June 01, 2006 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

Unemployment among Gulf War veterans

In August 2005, the unemployment rate among the 3.9 million veterans of the Gulf War-era (from August 1990 forward) was 5.2 percent; the rate for nonveterans was 4.7 percent.

Unemployment rates, persons 18 years and over, Gulf War-era veterans and nonveterans, selected age groups, August 2005 (not seasonally adjusted)
[Chart data—TXT]

Young Gulf War-era veterans (18 to 24 years old) had a higher unemployment rate (18.7 percent) than young nonveterans (9.9 percent).

Older Gulf War-era veterans (25 to 54 years old) had an unemployment rate very similar to their nonveteran peers—about 4 percent.

These data are from the Current Population Survey program. To learn more, see Employment Situation of Veterans: August 2005 (PDF) (TXT), USDL 06-897. The survey of veterans was conducted for the Bureau of Labor Statistics by the U.S. Census Bureau as a special supplement to the August 2005 Current Population Survey. The 2005 supplement was co-sponsored by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the U.S. Department of Labor's Veterans Employment and Training Service. The 2005 supplement is the first that separately identifies Gulf War-era veterans.

 

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