This Memorial Day roughly 1 million veterans were looking for jobs. The 11.5% unemployment rate for post-9/11 veterans last year was well above the national average. And more than a quarter of the veterans between the ages of 18 and 24 are currently without work.

What can be done for these valiant men and women who answered our nation's call to duty? For its part, the U.S. Chamber launched its Hiring Our Heroes program. It has two goals— better coordinating public and private sector efforts to help veterans and their spouses find jobs and developing a network of mentors in the business community to help veterans transition to the civilian workforce.

Over the next year, Hiring Our Heroes will work with local chambers of commerce, the administration, and the National Guard and Reserve to connect 100,000 veterans with more than 1,000 different employers during 100 hiring fairs across the country. The first hiring fair took place in Chicago, bringing together more than 125 employers and 1,200 veterans and their spouses. About 150 of them will end up with new jobs.

We have also created strategic partnerships in three other areas to deal with specific populations of veterans and their unique challenges. They are a Wounded Warrior Transition Assistance Program, a Student Veterans Internship and Employment Program, and a Women Veteran and Military Spouse Employment Program.

For this initiative to succeed, local communities must be the cornerstone of any national program to reduce veterans' unemployment. The reason is simple: When veterans and their families are transitioning out of the military, their top priority is getting back to a local community. By targeting resources where we know veterans are and want to be, we can be that much more effective.

We must also look for innovative ways to assist transitioning veterans. This includes helping them launch a small business, providing vocational education and apprenticeships, improving and expediting certification and licensing, and enhancing the availability of internships and mentoring programs.

Why is the Chamber devoting significant resources to helping veterans and their spouses find jobs? As Martin Luther King Jr. once said, "The time is always right to do what is right." Beyond that, businesses of all sizes have an urgent need for skilled workers, even with our 9.0% unemployment rate. Veterans can help fill this skills gap with their unique leadership experience, technical expertise, and problem-solving skills.

As we celebrate the heroic accomplishments and tremendous sacrifices made by our veterans, we must always remember that their contributions don't end when they stop wearing the uniform. Visit www.uschamber.com/veterans to learn more.