Job fair offers vocations for veterans

Army veterans Bryce Sanman, 24, left, and Richard Sheldon, 23, talk about job opportunities at OMSI at Thursday’s job fair. Sanman and Sheldon served in Iraq together. (Steven Lane/The Columbian)

Army veterans Bryce Sanman, 24, left, and Richard Sheldon, 23, talk about job opportunities at OMSI at Thursday’s job fair. Sanman and Sheldon served in Iraq together. (Steven Lane/The Columbian)

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About 40 employers attended Thursday’s job fair in search of veterans to hire. Former armed forces personnel were also able to tap into the state WorkSource program’s database, which lists more than 500 openings across Clark County. (Steven Lane/The Columbian)

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Army veteran Greg Berry hands out resumes at a job fair held at the new Armed Forces Reserve Center. (Steven Lane/The Columbian)

About 120 job seekers gathered to learn about openings from some 40 employers at a veterans job fair Thursday in Vancouver. Sponsored by Vancouver WorkSource and hosted by the Washington Army National Guard, the fair was one of dozens of similar events across the U.S. after a number of governors — including Washington’s — declared November Hire-a-Vet Month. An estimated 240,000 veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars are unemployed nationwide, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ October report. Congress on Wednesday approved legislation aimed at getting veterans back to work.

Photos by Steven Lane/The Columbian

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