LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) — Soldiers who have returned to New Mexico in recent years are struggling to find jobs, a trend that's been happening nationwide.
The Las Cruces Sun-News (http://bit.ly/KmZ01X)reports state officials say younger veterans are facing higher jobless rates.
New Mexico Department of Veterans' Services Secretary Timothy Hale says the unemployment rate of the newest veterans consistently runs two percentage points higher than the rate among civilians nationwide.
Officials say the unemployment rate in New Mexico was 6.6 percent at the end of last year. They say the jobless rate for all veterans was 8 percent.
Kevin Dasing, who chairs the Las Cruces Veterans Advisory Board, says one in every 10 workers in the state is a military veteran.
Dasing says veterans make skilled workers because they are already trained leaders.
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Information from: Las Cruces Sun-News, http://www.lcsun-news.com
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.