Returning soldiers face new adversary

0 Comments | Register-Guard (Eugene, OR), August, 2004

Byline: Karen McCowan The Register-Guard

It was a recipe for trouble.

Although federal law aims to protect the civilian jobs of soldiers called to active duty, hundreds of Oregonians went to war during a recession that forced many companies to lay off workers.

As the state's economy reabsorbs the first 500 returning Iraq War veterans, dozens of soldiers have come home to problems with their jobs - or no job at all.

The veteran's program at the U.S. Department of Labor's Oregon office has already received 30 complaints involving Oregon reservists and National Guard members so far this year. That's up from an average of 23 per year the previous three years.

Given the size of recent deployments, military and labor officials say...