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First Lady Michelle Obama Talks Up Hiring Veterans in Orlando

United States Marine Corps via Flickr

Michelle Obama acknowledged the commitments of large employers like Disney and Walmart to hire veterans. But she said not every community has a large employer, making small and mid-sized businesses as important.

"So companies like yours can actually hire veterans where they and their families live", said Obama. "And remember, you don't have to be a Disney or a Walmart and hire hundreds of thousands of people to make a difference."

The Veterans Institute drew about 500 for panel discussions on the unique skills veterans bring to the workforce and challenges that might hinder their hiring. More than two million troops have deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan since the 9-11 terrorist attacks.

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