CHESTERFIELD, Va. (WTVR) -- Moving from the armed forces to the work forces is a tall order for veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.
The unemployment rate for those that served sits at 10.8 percent, which is three percentage points higher than the national unemployment rate of 7.8 percent.
“That is shocking. That is shocking,” Robbie Anderson of Dominion Paving and Sealing in Chesterfield said. “First and foremost we want to give back to those who have served our country.”
At Dominion, Anderson and his colleagues are always looking to hire a few good men and women.
“Their leadership skills. Their dependability. Their reliability,” Anderson said. “What they’ve done. Been away from their family. What they’ve done for this country? It is heartbreaking.”
Anderson believes veterans possess abilities that far outweigh most applicants.
“They bring the leadership. They know how to really get the guys in a positive attitude to get the job done,” he said.
Nationally, WalMart is going on the offensive pledging to hire 100,000 veterans over the next five years.
The company says it plans to hire every veteran seeking a job who has been honorably discharged in the first 12 months off active duty.
"Not every returning veteran wants to work in retail. But every veteran who does, will have a place to go,” WalMart’s CEO Bill Simon said.
Back at Dominion the “Help Wanted” sign is hanging and veterans are encouraged to apply
“It’s really a no brainer,” Dominion employee Dwayne Wohnig said. “Why wouldn’t you hire one? We’re employee owned and we’d like to have some good folks as part of our family.”
If you're a veteran and looking for work there will be a military job fair at the Richmond International Raceway on Laburnum Avenue Jan. 31 from 11 to 3.
Dozens of employers from Capital One to Dominion Paving will be on hand looking to hire men and women who fought for our country.
