Statement by the President Upon Directing Expanded Efforts To Assist Returning Veterans To Find Suitable Employment.

IN THE NEXT 12 months more than three-quarters of a million young men and women will leave the Armed Forces and return to civilian life.

These veterans have served their country well. It is only right that their country serve them as well.

This administration has provided, through expanded veterans benefits, sound and substantial financing for advancing the education of those who have served in the Armed Forces. I have asked this Congress to further strengthen the educational provisions of the new GI bill, and the Congress has responded. However, not all discharged veterans choose to go back to school, and most--including many who do go to school on their return-- will be looking for work. I intend to help them find it.

Over the past year, almost 600,000 veterans reentered civilian life. The majority found work without trouble. But almost 100,000 of these fine Americans had difficulty obtaining employment. They were without work for an average of 9 weeks and received some $30 million in unemployment compensation.

We are going to do better for our veterans in the coming year.

During the past 4 months the Federal-State public employment service system has operated a pilot program in Pennsylvania which through personalized service to veterans has increased their employability.

I have today directed the Secretary of Labor, in cooperation with the Secretary of Defense, to extend this activity nationwide in order to assure each returning veteran the greatest help possible in obtaining meaningful, rewarding employment. We can do no less for our Nation's sons and daughters who have done so much for us.

The law now requires that the Federal-State operated public employment service give priority job placement assistance to veterans. I am directing that this assistance be extended beyond the confines of the employment office, and that each and every returning veteran be personally contacted by telephone or by personal visit by a representative from one of the Nation's 2,200 public employment service offices in order to ascertain his or her particular job needs.

Each veteran will be offered individually tailored job finding assistance, employment counseling and testing, and referral to training or any other service which will help him obtain employment promptly.

I have asked to be kept advised on the progress of this effort.

Many efforts are now being made to assure a smooth transition to civilian life for the returning veteran.

The Department of Defense through its "Project Transition" is undertaking, in cooperation with other Government agencies, to give returning service personnel needed training before discharge so they will be employable in civilian life.

The Labor Department assists veterans in exercising their reemployment rights under the law, and the Veterans Administration handles their educational and home loan benefits.

What we are launching today will supplement these other services to our veterans. This new effort will be advantageous to the Nation as well as richly deserved by those it is designed to help.

Returning veterans are a prime source of needed manpower. They are an answer to increasing labor shortages. Their average age is just over 22 years and more than 80 percent have a high school education or better. Many have acquired job skills in the service which are badly needed by the civilian economy.

This personalized employment assistance will serve the dual purpose of helping to fulfill our obligation to those young men and women who have served us so well while at the same time meeting a national economic need.