HOUSTON – After serving a tour of duty and coming home to parades, many veterans fight another battle -- unemployment. It is estimated that the unemployment rate for military veterans is 12.1 percent nationwide.
"I wake up every morning looking to put food on the table," veteran Jake Beard said. "That is my battle."
The "Hiring Our Heroes" job fair targeted both veterans and military spouses.
Those who attended had to opportunity to meet face-to-face with recruiters from 66 companies such as CenterPoint Energy, Home Depot and many others.
The program was created by a 20-year veteran, along with the United States Chambers of Commerce.
Already, a countless number of service men and women are grateful for the opportunity to serve once again.
"I'm trainable. I can adapt and overcome. It's kind of cliche in the military, but it truly is what we bring to the table," said Capt. Heather Bozeman with the United States Army.
Three more job fairs targeting veterans and their spouses will be held in Houston in April, August and December.
For more information, head to the "Hiring Our Heroes" website.