According to a statement from OPM, in FY 2011 the federal government hired the highest percentage of veterans in over 20 years.
President Obama created the Veterans Employment Initiative to spur hiring veterans by helping federal agencies identify qualified veterans, clarify the hiring process for veterans seeking employment with the federal government, and help them adjust to the civilian work environment once they are hired.
“It’s working,” said OPM Director John Berry. “The President’s Council on Veterans Employment established and pursued aggressive goals, and for our veterans, meeting those goals means jobs that serve the American people and help sustain the growth that supports the propriety and leadership in the world. I’m proud of the Council’s success in keeping these highly trained and experienced individuals working for our nation, particularly the over one million who served in Iraq.”
According to OPM data, veteran new hires were 28.5% of total hires in FY 2011. That represents an approximately 4.5% increase over the FY 2009 total of 24% and an approximately 2.9% increase over the FY 2010 total of 25.6%.
