Peduto’s program promises veterans better future

Mayor Bill Peduto launched a new initiative this month to help Pittsburgh's veterans rejoin the workforce and transition to civilian life. The initiative combines Homefront Pittsburgh and the Veterans in Economic Communities Initiative (VECI). The VECI selected Pittsburgh, which has one of the highest veteran populations in the United States, as one of 50 cities involved in building economic bridges between veterans and the organizations eager to work with them.

“The greatest barriers returning veterans face are translating their skills, establishing their professional credentials, and finding quality work — jobs that honor their service and put their military experience to good use. By leveraging national resources to advance local goals, Pittsburgh can be a model city for transitioning veterans and military families,” Peduto stated in the official press release announcing the program.

The Tartan is pleased to see Mayor Peduto and Pittsburgh taking a stand for veterans, one of the most important but also most neglected and mistreated factions of the population. It's absurd how difficult it can be for many veterans to get hired after ending their service. Military service provides people with unique skills and experiences that should translate to civilian jobs rather than keep veterans from them.

While Homefront Pittsburgh and VECI could have easily stuck to positive rhetoric and grown stagnant when it came to real action, the program seems extensive and well-planned. It began encouragingly this week with a free monthlong professional writing course through the Bakery Square Google offices' Learning Hub. Learning how to communicate effectively is a skill vital to the job search, especially in regard to writing resumes and cover letters. This professional writing course will likely greatly assist veterans in finding good jobs and performing well in the workplace.

The Tartan hopes Homefront Pittsburgh will continue to take measures to improve the lives of this city's veterans. They served our country, and now we should serve them.