As the nation pauses to reflect on the sacrifices its veterans have made, there is still a question looming for troops as they return home: What opportunities are available to them as they adjust to civilian life?While unemployment among veterans who joined the armed forces after Sept. 11, 2001, dropped in 2014 to 7.2 percent from 9 percent in 2013, the rate remains higher than the civilian population, which dropped to 5.6 percent by year-end 2014.
One avenue to decreasing unemployment among veterans is access to education.
Ryan Bissing, a former Air Force staff sergeant who enrolled at Park University in early 2013, told the Military Times, “If you really want to get anywhere and be successful in the civilian sector, you need a degree under your belt.”
As such, Military Times has released its 2016 list of the best four-year universities for veterans, and two New Jersey institutions appear on the list, both cresting the Top 10:
Rutgers University appears at No. 5, with Stockton University just behind at No. 6.
“Stockton is proud that its Veterans Affairs program, which serves over 600 veterans and active-duty service members, is recognized by Military Times as one of the Top 10 institutions in the country,” said Stockton’s interim president, Harvey Kesselman. “Our student veterans lead the region with veteran graduation rates at over 96 percent.”
Similarly, Military Friendly, a division of Victory Media, released a list of the Top 100 companies that offer opportunities for returning veterans. According to the list, 15 of them offer opportunities for veterans in New Jersey while six are headquartered in the state.
They are:
- ADP;
- Honeywell;
- Merck;
- Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield;
- Prudential; and
- PSEG.
For the full list of employers, visit Military Friendly.
For the full list of universities, visit Military Times.
