Local reservist one of growing number of unemployed veterans

By Cindy Ward (ward@wsbt.com)

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Unemployed veterans

Lance Corporal Jeremy Frye, a reservist with South Bend-based Marine Company B, is pictured in Iraq in 2006. Laid-off since August 2008, Frye is one of a growing number of veterans hit hard by the economy. (WSBT file photo)

By Beth Boehne

Story Created: Apr 30, 2009 at 2:10 PM EST

Story Updated: May 5, 2009 at 11:11 AM EST

SOUTH BEND — The economic downturn has hit workers across the board. But one group has even higher unemployment numbers. The Labor Department reported the jobless rate for veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan is over 11 percent — higher than the 8.8 percent for non-veterans.

The report does not break out the number for reservists, but it's no doubt higher than the general population, too.

Just ask Lance Corporal Jeremy Frye, a reservist with South Bend-based Marine Company B. Company B was deployed to Iraq in 2006 and Jeremy Frye was with them.

"We were hunting IEDs and disposing of them, making the roads a lot safer for other convoys, civilian convoys coming through and other troops,” he told WSBT News.

It was one of the most dangerous jobs over there, and Jeremy enjoyed it.

"It's what we signed up to do,” he said. “You become a Marine to actually go out there and see combat. So I actually got to do my job and put my skills to work."

The tensest moment came when a corporal on a rooftop with Jeremy was shot by a sniper.

"You really don't think,” Frye explained. “I mean, adrenaline kicks in and you go right back to your training. Your training kicks in and you take care of the Marine and you just, without thinking, you automatically know what to do."

It was all clear back then. It's a little different now.

Jeremy has been laid off since last August. He had a job at Starcraft bus, but then American Axle went on strike.

"We couldn't get parts to build the buses and everything, so they just had to start laying people off and wait for the parts to come in, so production just slowed down,” he said.

He's been looking for a job ever since. He's done some part time construction work and taken some active duty time.

Jeremy says, with some employers, being a reservist doesn't help.

"A lot of employers, they need someone that's going to be there all the time, you know,” he said.

Reservists have to train. Jeremy says that can mean leaving work early on some days. And if you're deployed, Jeremy says your job or a similar job has to be there when you get back.

"A lot of people like to hire vets, but then a lot of people are just kind of uneasy and unsure about it,” Frye added.

Jeremy is headed to Afghanistan next. He leaves in July for a year. It's a voluntary deployment. Jeremy says he's going because of the economy. If it's still bad when he gets back, he says he'll go active duty full time.

"Where I know money's going to be coming in and there's not going to be layoffs or anything like that,” he explained.

And Jeremy's not alone. All military branches, both active and reserve, met or exceeded their recruiting goals in January, February and March.

Join us every Thursday at 6 p.m. as we introduce you to someone coping with unemployment. Here on WSBT.com you can read their stories, plus find resources to help you and your family, friends or neighbors.

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