The unemployment rate for veterans who served since 9/11 dropped a bit in 2013, but remains 25% higher than the non-veteran population, an analysis of new data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows.
The yearly average rate for “Gulf War Era II” veterans dropped to 9% from 9.9% the year before. The rate for all veterans fell to 6.6% from 7% and for non-veterans, to 7.2% from 7.9%.
The gap between non-veterans and Gulf War II veterans peaked at 39% in 2011 and has been 25% for two years now.
Monthly data showed a significant drop for Gulf War II veterans in December, to 7.3% from 9.9%, but month-to-month data is not necessarily a good indicator of a trend. Quarterly and annual data, given the sample size of unemployed veterans, is more reliable. The rate for all veterans fell as well in December to 5.5% from 6.7% — the first drop below 6% since 2008.
SOURCE: Data extracted from Bureau of Labor Statistics
- View and download data for 2006 through 2013 for veterans, types of veterans and non-veterans.
- View and download monthly data for all veteran types and non-veterans, from mid-2006 through 2013.
