A16 From Page One veterans from A1


themilitarywillmake themmore marketable in civilian life. “That [promise]works great in


peacetime,” said Lawrence J. Korb, an assistant secretary of defense for manpower under President Ronald Reagan who is now a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress. “But that does notwork toowell inwar. . . . If you are in there four years and deployed twice, what kind of skillshave youlearnedother than counterinsurgency?” The unemployment rate for


Iraq and Afghanistan war veter- ans was 10 percent in November, compared with 9.1 percent for non-veterans, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statis- tics. Unemployment rates for combat veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have been higher than the overall rate since at least 2005, according to the bureau. Top military officials stand by


their promise, even as they ex- press concern about the unem- ployment rate of veterans. They emphasize that veterans are driv- en by patriotismand have access to an array of programs to help themfindwork, including prefer- ences for government jobs, guar- anteed interviews with large em- ployers, and tuition reimburse- ment and stipends for college. “I continue to be very worried


about the unemployment rate among our vets. They and their families have sacrificed an awful lot, and all they want in return is a chance to get back to their lives and to their dreams,” said Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The experiences of four Iraq


veterans, all attached to the same Marine reserve unit in New York, are emblematic: One is gainfully employed; he said he thinks he was hired because he is a veteran. Another hasmanaged to get part- time work after a long and diffi- cult search. A third is in school, with the help of government vet- erans benefits. And Janssen con- tinues to look for work, a process that has nourished a desire to return to active duty. “I’m hoping to get deployed,”


Janssen said. “Besideswanting to go to Afghanistan, I could use the money.” Calvin Artis, 22, joined the


Marine Corps in March 2006, when he was 17. He said he was driven by a desire to serve his country and expand his career options. “It was either that or get a job


atMcDonald’s orHomeDepot, or go back to live with my mom,” said Artis, who before enlisting earned his general equivalency diploma in the National Guard’s Youth Challenge Program, which works with high-risk youths in a quasi-military structure. But Ar- tis says his civilian job options are little improved. Three years ago, hewas patrol-


ling the streets of Fallujah, Iraq, from behind a machine gun mounted atop a Humvee. Later, he was stationed aboard a ship that cruised the Arabian and Mediterranean seas as part of a “911” force that could be quickly deployed to backup troops onthe ground. Now, Artis is bunking with his


brother’s family in southern New Jersey as he tries to sort out his future. He has twice taken the NewYorkCitypolice exam,buthe remains far down the hiring list. Meanwhile,he appliedfordozens of other jobs, at Toys ‘R’Us,Radio Shack, Wal-Mart, McDonald’s and several security firms — all carefully catalogued on a spread-


6


on washingtonpost.com Widespread unemployment among veterans


Share your stories of unemployment and/or economic hardship at washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/interactivity/middle-class.html


sheet he keeps on his laptop — but few employers responded with asmuch as a phone call. “Everybody says, ‘We support


the troops,’ ” Artis said. “But a lot of people turn away when it is time to return the favor.” In late September, he landed a


part-time job at the deli counter of Quick Chek, a sunny conve- nience store attached to a gas station in Manchester, N.J. The job pays $7.50 an hour, and Artis got it only after pestering the manager with phone calls “for the better part of a week.” Artis said he is considering


going to school and plans to return to active duty if the econo- my does not improve. “Knowing what I know now, I would have stayed in,” he said. “At least there are job security and benefits when you are in.” Analysts offer several reasons


why newly returned combat troops often struggle to find work. For one, the types of skills that troops hone during war — teamwork, mission focus, the ability to operate under extreme pressure — are often misunder-


stood or undervalued by employ- ers. In addition, more than one in


five recent combat veterans claim service-related disabilities, in- cluding post-traumatic stress dis- order. That has left veterans bur- denedwith a complicated legacy: Although the public admires their service, it also sees combat veterans as especially prone to mental illness, substance abuse and violence. Some analysts say that stigma


is one reason that veterans often earn less than comparable work- ers—a gap that lingers long after they leave active duty. If people perceive many com-


bat veterans to be troubled, they also express awillingness towork with or befriend them, saidMere- dith A. Kelykamp, a University of Maryland sociologist, who has done extensive research on pub- lic attitudes toward veterans. “A lot of peoplewhen they look


at Afghanistan and Iraq vets, the first thing they think is post-trau- matic stress,” said Janssen, add- ing that he suffers no fallout from his time in Iraq. “Is he normal?


EZ SU


KLMNO Veterans of recent wars struggle to find work


THURSDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2010


O’Donnell subject of campaign funds probe Justice Department


looks into claim money went toward rent, food


BY JERRY MARKON


AND SANDHYA SOMASHEKHAR The Justice Department is in-


vestigating whether former U.S. Senate candidate Christine O’Donnell violated federal lawby diverting campaign funds for personal use, law enforcement sources saidWednesday. The probe of the Delaware


Republican arose in response to a complaint from Citizens for Re- sponsibility and Ethics in Wash- ington. The watchdog group al- leged in September that O’Don- nell had used campaign funds for rent, meals and other personal expenses. O’Donnell stunned the politi-


PHOTOS BY JENNIFER S. ALTMAN FOR THE WASHINGTON POST Iraq veteran David Fuertes, 23, says he feels his life is on track.He plans to work for theNewYork city police after graduating from college.


cal world that month by riding a wave of tea party support to defeat veteran Rep. Michael N. Castle in theRepublican primary. But her campaign was dogged by questions about her personal and campaign finances, and a trail of controversial statements arose, including her 1999 acknowledg- ment that she had “dabbled” in witchcraft. She lost the general election to Democrat Chris Coons. The federal inquiry by the U.S.


attorney’s office in Delaware and the FBI was first reported by the Associated Press. But law en- forcement sources said it is very preliminary and has not pro- gressed to a full-fledged criminal investigation, as the AP reported. The sources spoke on condition of anonymity because the probe is ongoing. O’Donnell called the allega-


Calvin Artis, 22, who served in Iraq, landed a part-time,$7.50-an- hour job at a convenience store inManchester,N.J., in September. He applied for dozens of other jobs, but fewemployers responded.


Can he sleep at night? Is he reliable? I think that’s what em- ployers think.” Artis ruefully recalled that


during one job interview, the hiring manager turned to a col- league and, pointing at Artis, said: “Guess what he used to do? He used to shoot people.” “I just thought tomyself, ‘Real-


ly?’ ” Artis said, shaking his head. In recent years, the federal


government has bolstered aid for veterans seeking to further their education. The post-Sept. 11, 2001, GI Bill provides combat veterans more assistance with college tuition, as well as sti- pends for books and living ex- penses. Meanwhile, the Defense, Vet-


erans Affairs and Labor depart- ments offer skills training, as- sessment and other services to help veterans get jobs. Last year, President Obama signed an exec- utive order establishing offices in federal agencies responsible for identifying job opportunities for veterans. Some analysts say the educa-


tional and other benefits avail- able to veterans — including im- mediate unemployment insur- ance — are also likely contribu- tors to their high joblessness rates. “It could be they are going to


college. And it could be that they are accessing certain benefits that are available to them,” said Beth Asch, a senior economist at


the Rand Corp. “They could be more likely to go to college now because they have educational benefits that other people don’t.” To be sure, some veterans are


able to land good jobs on return- ing home. John Louis, 24, who served at Iraq’s Camp Korean Villagewith Janssen,works as an electrician’s apprentice, helping to wire new offices in a high-rise on Manhattan’s East Side. He makes about $20 an hour, and there is plenty of overtime. “I have a feeling that the only


reason I got this job is because I had the Marine Corps on my resume,” he said. David Fuertes, 23, also feels


like he is on track. The TOW missile gunner in Iraq nowdrives a tricked-out red sports car and attends St. John’s University. He also is amember of theNewYork City Police Department Cadets Corps, which is an apprentice- ship program.Once Fuertes com- pletes his degree, he plans to join the police force and, eventually, the Drug Enforcement Adminis- tration. “My Marine experience, I


wouldn’t trade it for anything,” Fuertes said. “The economy [stinks].My friends who have no high school diploma or GED, they’re stuck doing odd jobs or nothing. I look atmy friends, not to brag, but I am the most suc- cessful. Now, some of them are askingme about joining.” fletcherm@washpost.com


Push for fuel efficiency not translating into more sales autos from A1


global warming. It calls the car “innovationfor theplanet.” And President Obama, follow-


ing the government rescue of GM last year and investment in bat- tery plants around the country, has predicted a “new beginning” foradomesticindustrythatwould manufacture “the fuel-efficient cars and trucks that will carry us towards an energy-independent future.” But building more-efficient


cars andgetting consumers tobuy them are different issues. Con- sumers’ tastes are a critical factor in determining the extent to which the nation can reduce its gasoline consumption and, in turn, greenhouse gas emissions anddependency onforeignoil. In one sense, automakers have


been improving fuel efficiency for years, selling carswithever-more- efficient engines. In fact, a car purchased today is able to extract nearlytwiceasmuchpowerfroma gallonof gas as its counterpartdid


25 years ago. But those gains in efficiency


have been used to build bigger cars with more power, not save gas. The average mileage of the cars and light trucks on the road has barely budgedsince 1985. “We have the technology, but


whatconsumerschooseisanother matter,” said Gloria Bergquist, a vice president with the industry trade group Auto Alliance. “We need to get the technology out on the road.” Brendan Bell, vehicles lobbyist


for theUnion of Concerned Scien- tists, notes that consumers have scaled back their enthusiasm for the very largest SUVs and that forthcoming changes in federal fuel economy standardswill force cars in all classes to be more effi- cient. “It’s not like we are going back


towherewewere in2007,”he said. The most recent round of fuel


economy standards, which were announced earlier this year, will push carmakers to achieve an av- erage of 34 mpg by 2016 through


Percentage change in new auto sales 2009 to 2010, year to date


Cars TOTAL


Large Midsize Small


Trucks


SUVs/Crossovers Pickups Vans


Large SUVs Midsize SUVs Small SUVs


SOURCE: Autodata


annual improvements of about 4 percent. Comingupfordebateearlynext


year are the rules that would set standards through 2025, and al- readysomeenvironmentalgroups havecalledforagoalof60mpg,an


-1.7 +41.1 +11.7 THE WASHINGTON POST


achievement that could addmore than $2,000 to the cost of a car, according to some estimates. But corralling U.S. drivers into


more fuel-efficient cars can be dif- ficult, particularly because gaso- linehas remainedoff itspeakpric-


+0 +9.6 -1


+15.2 +15.5 +17.9


+19.7 +11.5% +5.8


es of 2007. When fuel prices are low, it takes longer for consumers togetareturnontheir investment in fuel-saving technologies, such ashybrids andplug-invehicles. This is true evenwhen the gov-


ernment offers asmuch as $7,500 in incentives, as it is doing for the Leaf andVolt. GMexpects to sell about 10,000


Volts this year, andNissanexpects to sell about 25,000 Leafs in the United States, a very small num- ber comparedwith themillions of sportwagonsandSUVspurchased byAmericans annually. Jackson likened the appeal of


small fuel-efficientcars tobroccoli and the fuel-gulping one to that of doughnuts. “If you are selling both, most


people are going to go for the doughnuts,” he said. “As long as youhavecheapfuel, it’shardtoget people to dowhat’s good for them and good for the country. . . . It’s beenthe same for adecade.” whoriskeyp@washpost.com


tions politically motivated and suggested Wednesday that the Obama administration — partic- ularly Vice President Biden, who representedDelaware in the Sen- ate for decades — was behind them. “Given that the king of the


Delaware political establishment just so happens to be the vice president of themost liberalpres- idential administration in U.S. history, it is no surprise that misuse and abuse of the FBI would not be off the table,” she said in a statement. O’Donnell added: “If anything


doesmaterialize fromthis rumor, we will continue to fully cooper- ate, as we have made every at- tempt to ensurewe are in compli- ance with all rules and regula- tions.” O’Donnell’s run was her third


attempt for the Senate, and ques- tions persisted this fall about whether, during her 2008 race against Biden, she had used cam- paign funds to pay for personal expenditures. Jon Moseley, who ran her pri-


mary campaign in 2008 and briefly served as treasurer, said Wednesday that the candidate was “honest to a fault” about her campaignfinances and “very cau- tious aboutdoing the right thing.” But Kristin Murray, a former


O’Donnell campaign manager, recorded a robocall to Delaware voters this year alleging that O’Donnell was “living on cam- paign donations . . .while leaving herworkers unpaid and piling up thousands in debt.” Murray de- clined to commentWednesday. O’Donnell, who has acknowl-


edged having financial problems, has saidsheusedcampaignfunds to pay part of the rent on her townhouse because it doubled as her campaign headquarters. The CREWcomplaint to feder-


al prosecutors cited an affidavit signed byDavidKeegan, a former aide to O’Donnell.He said that in 2009,O’Donnellpaidtwomonths rent out of her campaign funds, and alsoused the funds formeals, gas and a bowling outing. It is unclear if the federal


inquiry is examining O’Donnell’s 2010 Senate run, earlier cam- paigns or both. O’Donnell raised $7.3 million


for her campaign this year. She spent $6.4 million and had $925,000 left in the bank in the middle of November, federal re- ports show. Melanie Sloan, CREW’s execu-


tive director, said Wednesday that she welcomed the inquiry. “It’s quite clear that O’Donnell was misappropriating money for personal expenses,” Sloan said. “My understanding is that she treated the whole thing like her piggy bank.”


markonj@washpost.com sandhya@washpost.com


Staff writer T.W. Farnamand staff researcher Lucy Shackelford contributed to this report.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48