Veterans considered to
be not in the labor force.
Texas Veterans Commission
The Texas Veterans Commission (TVC) is an agency of the state of Texas and became
official on September 1, 1987 with Acts 1987, 70th Legislature, Chapter 147, Section 1. It is
included in Texas Government Code; Title 4 ‘Executive Branch’, Subtitle C ‘State and Military
Affairs’, Chapter 434 ‘Veteran Assistance Agencies’, Subchapter A ‘Texas Veterans
Commission’. The TVC is also set to abolish on September 1, 2019 unless it is continued in
existence by Chapter 325, the Texas Sunset Act.

14. Thorpe 13
From Title 4, Subtitle C, Chapter 434, Subchapter A, the TVC “is composed of five
members appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the senate. A member must
be a citizen and resident of the state. At least three members must have been honorably
discharged or honorably released from active military service of the United States. At least one
member must be a person classified as a disabled Veteran by the United States Veterans
Administration or the branch of the United States armed forces in which the person served. This
person's disability must be service-connected and compensable” Not only do they have a
commission established to support Veterans, it is comprised of at least three Veterans and one
who has a service-connected disability. This member make up is significant and can help to keep
party politics out of the way when it comes to serving the state’s Veterans. These members are
appointed in staggered six year terms. It does not state any term limits but does have strict rules
and limitations regarding its members personal business interests and ventures, affiliation with
national Veteran service organizations, is a registered lobbyist and even if the member’s spouse
holds a job that can influence the member’s decision or grounds for removal or not being
considered for the position.
The Texas Veterans Commission gets is funding in several ways. Money may be
transferred to the fund at the direction of the legislature. TVC may receive grants and gifts that
are contributed to the fund. The TVC is also a charitable organization that state employees may
authorize a deduction for contributions to the fund through the states charitable campaign drive.
There is also a lottery scratch off that directly benefits the fund.
The TVC’s internet site is more like a one-stop shop for Veterans. The site is full of
information relating to benefits, education, grants, employment and a multitude of other services
and programs offered by the state under the jurisdiction of the Texas Veterans Commission. We

15. Thorpe 14
will look at some of the services being offered and the initiatives that are putting Veterans back
to work. The Texas Veterans Commission Employment Services has over 180 Veteran staff
members spread throughout the state to offer guidance and advice for Veterans seeking
employment (tvc.state.tx.us).
Texas Veterans Portal. The Texas Veterans Portal is another form of access that follows
in line with the TVC’s mission. It contains various links for benefits, education, employment,
health and the community. However, when clicking on the employment tab, it sends the user to
the TVC’s webpage (veteransportal.texas.gov). This site is a compilation of services offered
through the various agencies in Texas.
Military to Civilian Job Skills Translator. The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC)
is the employment hub for Texas. It contains many helpful tools and links for job seekers,
employees, businesses and employers. There is also a section dedicated to Veteran’s employment
services in which they partner with the Texas Veterans Commission to assist Veterans in
employment. The “TWC does not have unique funding sources for Veterans because they are
served under any available and appropriate program for which a Veteran is eligible, just like any
job seeker” (twc.state.tx.us). It is noted that the authorizing laws, regulations and guidance are
mainly from the federal level and one from the state level. They include: USC Title 38, jobs for
Veterans Act of 2002, Wagner-Peyser Act of 1933 (Employment Service, Workforce Investment
Act and the Texas Labor Code, Title 4 – Employment Services and Unemployment Services,
Chapter 302.
The TWC also has a military to civilian occupational skills translator, located at
texascaresonline.com. This useful tool, similar to the one requested by Lt. Col. Roper, allows the
Veteran to enter in their military occupation. It will then provide a job description and significant

16. Thorpe 15
points for the profession. There is a training section, in which it states what specifically
employers are looking for in that field and any other educational requirements that are needed.
The knowledge, skills and abilities section covers just that. It rates the knowledge, skills and
abilities on a scale from 0 to 100 and also from not important to very important. Abilities such as
verbal communication, memory, spatial and quantitative abilities are shown. The knowledge
ranges from business, management, math and science, engineering and technology to the arts and
humanities. The skills portion covers system skills, problem solving, resource management and
social skills.
The last section in the database shows the labor market for that profession. It shows the
total number of Texas and national jobs in that area. It also shows the turnover rate, average age
of workers, average time in current job and occupation, wages associated with the job and its
expected growth until 2022. All of these tools are useful and can help a Veteran establish a
viable resume. Often times, many responsibilities and details can get lost in translation from the
military to civilian sector. This is a useful tool in bridging that gap.
The Texas Veterans Commission takes this a step further and has created the “Hiring
Manager’s Guide to Veteran Applications.” This twenty page pdf document is designed to
educate employers and assist them in getting a better grasp of a Veterans skill set. The document
has many military terms and their translation, it explains Professional Military Education and its
leadership development courses. It also covers the rank structure and describes some general
duties of each rank and the ability level of each. Such as being the subject matter experts in their
field; to developing and implementing programs, procedures, policies and guidelines; to serving
as an advisor to the commander on complex issues within the organization.

17. Thorpe 16
Work Opportunity Tax Credit. The Workforce Opportunity Tax Credit is a federal
income tax credit administered by the U.S. Department of Labor. It is being noted here only
because of the five states in this research assignment, Texas is the only one who has this program
located on many of its internet sites, more specifically in the Veterans sections. There is even a
two page flier from the Texas Workforce Commission detailing the benefits that employers can
receive when hiring persons from one of the listed target groups to become employed. Veterans
are among one of these target groups. For up to a $2,400 tax credit and employer must hire a
Veteran who is receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for three
consecutive months, an unemployed Veterans who has received at least four weeks of
unemployment benefits during the year prior to hiring and vocational rehabilitation referrals
from the Department of Veterans Affairs. A $4,800 tax credit may awarded if an employer hires
a disabled Veteran who has at least a 10% service connected disability. For a $5,600 tax credit an
employer must hire a Veteran who has received at least six months of unemployment benefits.
For a $9,600, the maximum allowed, an employer must hire a Veteran who has more than a 10%
service connected disability and has been receiving unemployment benefits for at least six
months. The Tax Increase Prevention Act of 2014 extended the Work Opportunity Tax Credit
until December 31, 2014 (irs.gov).
Priority of Service. When it comes to Veterans being hired, the Texas Veterans
Commission has implemented a Priority of Service. This service means that “all Veterans and
qualified spouses of Veterans are entitled to precedence over non-Veterans in obtaining the full
array of employment, training, and placement services, as well as Priority of Service pertaining
to any applicable eligibility requirements for those programs and services. (tvc.texas.gov). This
places the precedence of hiring Veterans and their spouses above all others.

18. Thorpe 17
Veterans Preference. Texas Government Code Title 6 ‘Public Officers and Employees’,
Subtitle B ‘State Officers and Employees’, Chapter 657 Veteran’s Employment Preferences,
Section 657.004 states that:
“An individual whose duty is to appoint or employ individuals for a public
entity or public work of this state shall give preference in hiring to individuals
entitled to a Veteran's employment preference so that at least 40 percent of the
employees of the public entity or public work are selected from individuals given
that preference. A public entity or public work that does not have 40 percent of
its employees who are entitled to the preference shall, in filling vacancies, give
preferences to individuals entitled to a Veteran's employment preference until it
does have at least 40 percent of its employees who are entitled to the preference.
(b) A public entity or public work shall, when possible, give 10 percent of the
preferences granted under this chapter to qualified Veterans discharged from the
armed services of the United States within the preceding 18 months. (c) A public
entity or public work that has at least 40 percent of its employees who are entitled
to the preference is exempt from the requirements of Section 657.005.”
Hazlewood Act. The Hazlewood Act was created to provide Veterans and their
dependents an exemption from paying tuition and fees associated with college costs for up to 150
semester credit hours. The Hazlewood Act is a law that is under the Texas Administrative Code
Title 40 ‘Social Services and Assistance’, Part 15 ‘Texas Veterans Commission’, Chapter 461
‘Veterans Education’, Subchapter A ‘Exemption Program for Veterans and Their Dependents
(The Hazlewood Act)’. Under Rule §461.10 ‘Authority and Purpose’ it states that “the authority
for this subchapter is provided in Texas Education Code §54.341 relating to an exemption for
Texas Veterans, their spouses and dependents; Texas Government Code §434.0079 relating to
Duties Regarding Certain Tuition and Fee Exemptions for Veterans and Family Members; and
Texas Government Code §434.00791 relating to Electronic System to Monitor Tuition
Exemptions for Veterans and Family Members.”

19. Thorpe 18
While the GI Bill, both the Montgomery and Post 9/11 bills, due provide a means for
Veterans to attend school, with the latter being the most recent provision to the law and being the
most beneficial for Veterans to use for attending college. However, Texas goes a step further
with the Hazlewood Act, in that it not only provides educational assistance to Veterans, it also
passes on the benefits of a certain eligible group of Veterans to their families. In order for a
Veteran or their family member to receive this benefit they must have no federal educational
benefits left to use. The requirements for a spouse or child to receive this benefit are: the Veteran
must have been a Texas resident at the time of entry into military service, the Veteran must have
died as a result of service-related illness or injury or is 100% disabled as a result of a service-
related illness or injury and is unemployable as deemed by the U.S Department of Veterans
Affairs (tvc.texas.gov).
In 2013, Governor Rick Perry signed Senate Bills 1158 and 1159 into law. These Senate
Bills were amendments to prior laws. For Senate Bill 1158, it was sponsored by four Democrats,
the amendments were to Sections 54.341(d), (h), (i), (k), (n), and the Education Code. Senate Bill
1159, also known as Andrew’s Law, was sponsored by one Democrat and one Republican and
was an amendment to Subchapter W, Chapter 51, Education Code by adding Section 51.844.
These two laws were lobbied by several Veterans groups and the Lone Star Veterans Association
posted an online petition asking the Governor to not cut benefits to the Hazlewood Act. This two
bill package ensured a permanent fund of upwards of $250 million to be set aside for the
Hazlewood Act. They also moved the Hazlewood Act oversight from the Texas Higher
Education Coordinating Board to the Texas Veterans Commission. They also created an awards
system to distinguish colleges and universities that equal or surpass the standards for providing
services to Veterans (lonestarveterans.org).

20. Thorpe 19
Veteran Entrepreneur Program. In 2013 Senate Bill 1476, which was sponsored by
seven Democrats and two Republicans, became law. Senate 1476 is an amendment to Subchapter
A, Government Code by adding Section 434.022, the Veteran Entrepreneur Program (VEP). The
VEP is designed to “bridge the gap between available resources and Veteran entrepreneurs”
(tvc.texas.gov). This gap gets bridged by allowing for the funding for Veterans to consult with a
team of practiced business consultants to be available free of charge to the Veteran.
This program has a multi-faceted approach and sound reasoning to assist Veterans in
becoming small business owners. “Today’s Veterans are poised to be the backbone of a new
generation of small businesses that can quickly build a sustainable new job base in Texas.
Veterans are eager to build for themselves, their families, and their Veteran employees, long-
term careers” (tvc.texas.gov). The Texas Veterans Commission’s Veteran Entrepreneur Program
has aided more than 1,000 Veterans in setting up and establishing their small business. Texas
understands the work ethic and initiative of Veterans and this program will benefit a multitude of
people and not just the Veteran by creating jobs and businesses that can thrive with the help and
assistance of a dedicated team of consultants.
To further this program the Texas Veteran Entrepreneur Program Academy was
established. It offers hands-on learning, in class and online sessions, and all the Veteran receives
two years of mentoring by volunteers (entrepreneurs themselves) and from the Veteran
Entrepreneur Program.
Women Veterans Program. On January 22, 2015, House Bill 867 was introduced by 6
Democrats and 1 Republican. This bill will amend Chapter 434 by adding Subchapter E, Texas
Women Veterans Program. Under Section 2 of this bill, “this Act will take effect immediately if
it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house” (legis.state.tx.us).

21. Thorpe 20
However, if this Act does not receive the two-thirds vote necessary, it will take effect on
September 1, 2015.
Texas has 177,075 female Veterans (va.gov) and the state of Texas has created the
Women Veterans Program to assist these female Veterans in pursuing gainful employment
outside of the military. This program offers many services and hosts many events to help female
Veterans. Specifically they offer virtual coffee events, conferences, seminars, a job club and
access to the Texas Women Veterans Professional Network. This will help them with adjusting
to civilian culture, resume building, networking skills, career placement and job opportunities
(tvc.texas.gov). Texas is leading the way with this initiative in designing a system to explicitly
help female Veterans in their path to becoming successful after the military.
Virginia
History and Background
Virginia, one of the original thirteen colonies, became a state on June 25, 1788. Since this
time Virginia has been the birthplace of eight U.S. Presidents, and was once home to the capital
of the Confederacy. More than half of the Civil War’s battle were fought in the state of Virginia.
Due to its proximity to the nation’s capital in Washington D.C., it is home to many federal
government institutions (history.com).
Today, Virginia politics are just as important in today’s society as they were hundreds of
years ago. Virginia is a General Assembly legislature composed of an Executive Branch, the
Senate and the House of Delegates. The Governor of Virginia is Terry McAuliffe (Democrat)
(governor.virginia.gov). The Senate consists of 40 members serving four year terms. The
Republicans hold the majority with 21 members and the Democrats have 19 members. The

22. Thorpe 21
House has 100 members with 67 members belonging to the Republican Party and 32 members
belonging to the Democratic Party. There is one vacancy in the House. Representatives serve two
year terms (ballotpedia.org).
Veteran Population and Unemployment
According to the 2010 U.S. Census, Virginia has 8,001,024 residents. Among these
residents, there are 781,388 Veterans, or 9.77% of the states population. Of these 781,388 there
are 630,045 wartime Veterans and 107,201 women Veterans (va.gov).
The U.S. Department of Labor Statistics for the month of February 2015 has Virginia
with a 4.7% unemployment rate. The U.S Congress Joint Economic Committee has the Veteran
Unemployment Rate for 2010 at 7.0% and at 10.6% for Post-9/11 Veterans. However, a recent
study by the U.S. Department of Labor has 17,000 Veterans, or 3.2%, unemployed for 2014. It
does note that 276,000 Veterans are not in the labor force. This does show a trend of Veterans
finding employment in the state of Virginia, or they have fallen out of the labor force completely
and are now counted among those in that category.
Legislation That has Passed
Virginia Values Veterans. The Virginia Values Veterans (V3) program was established
under the Code of Virginia, § 2.2-2001.2, that directs the Department of Veteran Services to
“develop a comprehensive program to reduce unemployment among veterans by assisting
businesses to attract, hire, train, and retain veterans. Such program shall promote strategies for
connecting employers to qualified veterans and include a workforce assessment and training
program for participating employers and (ii) a certification process for participating employers
with the objective of setting measurable goals for hiring and retaining veterans” (dvsv3.com).

23. Thorpe 22
This program takes hiring Veterans to a higher level. It allows organizations to become
certified as a V3 Member Company. In order to become a V3 Member Company, the company
will have up to one year to complete a curriculum designed to allow the company to develop an
Organizational Veteran Hiring Plan. There are six topics included in the curriculum and they are:
(1) How to build and On-the-Job Training or Apprenticeship Program in order to accept GI Bill
Benefits, (2) How to use the Virginia Workforce Database, (3) the Uniformed Services
Employment and Re-employment Rights Act, (4) Understanding the National Guard and Reserve
components, (5) Removing the stigma of PTSD and TBI: The truth about today’s Veterans and
(6) How to build an Organizational Veteran Hiring Plan. There are also business specific
workbooks in the curriculum and these are tailored specific for the company by size or industry
type. These workbooks are set up for small businesses, medium businesses, manufacturing and a
general survey workbook for other businesses and industries (dvsv3.com)
When a company decides to join the V3 Program, they may either attend V3 training
conferences throughout the state or through an individual training session at the company’s
location. These training sessions will also cover several topics and will educate the company on
Veterans and the skills that they have. It will also teach them how be effective when recruiting,
hiring and retaining Veterans. It will show them ways in order to reach out to the Veteran talent
pool (dvsv3.com).
Virginia is acting like a headhunter recruiting for a large corporation. They are in a way
selling Veterans to companies within their state. On the homepage of the V3 website it states:
“Today’s Veterans are highly skilled, well educated, easily trained, and willing to
work hard. They know the meaning of loyalty, dedication, integrity, discipline,
unselfishness, and teamwork. They have worked in high-stress environments, developed
a safety-conscious mentality, and honed their leadership skill through practical
experience. In a word, today’s Veterans are profitable.”

24. Thorpe 23
This is a pretty remarkable selling point in trying to get companies to participate in the program.
Not only does is put in to perspective what a Veteran can bring to the company, it also states that
Veterans are “profitable”. The V3 program is free for businesses. Businesses operate on the
principle of profit and that is a lucrative choice of wording in order to gain companies into the
program.
Once a company is recognized as a V3 Member Company, they pledge to the state that
they will hiring a certain amount of Veterans. There are currently 263 Member Companies that
have pledged 11,213 Veteran jobs. There have been 7,949 actual Veteran hires reported. While
checking their website throughout the last few months, these numbers have increased
(dvsv3.com). Refer to Appendix B for details.
Senate Bill 950. Two Democrats and two Republicans sponsored Senate Bill 950, the
Veteran Employment Grant Fund and Program. This bill reenacts and is an amendment to § 2.2-
2001.2 of the Code of Virginia and to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered
2.2-2001.2:1, relating to Veteran Employment Grant Fund and Program. This bill left in
appropriations on February 24, 2015.
This will allow grants to be provided to businesses who provide employment
opportunities. Senate Bill 950 states that “the Department shall award a grant of $1,000 per
qualifying business, subject to the following the total amount awarded to any business shall not
exceed $10,000 per fiscal year and each business may receive only one grant award per
qualifying Veteran.”
Senate Bill 1206. Senate Bill 1206 was sponsored by three Republicans and became law
in 2001. This bill is an amendment to § 2.1-112 of the Code of Virginia, relating to preferences

25. Thorpe 24
for Veterans for employment with the Commonwealth. This mandates that if any Veteran applies
for employment with the Commonwealth, the Veteran shall have preference over all other
applicants. In the event that a test is required for the position, a Veteran shall receive a 5%
increase to their score. If the Veteran has a service-connected disability, as approved by the U.S.
Department of Veterans Affairs, the Veteran shall receive a 10% increase to their test score.
Senate Bill 372. On January 9, 2002, Senate Bill 372 was a joint resolution sponsored by
two Republican Senators and one Republican Representative. It continued into the 2003
Legislative Session to the General Laws Committee. It left there with a 12-Y 0-N vote and on
December 9, 2002 it “Left in General Laws” (lis.virginia.gov). This bill amends and reenacts §
2.2-2903 Grade or rating increase and other preferences for veterans and their surviving spouses
and children, and members of the National Guard’. This bill changed the wording of the
subsection from “veteran’s military service shall be taken into consideration by the
Commonwealth during the selection process” to “veteran shall be given preference by the
Commonwealth during the selection process.” By changing eight words of the law, Virginia
greatly enhanced the Veterans’ ability to secure a job within the Commonwealth.
Arizona
History and Background
On February 14, 1912 Arizona became the 48th
and last state in the contiguous United
States. Arizona is unique in many ways. It is one of two state within the United States that does
not observe Daylight Saving Time. Its natural environment is very diverse and is home to tall
mountains, deserts and the Grand Canyon. Due to the varying environments, in one day Arizona
can have the lowest and highest temperatures for the nation. Its military history is most notable

26. Thorpe 25
for its Navajo residents, whom in World War II were used as code talkers for U.S. Marines
operating in the Pacific Campaign. This code was unable to be deciphered by the Japanese
(history.com).
Arizona’s Governor is Republican Doug Ducey, who was inaugurated on January 5,
2015. The state legislature consists of a House and a Senate. Members of the House and Senate
both serve two year terms and both have limits of four terms or eight years total. The elections
for the House and Senate are held together, so every two years each seat is up for election. The
House has 60 members, 36 Republicans and 24 Democrats. The Senate is composed of 30
members, 17 Republicans and 13 Democrats (ballotpedia.org).
Veteran Population and Unemployment
According to the 2010 U.S. Census, Arizona has a population of 6,392,017 people. The
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has the unemployment rate at 6.6% from October 2014 to
January 2015. Arizona has 532,206 Veterans, or 8.33% of the population. 401,951 are wartime
Veterans and 54,221 are female Veterans (va.gov). Arizona’s Veteran Employment Rate is
49.7% or 268,000 working Veterans. Arizona has a Veteran Unemployment Rate of 5.7% or
16,000 Veterans. There are also 256,000 Veterans not in the labor force (dol.gov).
Legislation that has Passed
House Bill 2094. On 6 April 2015, during the fifty-second Legislature of the First
Regular Session of 2015, House Bill 2094 with one Republican Sponsor, a Senate engrossed bill
was passed and approved by the Governor. This law is an amendment to the Arizona Revised
Statutes (ARS), Title 23 Labor, Chapter 2 Employment Practices and Working Conditions, by
adding Article 16, Voluntary Veterans’ Preference Employment Policy. The law states that a

27. Thorpe 26
private employer may adopt a Veterans’ preference employment policy. This policy “shall be in
writing and applied uniformly to employment decisions regarding hiring, promotion or retention
during a reduction in force” (azleg.gov).
While states themselves have hiring preference authority for Veterans mandated, Arizona
has changed their laws to protect businesses when it comes to hiring, promoting and retaining
Veterans. This will allow for business to have the same special authority as the government when
it comes to hiring Veterans, without worrying about possible discrimination lawsuits as long as
they adopt the Voluntary Veterans’ Employment Policy.
House Bill 2091. On 6 April 2015, the House passed and the Governor approved House
Bill 2091, sponsored by nine Republicans and one Democrat. This bill is an amendment to
Sections Title 15, Chapter 8 School Attendance, Section 802 School Instruction, Exceptions;
Violations; Classification; Definitions, and Section 802.01 Homeschooled Children; Eligibility
to Participate in Interscholastic Activities, of the ARS relating to Postsecondary Education. This
bill changes the wording of the previous law to granting immediate in-state tuition costs to
Veterans. Under previous law, persons (Veterans included) must have established at least one
continuous year of residency in Arizona. Residency is established by being registered to vote in
Arizona, hold an Arizona driver’s license, employment history in Arizona, transfer of major
banking services to Arizona and change of permanent address (legiscan.com). The current
revision allows Veterans who establish these residency requirements to be waived of the one
year waiting period and be granted immediate residency.
Under current U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Post-9/11 GI Bill Benefits, the
federal government will pay up to the maximum tuition and fees for an in-state student at a
public university or college and up to $20,235.02 per academic year at a private institution

28. Thorpe 27
(va.gov). By granting immediate in-state tuition for Veterans, the Veterans will not have to incur
any further cost for their education. This will lead to them graduating from college with zero
loans to pay back, thus allowing them to get established in their careers, have more money
available to start a business, own a home and becoming more productive in their private lives.
Student loans are a burden for most college students many years after they leave school. This law
will allow Arizona Veterans to not have to worry about incurring any college debt due to the
federal government not paying for the increased cost of tuition paid for by out-of-state students.
Veterans’ Donation Fund. Arizona currently offers three types of vehicle plates. They
are labeled Veteran, Women Veterans, and Freedom (for non-Veterans wanting to show their
support) plates. Of the $25 registration fee, $8 goes to Arizona Department of Motor Vehicles
for processing fees and $17 goes to the Veterans’ Donation Fund. These plates are allowed under
ARS Title 28 Transportation, Chapter 7 Certificate of Title and Registration, Article 12 Special
Plates, Section 2414 Veteran Special Plates and Section 2428 Military Support Special Plates.
The seventeen dollars associated with this is to be transferred to the Veterans’ Donation Fund
under ARS Title 41 State Government, Chapter 3 Administrative Boards and Commissions,
Article 7 Department of Veterans’ Services, Section 608 (azleg.gov).
The Veterans’ Donation Fund was established in 1999 to benefit Veterans and their
families. In fiscal year 2013 the Veterans’ Donation Fund awarded over $725,000 in grants to
Veteran programs and initiatives. These programs range from homeless Veteran programs,
recreational facilities, benefit services and legal assistance.
Empowerment Systems, Inc., is a non-profit organization that deals with health education
and wellness programs. They received $85,000 for a project that would include the final
development of the website for Arizona’s Military/Veteran Resource Network. This website

29. Thorpe 28
would provide a military skills translator to assist Veterans in their employment search
(dvs.az.gov).
The Yavapai College Foundation received $26,309 to assist Veterans in completing their
postsecondary education. This program is designed to assist Veteran students develop the
academic skills needed to complete college. It also assists in “educational testing, assessment and
career counseling, personal enrichment workshops, peer mentoring support and increased access
of tutorial program to Veterans outside of Yavapai County” (dvs.az.gov).
In order to receive grant money, an organization must be registered with the State of
Arizona’s procurement system. The money in this fund must directly benefit Veterans and their
families. The purpose, limited location and availability of these organizations, such as the
Yavapai College Foundation is due to the organization’s purpose. This is not a reflection of the
state of Arizona limiting its resources, but a matter of Veterans’ organizations not applying to
receive the grants.
Veteran Supportive Campus. Under ARS Title 41 State Government, Chapter 3
Administrative Boards and Commissions, Article 7 Department of Veterans’ Services, Section
609 Arizona Veteran Supportive Campuses, colleges and universities are able to be certified by
the state as a Veteran Supportive Campus. A school must adhere to the eight guidelines set forth
under the law. First, a campus survey of student Veterans must be conducted to identify the
needs, issues and suggestions that Veterans may have. Secondly, a campus committee must be
formed of student Veterans, faculty and staff in order to share information and develop programs
to integrate the campus culture and the needs of student Veterans. Thirdly, faculty and staff must
receive sensitivity and awareness training on military and Veterans’ culture. This training will
include areas regarding traumatic brain injury, posttraumatic stress disorder, physical and mental

30. Thorpe 29
disabilities, suicide and hypervigilance. Fourthly, the school will host student Veteran orientation
programs, with a student Veteran as a guide for the first day on campus. The school will also
provide at least one optional Veteran only course on Veterans Issues taught by a Veteran or a
trained volunteer. The fifth part, is that the school must offer peer mentoring and peer support
programs specifically for student Veterans. The sixth requirement is that the school must have
outreach strategies for local military installations. The seventh step is to provide a one-stop
resource and study center for student Veterans. The eighth and last prerequisite to become
certified is that the school must have a community based collaborative that will allow for
donations from the private sector to support student Veteran Resource Centers (azleg.gov).
This program not only allows Veterans to see what schools are Veteran friendly, it also
provides assistance to student Veterans in a multitude of ways so that they may succeed in their
educational goals.
Legislation that is Being Proposed
House Bill 2584. House Bill 2584 is a proposed bi-partisan bill, with one Democrat and
one Republican sponsoring the bill. It is an act amending ARS Title 41 State Government,
Chapter 23 Arizona Procurement Code, Article 3 Source Selection and Contract Formation by
adding Section 2545 State Contracts; Veteran-owned Businesses; Participation Goal; Registry;
Definitions. The proposed bill states that the “administration shall establish a Veteran-owned
business participation goal of awarding… to qualified, operated and controlled Veteran-owned
business state contracts involving the procurement of materials, services or construction or the
disposal of materials.” For the first year of the program, the participation goal is set to one and
one-half percent. It increases to three percent or more for every year thereafter. The participation
goal is set by the overall dollar amount spent each year by the state. For Veteran-owned

31. Thorpe 30
businesses performing the contract, at least fifty percent of the proceeds from the contract will
used to pay the salaries of the employees of the Veteran-owned business. However, the fifty
percent rule does not apply to construction contracts (azleg.gov). This program would stimulate
growth of Veteran-owned businesses. As noted earlier, more growth of a Veteran-owned
business is beneficial to all of its employees and Veterans like to hire other Veterans.
New Jersey
History and Background
New Jersey is heralded as a vacation state and the summer tourism provides a large
revenue stream for the state. New Jersey is nicknamed the “Garden State” and is a leading
producer of blueberries, cranberries and tomatoes. Aside from its vast coastline and agricultural
business, New Jersey also has the highest population density of any state within the United States
(history.com).
New Jersey is composed of three levels of government. The Governor, Chris Christie –
Republican, is the head of the Executive Branch. The Senate, which has forty members and the
General Assembly, which has eighty members, make up the Legislative Branch. While a
Republican holds the Governor’s Office, the Senate and General Assembly have a Democratic
Majority. There are 48 Democrats and 32 Republicans in the Assembly and there are 24
Democrats and 16 Republicans in the Senate (ballotpedia.org).
Veteran Population and Unemployment
The 2010 population of New Jersey, according to the U.S. Census, was 8,791,936
residents. New Jersey has 428,396 Veterans or 4.87% of the population. There are 312,253
wartime Veterans and 33,369 female Veterans (va.gov). The Bureau of Labor Statistics has the

32. Thorpe 31
New Jersey Unemployment Rate from October 2014 to February 2015 at 6.4%. According to the
U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment Situation of Veterans – 2014 report, the total Veteran
Employment Rate for 2014 was 38.4%, or 152,000 Veterans. The Veteran Unemployment Rate
for 2014 was 7.9% or 13,000 Veterans, the second highest Veteran Unemployment Rate in the
United States. For 2014 there were 231,000 Veterans considered to be not in the labor force.
Playing Politics with Legislation
Alex Young wrote an article for the South Jersey Times on 31 March 2014, titled “NJ’s
High Veteran Unemployment Rate in sights of lawmakers, Advocates.” In the article, he talks
about how New Jersey has one of the highest rates of Veteran unemployment in the country.
When this article was written, it was at 10.8%. The article refers to the Salem County Veterans’
Officer Joe Hannagan as saying he has only just come across the issue of Veterans
unemployment. However, the Director of Gloucester County Office of Veterans’ Affairs Duane
Sarmiento says that his office does see a lot of returning Veterans having trouble finding work.
Gloucester and Salem Counties are located next to each other in the southwestern part of New
Jersey. It is hard to imagine that two counties, with similar make up and proximity to
Wilmington, Delaware and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania are having opposing views on the subject.
Also in the article by Young, First District Senator Jeff Van Drew (Democrat) went on
the record as “a champion of” Veterans unemployment. Senator Van Drew attests that the
challenges for Veterans finding employment can be attributed to the trauma and stresses of
combat, physical limitations, the higher Veteran suicide rate and Veterans overall lower life
expectancy rate. Senator Van Drew is the Vice-Chair of the Committee on Military and
Veterans’ Affairs. The author finds Senator Van Drew’s thoughts and reasoning reprehensible
and shows his lack of knowledge regarding the subject. By stating that Veterans cannot find jobs

33. Thorpe 32
because of their lower life expectancy rate is preposterous and borders on lunacy. His statements
also imply that all Veterans have issue when returning from combat. While many
After a review of Senator Van Drew’s legislative website, of the 317 bills he is
sponsoring for this legislative session, only 3 have to do with Veterans unemployment, and
neither of these three, individually or combined, is the massive change that is needed in New
Jersey. Senate Bill 2145 would provide for counties and municipalities to adopt a resolution or
ordnance to provide a hiring preference for Veterans. Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 90
would give hiring preference to disable Veterans for civil service jobs. The current law only
gives preference to wartime disabled Veterans. Senate Bill 1353 (with 4 primary sponsors and 12
Co-Sponsors) and Assembly Bill 976 (with 2 Sponsors) would create a set-aside program in
which 3% of business contracts by the state must be done with disabled Veteran-owned business.
Senate Bill 1353 and Assembly Bill 976 Aca (1R) has been in the legislative process for a
couple years. During the 2012-2013 Legislative Session it was introduced as A1885 and S1078.
During the 2010-2011 Legislative Session it was introduced as A857 and S1421. During these
two last legislative sessions this bill was referred to the Military and Veterans’ Affairs
Committee, where it would stay and not progress. The current proposal, with the same verbiage
as the prior bill, has a larger support base during this legislative session. On 23 February 2015
Assembly Bill 976 passed the Assembly with a 74-0 vote. On 24 February 2015 it was received
in the Senate as Senate Bill 1353 and was referred to the Senate Military and Veterans’ Affairs
Committee.
New Jersey has passed laws regarding Veterans employment. Mainly in the form of
Veterans preference hiring authorities for state civil service jobs. A majority of the laws passed
regarding Veterans has to do with reductions on property taxes paid by Veteran homeowners.

34. Thorpe 33
The elected officials have not done enough, in fact they have done almost nothing to help this
issue. They have had the second highest Veteran Unemployment Rate in the country for the last
couple years and while politicians have talked the good talk, they have not shown that they will
back their words with actions. They are playing the political game with legislation, legislation
that will help their Veteran constituents become productive members within the state of New
Jersey. Lawmaker are proposing bills to show that they are doing something, but not passing any
laws in order to actually help the cause, it’s a good talking point to say “I tried but then insert
blame on somebody else or the other party.” Case in point, Senator Jeff Van Drew, primary
sponsor of a bill, Vice-Chair of the Military and Veterans’ Affairs Committee, and his bill stalls
in the Military and Veterans’ Affairs Committee. New Jersey has become the redundancy
department of redundancy.
Policy Recommendations / Author’s Personal Opinion
For this instance we will discuss the author, Tom Thorpe’s personal experience regarding
the hardships faced, and his experience may not reflect Veterans as a whole. After signing up for
the Marine Corps right after high school at 17 years old, he was thrown into a culture of
promptness, attention to detail and how to accomplish a task proficiently. Fast forward to June
2010 and he grew into a leader, a Staff Sergeant, who had three combat deployments, two
personal awards during those deployments and one with the ‘V’ Combat Distinguishing Device
for valor. But what does all that mean, in the civilian world it means absolutely nothing. Even to
him they are simple reminders of the hard work and dedication that he has and ultimately the
hard work put forth by those under his charge. It is commonplace in the military that awards
recognize leaders for the work completed by everyone.

35. Thorpe 34
Aside from the valuable experience gained, he also left the Marine Corps recently
divorced, with a truck payment, a motorcycle payment and no place to live or call his own
anymore. At 28 years old he moved back into his parents’ house and started attending college, at
first it was because the GI Bill would supplement as an income because jobs are sparse and
degrees are what employers want, regardless of experience because these employers do not
understand the military. Also, with his being away for ten years he was not able to network or
connect with people in the area. His hometown friends have all moved on with their lives; they
are now married and have husbands, wives and children to worry about.
Let us look back at his ten years and what he has accomplished in the Marine Corps. His
initial occupation was a Motor Vehicle Operator, essentially a commercial off road truck driver.
He was in this role for four years, from the rank of Private through Sergeant. During this time he
served as a driver, the Battalion Licensing Instructor (teaching and certifying others on the
vehicles), the Commanding Officer’s Personal Driver, Logistics / Embarkation Chief, Light and
Medium Section Non-Commissioned Officer (responsible for over 150 trucks and trailers) and
was certified as a Hazardous Materials and Explosives Vehicle Operator. He also served for four
months as a Military Police Officer on Camp Pendleton. During his first two deployments (2003
and 2004) he served as Convoy Security Team Leader, responsible for the safety and mission
completion of the convoy.
When he re-enlisted in 2006 the Marine Corps changed his military occupation to
Artillery Electronics Maintenance Technician. Schooling for this was one year long. This school
covered electronics, electrical wiring, schematics reading, maintenance and repair of a radar
system, a meteorological measuring system and a couple other pieces of gear using various
pieces of electronics testing equipment. He was promoted to Staff Sergeant on December 1,

36. Thorpe 35
2007. He was now responsible for the function of the Artillery Electronics Maintenance Shop.
He deployed for a third time, a twelve month deployment, from September 1, 2008 to August 30,
2009. He served in a critical role along with 21 Marines and 1 Navy Corpsmen, as an Adviser to
the Iraqi Border Patrol. He returned to Camp Pendleton and resumed his position as Artillery
Electronics Maintenance Chief. Nine months later, his contract was up and he chose to not re-
enlist.
How does one translate all of that into a simple, very short and concise resume? How is it
that he can have all that training, schooling and multiple leadership development courses but no
civilian certifications or equivalents to show for it? What if he had a family to care for when he
got out? Would he have been able to attend college and still provide for his family? How will he
adjust to a civilian culture that does not understand or value what he is fully capable of? Why do
employers value a 21 year old college graduate over ten years of insurmountable military
experience? What if he does not succeed in college? What if college is not for him? How will he
pay for rent, food and his vehicle? These questions, are the questions that lawmakers need to ask
and understand.
States that have a large military presence, like Virginia, have more opportunities for
Veterans to find jobs. Many large corporations (Raytheon, Boeing, General Dynamics,
Lockheed-Martin, etc.) that are militarily focused, have their operations near these bases, so it is
easier for Veterans to find employment in this sector. However, these companies do not hire that
many people each year, so only a small number of Veterans are able to fill these vacancies.
Virginia’s V3 program is a step in the right direction. The idea to educate employers on the
military and to have them pledge to hire ‘X’ amount of Veterans will help Virginia Veterans find
sustainable and rewarding employment.

37. Thorpe 36
States like Texas and Virginia have set the bar high when it comes to dealing with
Veteran unemployment. Pennsylvania is close behind in what they have done too. Arizona has a
Veteran focus geared more towards education and homelessness, but the path towards
homelessness could be the result of a lack of jobs that Veterans are not getting or retaining.
Arizona needs to recheck their focus and make the proper adjustments. New Jersey has
accomplished almost nothing when it comes to Veteran unemployment, despite being the second
highest in the country for that statistic the last few years. Most of New Jersey’s laws are geared
towards property tax reductions and incentives for Veterans owning a home. The best thing for
all these states to do is to learn from each other. Learn what the best practices are, learn what is
working and what is not working in other states and learn to understand their Veterans.
The biggest disconnect is the value of education. While it may be important, some
Veterans may not be willing or able to attend college. The massive push over the last several
years for education has left many Veterans facing more challenges instead of diminishing them.
Texas’ Veterans initiatives are very education focused and it is one of the few states that are
pursuing Women Veterans initiatives. Pennsylvania has taken a huge leap forward with their
proposed legislation to offer state-level certification if the Veteran received the equivalent in a
military school. Why make the Veteran repeat a certification process that he or she already has
and has been performing. This would help Pennsylvania Veterans in finding suitable
employment upon exiting the military.
State lawmakers need to connect with their state’s federal counterparts. While the states
individually can gain from a Veteran working and residing in their state, they must also push for
federal legislation as well. More so on the topic of military members and Veterans receiving the
civilian certification equivalent. A Pennsylvania certification may not be recognized in another

38. Thorpe 37
state. Reciprocity of the certification is not guaranteed for the Veteran and a push for a federal
law would remedy this.
Conclusion
Veterans’ unemployment continues to be an issue that affects many service members
throughout the country. We have evaluated five states, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, Arizona
and New Jersey. We were able to assess the background information and statistics regarding
Veterans and unemployment in each state. Each state varied in their approach to handling this
issue and the majority of the legislators are doing their part to ensure that their Veteran
constituents continue to be productive members of the society for which they were willing to
sacrifice their lives. We can only hope that our state lawmakers will continue to pursue the right
course of action and pass laws that will enact programs to benefit the small percentage of
Americans who have volunteered and those who wish to do so in the future, in the great service
of this nation.

39. Thorpe 38
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Appendix A
Feloni and Kiersz’s map showing the negative values, shown in red on the map, indicate states
where the veteran unemployment rate is higher than the overall rate. Positive values, shown in
blue, indicate states where the veteran unemployment rate is lower than the overall rate.

46. Thorpe 45
Appendix B
As of 19 April 2015 June 2012- March 2015
In the short time frame from March 2015 to 19 April 2015, 442 more jobs were pledged, 15 new
companies were gained, and 228 Veterans were hired.