Female Vets Struggling to Find Work
By:
Updated: October 30, 2012
Denise Chastain is proud of the 20 years she served in the U.S. Air Force before retiring in 2004 and settling down in White Hall.
But at age 49, living off of her retirement and her late husband's workman's compensation benefits, she is struggling to find fulltime work.
"They were always saying the military would take care of me for the rest of my life," said said recalling her conversations with patients at the military hospitals where she worked. "And now I'm here 28 years later saying the same thing."
Chastain is not alone.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports nearly one in five female veterans is out of work, a figure that's twice as high as male veterans.
Determining why these numbers are so disproportionately high for female ex-servicemembers may require further study.
"I'm not sure we really have figured out the exact reason why but it's certainly a good research topic for many of us to consider," said Taco Williams, Vice President of Programs for ARVETS.
The public-private partnership in North Little Rock works with veterans to help them make the transition into civilian jobs.
Chastain, who has only been able to find seasonal work preparing taxes, said she believes some employers are intimidated by career military female veterans.
"I think we have too much experience and people are afraid we're going to go in there and walk all over them," she said.
But at age 49, living off of her retirement and her late husband's workman's compensation benefits, she is struggling to find fulltime work.
"They were always saying the military would take care of me for the rest of my life," said said recalling her conversations with patients at the military hospitals where she worked. "And now I'm here 28 years later saying the same thing."
Chastain is not alone.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports nearly one in five female veterans is out of work, a figure that's twice as high as male veterans.
Determining why these numbers are so disproportionately high for female ex-servicemembers may require further study.
"I'm not sure we really have figured out the exact reason why but it's certainly a good research topic for many of us to consider," said Taco Williams, Vice President of Programs for ARVETS.
The public-private partnership in North Little Rock works with veterans to help them make the transition into civilian jobs.
Chastain, who has only been able to find seasonal work preparing taxes, said she believes some employers are intimidated by career military female veterans.
"I think we have too much experience and people are afraid we're going to go in there and walk all over them," she said.
Comments
My 32 year old daughter is in her 15th year of military service...1/2 on full active duty and the rest in the Guard ...despite all of her skills ,training, and education potential employers are stand-offish because they are afraid she might miss work due to her military committment. Very foolih ,self-centered people.
Peter D.
October 30, 2012 at 5:15 pm
