The historical average rate (after an adjustment for inflation) is roughly 3.25 to 3.5 percent.

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And the timing could not be more critical, what with the unemployment rate for young military veterans having recently risen as high as 27 percent (nearly three times the national average) and CBS News 60 Minutes reporting that the difficult adjustment to work and home-life, plus present economic realities, are contributing to a growing homelessness rate among veterans.

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