While Oregon's economy is recovering from the recession, it's still challenging for veterans to find jobs. Wednesday more than a dozen employers and hundreds of veterans gathered for a job fair at the Eugene Hilton.
Jamie Broady served in the Army National Guard during the 1990s. She just completed a Master's degree in creative writing and is looking for a part time customer service job. Broady says she wishes more employers took the needs of veterans, and women, into consideration when hiring.
Broady: "I'm a single mom, so I'm also balancing being a mother and the responsibilities of parenthood with work life and my other responsibilities. It would be nice if there was some flexibility built in."
Broady says skills she acquired while in the National Guard do help when looking for a job, but she would like to see more employers engaging with veterans looking for work.
Thirteen companies participated in the job fair organized by St. Vincent de Paul.
In 2014 Oregon had a 7.1 percent veteran unemployment rate, almost two percentage points higher than the national rate.