Disabled vets continue to struggle finding post-military employment

Disabled veterans continue to struggle to find jobs despite national efforts to help bring them back into the civilian workforce, according to a new survey released by Wounded Warrior Project on Thursday.

The report, based on responses in summer 2023 from nearly 19,000 veterans connected to the program, gives a snapshot of the continued struggles that veterans with serious injuries face years after their military service, even if their medical needs are being addressed.

Nearly 40% of veterans in the WWP survey did not have full-time work, although only about 12% are actively looking for work and would qualify for unemployment.

That figure is on par with past surveys by the group, but it sits well above the average for veterans without disabilities (around 3.6% in summer 2023) and the civilian disabled population across America (about 7.4% in summer 2023).

“Despite the unique training and skills WWP warriors receive while in the military, they still experience challenges while seeking other employment opportunities,” the report states. “Among WWP warriors currently employed, 52.2% reported at least one barrier that makes it difficult to obtain employment or change jobs.”

The news comes as President Donald Trump’s administration looks to cut back the federal workforce, traditionally a friendly environment for job-seeking veterans and disabled veterans looking for work.

According to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, the federal government employed more than 337,000 disabled veterans in fiscal 2021, about two-thirds of whom had a disability rating of 30% or more.

Whether the administration’s potential cuts will increase unemployment among wounded veterans remains unclear. The WWP report said nearly one in four veterans in their survey listed their main barrier to finding stable work as mental health issues or psychological distress, factors that exist regardless of the job market.

About 14% of those surveyed also described difficulty translating military skills to the civilian workforce, which has been a focus of numerous federal employment efforts over the last 20 years.

Related to the unemployment issues, about two-thirds of wounded veterans surveyed said they faced financial problems in the previous 12 months. Roughly 60% said they have at least $20,000 in total debt, beyond what they owe on real estate mortgages.

Officials from Wounded Warrior Project, which operates a host of outreach and advocacy programs, said they plan on using the survey results to look for ways to better serve members, including possible expansion of financial support efforts.

The full report is available on the WWP website.