(From UNC Kenan-Flagler) -- For the first time in a generation, hundreds of thousands of men and women are leaving the U.S. armed forces as war veterans. They have served our country with honor and dignity, and are poised to enter or re-enter the civilian labor force.

Their military experience offers employers valuable knowledge and skills—yet a disproportionate numbers of these heroes are unemployed when compared to the civilian population. Some 263,000 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans were jobless in May, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The unemployment rate of nearly 13 percent for these veterans is well above the national average of 8 percent. Veterans between the ages of 18 and 24 are having a particularly difficult time finding employment; the jobless rate for this group is approximately 30 percent, well above the 16 percent jobless rate for the same-age civilian population (Curtis, 2012).

Many employers who hire veterans do so at first because of a well-placed sense of patriotic duty. They simply want to assist and thank those who have served our country. HR and talent management professionals, however, quickly discover that hiring veterans is not only good for the country but good for their companies as well.

This white paper:

• Offers reasons why HR and talent management professionals should recruit and hire veterans.

• Provides an overview of some government incentives offered to employers who hire veterans.

• Discusses challenges HR and talent management professionals may encounter when hiring veterans and offers suggestions to overcome those challenges.

• Offers resources, suggestions and tips to HR and talent management professionals wishing to recruit, hire and employ veterans.

• Highlights three organizations that have successfully developed and implemented programs for hiring veterans.

Read more.