The last of the U-S troops are now returning from Iraq.

Once home they’re likely to end up joining thousands of other veterans looking for work in a bleak job market.

Despite government incentives to get companies to hire vets, unemployment among vets is still higher than civilians.

The youngest veterans struggle the most.

Twenty-two year old Courtney Selig went into the military to better herself.

"I joined for educational purposes. I wasn't able to afford college on my own and I knew that by joining the service there were things like the GI Bill that could pay for my school."

The state’s unemployment rate fell one tenth of a percent in November.  The current rate of 5.2 percent, seasonally adjusted, came with strong growth in the retail sector.

The jobs that come with selling stuff delivered over 3,000 new jobs in November and strictly speaking, more than just Christmas shopping drove the numbers.  Seasonal  adjustments are designed to filter out that sort of impact.

Administrative and office support services were another bright spot.  On the down side, jobs in tourism and manufacturing took the biggest hits.