Not long ago I was meeting with a local official in my area of Nevada. During the discussion on veterans and employment I shared my concerns that too many veterans with incredible experience, education and skills were either unemployed or underemployed. I was not ready for what came next.
The discussion turned immediately to community
programs and initiatives that helped veterans that had hit bottom. She suggested I talk to the person putting
together the newest veteran jobs program.
You know, the kind of program that helps homeless veterans get cleaned
up, clothed, and any job paying minimum wage.
Perplexed, I asked my friend, “What
comes to mind when you think of a veteran?” Her response was immediate, “A homeless person
under a bridge.”
“Wow,” I thought to
myself, “That stereotype explains a lot of what veterans encounter here.” Unfortunately,
I have learned she is not alone. In fact, that kind of thinking is pervasive, and
when elected leaders don’t see the whole picture, it shows up in programs and
policies that directly affect veterans.
The creators of the website WalletHub.com[i]
figured out that in some cities veterans thrive and in other cities veterans
struggle to survive. They realize there
are many factors that impact a veteran’s success in a community and worked with
a group of veterans’ advocates to develop a list of 100 cities that are the Best and Worst Cities for Veterans.
Cities
were judged based on criteria that measure conditions for veterans, such as
percentage of military-skill jobs in the economy, unemployment rate, income
growth, percentage of veterans living below the poverty line, and percentage of
veterans per capita. Those measurements
provide a comprehensive assessment of economic and financial conditions are
like for veterans.
The top five cities in the survey are Irvine, CA; Scottsdale, AZ; Raleigh, NC; Orlando,
FL; and Gilbert, AZ. The bottom five are
Miami, FL; Boston, MA; Hialeah, FL; Newark, NJ; and Detroit. MI.
Wallethub.com’s took a smart approach to
measuring what works for veterans. For
public officials that make the mistake of only focusing on troubled veterans,
the list is a reminder that concerns for veterans go beyond those involving
PTSD and homelessness.
The best cities are
those that consider the needs of all veterans, not just those who are in crisis.
Hopefully, when my friend reads this
survey, it will encourage a broader perspective when looking to address the
concerns of veterans.
[i] Benardo, Richie, 2015 Best and Worst Cities for Veterans, https://wallethub.com/edu/best-and-worst-cities-for-veterans/8156/
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