Of the 18 million military veterans living in America today, about one-fourth of them with a service-connected disability. For post 9/11 veterans, that percentage increases to 41 percent. With Veterans Day 2019 approaching, our attention turned to what state services are available to these brave men and women who served our country. The National Conference of State Legislatures recently released a report, “A Path to Employment for Veterans with Disabilities.” It examines an extensive array of employment services and benefits designed to improve the lives of military veterans with disabilities.

State legislatures are taking actions to assist veterans with disabilities, who often face obstacles when they compete and apply for jobs. Our guests outline several state actions, including employment preferences, career development, job placement, apprentice programs, on-the-job training, occupational licensing and tax incentives for employers.

Our guests today are Jim Reed and Jennifer Schultz, the authors of this report. They both staff the Military and Veterans Affairs Task Force at NCSL.

• Transcription of Episode 78