On November 21, 2011 President Barack Obama signed the VOW to Hire Heroes Act of 2011. The bill provides assistance to the large number of unemployed veterans who are struggling to find employment by giving tax credits to business who hire them.
In addition to employer tax credits, included in the bill is the Veterans Retraining Assistance Program (VRAP). VRAP offers up to 12 months of training assistance to unemployed veterans. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Department of Labor (DOL) are working together to roll out this new program on July 1, 2012. To learn more about VRAP and to see if you qualify and to submit an application, please go to this page.
The following is an excerpt from the President Obama’s speech:
“I have often said that the most humbling part of my job is serving as Commander-in-Chief to the world's finest military. Not a day goes by when I'm not awed by our troops, by the strength of their character, and by the depth of their commitment and the incredible sacrifices that they and their families make on behalf of our nation's freedom and security. The men and women of our military don't just fight for each other, they don't just fight for their units or for their commanders; they fight for every single American, for the millions of fellow citizens who they have never met and who they will likely never know.
And just as they fight for us on the battlefield, it's up to us to fight for our troops and their families when they come home. And that's why today is such a wonderful day, because today a deeply grateful nation is doing right by our military and paying back just a little bit of what we owe to our veterans."
Today, the message is simple: For businesses out there, if you are hiring, hire a veteran. It's the right thing to do for you, it's the right thing to do for them, and it's the right thing to do for our economy.”(Source)
For more information on the VOW to Hire Heroes Act, please visit the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs website.