The latest jobless figures show a slight drop in the nation’s unemployment rate. The rate fell from 10.2 in October to 10 percent for November. However, the unemployment rate for veterans continue to soar above the national average.

Veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have an unemployment rate of 11.6 percent, which is well above the national average. Experts suspect a lack of job training and experience filling out applications and resumes hinders vets on their job search.

There is help out there for those who fought bravely to defend our country. The only problem is many veterans don’t know where to turn or how to get started. There are 91 One-Stop Career Centers in Florida, each with a staff member trained in matching veterans with state and federal assistance programs. There are also concessions for unemployed veterans seeking taxpayer funded jobs.

According to AWI Spokesman Robby Cunningham, “under Florida’s law public employers are required to give certain preferences to veterans in the job hiring process.” Private businesses also receive a tax credit of 24-hundred dollars if they hire a veteran.

Employers can use the search engine on the Employ Florida Marketplace website to view resumes from unemployed veterans. The website is www.employflorida.com