Local charities brace for troops needing help finding jobs

More than 4,000 soldiers currently stationed in Iraq will be back in North Carolina in the next few weeks.

Many of those soldiers will end up in the Charlotte area, a region with high unemployment.

Many local charities and support groups said they're expecting record numbers of veterans to need help transitioning to civilian life.

There are 250 homeless veterans in Mecklenburg County this year, according to the North Carolina Coalition to End Homelessness.

Many Iraq War veterans struggle with post-traumatic stress and drug and alcohol addictions.

"Having so many soldiers coming home in such a short period of time, does that pose an extra challenge?" asked Eyewitness News.

"Absolutely. Especially around the Christmas holidays, when you already have people going out there and competing for jobs for the holidays," said Rev. Yvonne McJetters, a local advocate for veterans.

While civilian unemployment is at nine percent nationwide, the jobless rate for military veterans is much higher, at nearly 12 percent.

"Over there you're getting a steady paycheck. Here, you're fighting paycheck to paycheck maybe. I didn't worry about money over there," said Iraq veteran Brian Riggs.

Riggs spent 15 months in Iraq before coming home last February. He said many soldiers have a tough time adjusting to a corporate job after spending years in a war zone.

"Over there you have control, here you really don't have control over everything," Riggs said.

"You're at the mercy of some boss to hire you once you come back?" asked Eyewitness News.

"Yup. And there, you have your weapon, and whatever somebody orders you to do, you pretty much do," he said.

Yvonne McJetters is a veteran herself, having served overseas during the Gulf War. She started a nonprofit organization six years ago called Yvonne's Place to help local veterans find work.

McJetters said she's prepared for dozens of phone calls from soliders by the end of this year.

Mecklenburg County Veterans Services and Goodwill's Operation Independence are other local agencies that help soldiers find jobs.

The White House anticipated that returning soldiers will have a tough time finding jobs back home.

As part of his jobs bill, President Obama offered companies a tax credit of $9,600 for each unemployed veteran they hired. But his bill was defeated in the Senate.

The number to Yvonne's Place is 704-806-7963. Messages for Operation Independence can be left at 704-916-1676.