Texas was given a $750,000 federal grant from the U.S. Department of Labor to help U.S. veterans find jobs when they come home.
Along with Georgia, Illinois and North Carolina, the grant will reach out to active-duty soldiers within 90 days of their return from the Army, Texas Army National Guard and the Army Reserve.
The Texas Veterans Commission and the Texas Workforce Commission formed the pilot project with the State of Texas Soldier Employment Initiative (STSEI) this year.
STSEI offers workforce assistance in four Texas offices, including one at Camp Mabry in Austin.
One part of the grant is the TX-Vet program. With unemployment at 12 percent for veterans between 25 and 34, and 29 percent for those under 24, the TX-Vet program aims to put vets to work.
TX-Vet is sponsored by Wal-Mart and helps veterans under 34 get back into the workforce, whether they are underemployed or unemployed. The program is offered in San Antonio, Dallas, El Paso, Fort Worth, Houston and Killeen.