Agency Confronts Hurdles in Helping Veterans Match Military Skills to Civilian Jobs
July 2, 2012
Malcolm Byrd got out of the Marine Corps in 2003 and found work, first in a General Motors factory and then with a nonprofit group. But four months ago, he lost his job because of government budget cuts and has been job hunting since.
Telling potential employers that he was a Marine supply clerk who managed millions of dollars in Kevlar helmets and folding cots does not seem to have helped him find the management job he is seeking.
"I could run a warehouse, but they don't put that on your DD-214," said Mr. Byrd, 38, referring to the official document troops receive upon leaving service. "You do get skills in the military, but people don't seem to understand that."