Many veterans of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have come back from abroad unable to find work related to their skill sets. Earlier this year, First-Lady Michelle Obama and Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, called state governors to assist veterans in obtaining civilian careers. Some states have already implemented legislation, and more are planning to follow suit.
According to ABC affiliate WJLA, Maryland is the latest state to recently pass legislation assisting veterans in making the transition from military service to civilian life. The Veterans Full Employment Act allows veterans and their spouses to keep their professional certifications and licenses when moving into the state. The new law also requires state public colleges and universities to create academic credit policies for appropriate military education and training.
At the end of March, almost 783,000 veterans were unemployed and roughly one million service men and women are projected to leave the military within the next few years, according to the White House.
Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley believes the act will help the veteran unemployment rate and create a stronger state community.
"We're here for a very important reason and that is to do right by our veterans and our military families who have done so very, very much for us," O'Malley said at the signing ceremony.
