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Soldiers Hope Obama Plan Will Improve Job Market

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- President Barack Obama's job initiatives for veterans are drawing close interest from current soldiers.

Army Sgt. Brittnea Jones says she will be watching how they play out before deciding whether to leave the military next year. The 24-year-old Afghanistan war veteran heard the president speak Tuesday to an American Legion convention in Minneapolis.

Jones says she is encouraged by Obama's proposals, which include a push to increase federal hiring of veterans, improve college benefits for veterans and spark private-sector jobs for veterans through tax credits. But she says the job market for veterans is still concerning.

Obama says far too many veterans are unemployed. He is urging Congress to take up tax credits for companies that hire veterans after the August recess.

(© Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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