July 27, 2004 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

Recently discharged vets and unemployment

Two-thirds of veterans discharged from active duty between 1998 and 2001 were ages 18 to 34.

Unemployment rates of recently discharged veterans, and nonveterans, age 18-34, August 2001 (not seasonally adjusted)
[Chart data—TXT]

These young recently discharged veterans had a labor force participation rate of 84.9 percent, and an unemployment rate of 4.4 percent in August 2001. Nonveterans of the same age had a labor force participation rate of 85.7 percent, and an unemployment rate of 6.7 percent.

These data are from a special supplement to the August 2001 Current Population Survey. The supplement also collected information about veterans of the Vietnam era and other periods.  Learn more in Employment Situation of Vietnam-Era Veterans, 2001 news release USDL 02-355.