General Electric on February 13 announced plans to put veterans to work at its facilities. The company will hire 5,000 vets over five years.

Unemployment among veterans is higher than among non-veterans, according to statistics from the Department of Veterans Affairs - the national unemployment rate fell to 8.3 percent in January, while unemployment among post-9/11 veterans remains above 9 percent. GE's new "Hiring Our Heroes" initiative will bring in veterans to help expand the company, GE executives said.

GE will host roughly 400 veterans jobs fairs during 2012. The company also plans to ramp up its manufacturing efforts over the coming years. About $580 million will be invested in three new manufacturing plants, with an eventual goal of opening or refurbishing a total of 16 plants. Executives hope these investments will create up to 12,000 new jobs.

In his new budget proposal for 2013, President Barack Obama has included $1 billion over five years for a Veterans Job Corps. This proposal would put 20,000 veterans to work refurbishing public land. The VA section of the budget includes more than $140 billion in various veterans benefits.

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