Obama's focus on unemployed veterans hits close to home

Obama's focus on unemployed veterans hits close to home
Posted: Jun 02, 2012
By Christina Killion Valdez
The Post-Bulletin, Austin MN

On a trip to Minnesota last year, President Obama had lunch with Joseph Kidd, of Stewartville. But when Obama visited Minnesota on Friday, Kidd was happy to be at work instead.

When he met the president at a Cannon Falls restaurant, Kidd, a Navy veteran, had been unemployed since he was discharged in April 2011. The frustrating part, however, was that his years of military medical training didn't transfer to civilian experience, he said.

Obama is trying to change the situation for veterans, though, and on Friday, while speaking at Honeywell’s Golden Valley facility, he called on Congress to pass Veterans Job Corps legislation. The bill would leverage skills developed in the military to put Afghanistan and Iraq veterans to work as cops, firefighters and other jobs serving the community.

The president also announced a "We Can’t Wait" initiative to help thousands of service members with manufacturing and other high-demand skills receive civilian credentials and licenses.

"That would be great to help other veterans," Kidd said.

Kidd, though, is already looking to change his career track, from medicine to business, after following a friend's recommendation to apply for a job as a meter reader for Minnesota Energy Resources.
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