The Trump administration on Thursday announced that it would offer jobs to veterans who have post-disasters PTSD, including the military, as part of its efforts to bolster jobs for those recovering from post-traumatic stress disorder.
In a press release, the administration said it is working to recruit and train more than 40,000 veterans with PTSD.
The VA would provide up to $500,000 per veteran per year in salary and benefits, the press release said.
The move comes a day after the Department of Defense announced it was extending unemployment benefits to veterans and their families, which the Trump administration said would provide them with “an additional lifeline” to help them pay the bills.
The Department of Labor also announced on Thursday that it is extending benefits to thousands of veterans who lost their jobs after the November election.
Veterans have been under a federal government shutdown since Nov. 8, when Trump, a Republican, declared victory over Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in the Nov. 6 election.
Trump then declared a nationwide “national emergency” over the crisis.
The administration said that its hiring efforts would focus on veterans with post trauma symptoms who are currently experiencing post-conflict symptoms, as well as veterans who experienced a traumatic event in the past three years.
The government would also recruit and hire veterans who are able to work safely, and provide veterans with a secure environment to do so, the release said.
“These additional jobs will help our veterans get the support they need to recover and re-enter civilian life, which is critical to ensuring they are well prepared for retirement,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs David Shulkin.
“We’re committed to working with all the departments and agencies that support veterans to help veterans get back to work.”
The announcement comes just days after the Trump Administration announced that a new job for veterans in the Department for Healthcare and Education would be created.
In the announcement, the department said it will hire up to 25 veterans per year with post traumatic stress disorder to fill its “critical workforce positions.”
The announcement comes as the Trump White House struggles to gain traction in Congress as it seeks to roll back regulations, make cuts to the Environmental Protection Agency, and increase spending.
The government has struggled to attract workers with post traumas, especially veterans, as the number of veterans returning to the workforce has declined since the end of the Vietnam War.
A study released last year found that more than two-thirds of veterans surveyed said they were unable to find work because of post-combat trauma.
The Veterans Employment Development Act, signed into law in February, provides for a grant to hire veterans and eligible family members with post combat-related injuries and illness and for up to 10 years.
It provides for other incentives, including training, job placement, and job placement assistance for eligible veterans, who would also be eligible for unemployment benefits.
The Department of Veterans and Military Affairs said the VA will also be expanding its support for veterans who need additional support to get back on their feet.
The V.A. also will be providing up to three months of medical care, $100 in non-monetary assistance, up to two weeks of medical assistance for veterans receiving disability compensation, and up to 20 weeks of mental health and behavioral health services, the VA said in a statement.
The announcement is just one in a long line of moves by the Trump Department to attract veterans, including a proposal to open a veterans housing project in Maryland, and a proposal for veterans to receive a federal housing voucher.
