The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff says business leaders need to take a chance on veterans returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and offer them jobs and mentorship.
U.S. military chief Adm. Mike Mullen told the Executives' Club of Chicago on Wednesday that the unemployment rate for veterans is 11 percent. The national average is 9.5 percent.
He also says countless veterans from current conflicts remain homeless.
As combat operations end in Iraq, troops will spend more time at home than they have in the recent past.
Mullen called on the business leaders to help veterans, many of whom are in their 20s, transition back to civilian life. He said the military also is placing a renewed focus on their post-deployment needs.
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