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Sen. Kay Hagan & Sen. Scott Brown

The current operation in Libya is a reminder that American heroes are serving with courage and skill in every corner of the world.

As members of the Senate Armed Services Committee, we visit with our servicemen and -women regularly - in North Carolina and Massachusetts, but also in Afghanistan and Iraq. We are committed to working across party lines to ensure that our troops are treated with the dignity they have earned. Not just while they wear the uniform, but when they return stateside and throughout their lives.

Visiting our wounded warriors at Walter Reed Hospital here in Washington, we've listened to their stories and heard their determination to recover and contribute in the future.

But we remain concerned about the extremely high unemployment rate among our returning heroes. In February, unemployment among all veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan was 12.5 percent -almost four points higher than the national rate. It's estimated to be as high as 21 percent among our Guard and Reserve members.

With our economy just beginning to recover, many businesses may be wary of hiring a member of the Guard, only to see that person deployed overseas. Training commitments can also disrupt work schedules.

To combat this troubling unemployment trend, we have introduced the bipartisan Hire a Hero Act. This bill could provide tax credits of up to $4,000 to small businesses that hire members of the Guard and Reserve. It makes this tax credit permanent for veterans - which should give long-term confidence to businesses looking to hire veterans. It does not add to the deficit.

A coalition of U.S. companies, including Cisco, AT&T, Verizon and JPMorganChase, has now jointly pledged to hire 100,000 veterans and military personnel leaving active duty by the end of 2020. Other U.S. companies, big and small, should follow this lead.

Last week, Marines, from Camp Lejeune and Cherry Point, N.C., toiled through the night to save the American F-15 fighter crew that ejected over Libya. Mechanical problems had plagued the jet - putting the crew in extreme danger.

Those Marines took off in AV-8B Harrier fighter jets from two amphibious assault ships and streaked to the rescue in just three hours. Both the pilot and the co-pilot are now safe - and our nation is so proud.

Warriors - like the heroic Marines who rescued that F-15 pilot, and the soldiers from the Massachusetts 26th Yankee Brigade National Guard unit now deployed in Afghanistan - are our veterans of tomorrow.

We are working with our colleagues to advance the Hire a Hero Act in Congress - because connecting these returning heroes with employment opportunities is our responsibility as Americans.

Hiring veterans is not only the right thing to do; it makes good business sense for U.S. companies. They will be hiring future leaders with incredible life experiences - who know that duty, honor and a commitment to getting the job done right are more than just slogans.

When our heroes become veterans, we must ensure that their hard-earned knowledge, skills and dedication are translated into job opportunities in the civilian world.

Kay Hagan (D-N.C.) is the chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities of the Senate Armed Service Committee. Scott Brown (R-Mass.) serves as the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Airland of the Senate Armed Services Committee.