While growing up, I was told that when you join the military you get to learn everything. For example, if you don't know how to drive, they teach you how to drive. But just because you get to "be all you can be" doesn't mean that you are qualified to get a job in the civilian world. The certificates earned for different military work are not really accepted in the civilian world.

For this reason, the Senate has introduced a bill called the Hiring Heroes Act of 2011, that would make job training mandatory before returning war veterans can leave the military. The chief sponsor of the bill, Senator Patty Murray, says this is a step forward in rethinking how we treat the men and women in uniform after they leave the military, citing incidents of suicide, trouble at home, substance abuse, and rising homelessness among returning war veterans.

The departing service members would learn job search skills, career decision-making, labor market conditions and trends, interviewing techniques and resume writing.

At the moment, there is a program called Transition Assistance, but it is voluntary and only a third of those leaving the Army actually sign up for it.

There is no guarantee that the bill will become law. A second hearing for this bill was to take place earlier this month.