Hopeful News for Unemployed Veterans

Some 240,000 veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan war could be helped after the Senate approved a bill that would give up to $9,600 to companies that hire disabled veterans who have spent half a year unemployed, USA Today has reported.

The news came after first lady Michelle Obama announced commitments from companies to hire 100,000 veterans and their spouses by 2014.

Obama spoke to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and told them the Veterans Job Bank now holds more then 550,000 jobs, according to a White House release.

"These wonderful programs don’t just provide a good opportunity for a press conference," she told the chamber. "All of these efforts are about upholding our sacred duty to our veterans and their families."

On Monday, the President said that, while the economy has added more than 350,000 private sector jobs in the last three months, more than 850,000 veterans have remained unemployed.

 "That’s not right," he said. "It doesn’t make sense — not for our veterans, not for our families."

Editor's Note: This article is from Camp Pendleton Patch. Manhattan Beach Patch salutes all past and present service members, including my Navy nephew who is presently serving in Guam. In addition, the MB-based Jimmy Miller Memorial Foundation conducts Wounded Warrior ocean water/surf therapy at Camp Pendleton.