Bret Michaels Salute To Veterans

Bret Michaels salute to Veterans. It's not just a post for Bret - it's part of who he is...watch this video message to all Veterans.

We showed this video to all of our #veterans at the annual "I Thank You" Luncheon at Andiamo - click here to check out photos from the event. 

Of course we saw first hand how much Bret loves our military with the first Parti Gras show at Pine Knob earlier this year. Some amazing photos from our friend Robert Bruce really captured the moment. 

That's why we say this is more than just a celebrity recording a message. Bret Michaels salute to Veterans comes from the heart.

And there are a LOT of businesses around #Detroit saluting Veterans today (Saturday)

1.  There are a lot of deals for past and present service people at chain restaurants, including Buffalo Wild Wings . . . Carrabba's . . . Chili's . . . Dunkin' . . . Outback . . . Peet's Coffee . . . Starbucks . . . and even White Castle.

Most of them just ask you to flash your military ID.  (Here's one list . . . and there's more, here.)

2.  A recent survey of U.S. military veterans asked about the biggest NON-HEALTH-RELATED challenges in transitioning to civilian life, and finding a job was the clear #1.

Other common responses were:  Parting ways with military friends . . . finding a new purpose . . . and adjusting to the absence of familiar routine and structure.

3.  A lot of service people are worried about jobs, skills, and education upon leaving the military . . . so this is good news:

The "Wall Street Journal" says companies have been lining up to hire the roughly 200,000 people who leave the military each year.  The last jobs report showed the unemployment rate for former service members is 2.9%.  That's a full point LOWER than the overall U.S. rate.

Companies that recruit from the armed forces say the appeal of vets is rooted in hard work, humility, and attention to detail.

4.  According to Pew Research, there are more than 18 million living veterans in the U.S., which is about 6% of the country's adult population.

That means the share of the U.S. population with military experience has declined.  In 1980, about 18% of U.S. adults were veterans.