Rep. Joe Wilson Hosts Veterans Fair in West Columbia

Veterans were among the hardest hit groups in the Great Recession. Many members of the National Guard and Reserve took overseas assignments in war zones because they had difficulty finding regular work. The problem was so profound that the unemployment rate for some veterans groups was reported to be as high as 16 percent in October 2011. The lack of work compounded the challenges that battlefield veterans already face in adapting to society.

But bi-partisan efforts have made things better for veterans. One of those efforts locally was Rep. Joe Wilson's Veterans Fair. The 2nd District Congressman hosted a fair on Wednesday in West Columbia that linked veterans in the Midlands with the professional and personal resources that will acclimate them into the workforce and society as a whole. 

Wilson hosted a similar fair in Aiken last week. Both events were the first of their kind, according to Wilson's staffers.

Elisa Edwards of Office of the Adjutant General said programs like those represented at Wilson's event have worked. Active duty South Carolina National Guard members have seen their unemployment rate plunge to 3.9 percent.

Edwards said her office has partnered with other agencies to find work for 1,100 service members in South Carolina in the past 18 months. She credited Wilson and his staff with publicizing the resources available for veterans.

The added benefit to getting service members into the workforce is that suicide rates and other high-risk behaviors decrease exponentially, Edwards said.

Those seeking more information on resources available to veterans should CLICK HERE.

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