For six months now, veterans have been employed at higher rates than nonveterans, federal labor statistics show.

The unemployment rate for veterans of all service periods was 3.1 percent in November, compared to a 3.4 percent unemployment rate for nonveterans. Post-9/11 veterans also posted a 3.4 percent unemployment rate, on par with their civilian counterparts. This rate rose slightly from 3.1 percent over the previous month, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Experts warn against putting too much stock in the monthly employment figures, especially for veterans, whose data is drawn from a much smaller sample size than the overall population. Still, annual averages show a downward movement since 2010, when veteran unemployment in the 21st century was at its peak, and so far, the 11-month average for 2018 continues that trend.

The U.S. unemployment rate remained unchanged at 3.7 percent in November, while the nation added about 155,000 jobs, primarily in the health care, manufacturing, transportation and warehousing fields.

Military Times contributor and former reporter Natalie Gross hosts the Spouse Angle podcast. She grew up in a military family and has a master's degree in journalism from Georgetown University.

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