Corporate America has been on a mission to hire unemployed veterans. Chains from Starbucks to Walmart have rolled out special veteran hiring programs. 

Anthony Wayne Ford, a veteran from the Vietnam War era who was laid off from his job painting apartments earlier this year, is skeptical about companies targeting veterans. He believes that certain initiatives targeting veterans are simply "good PR for their companies." 

But some corporate executives disagree, saying publicity isn't the main factor driving these hiring campaigns. "This is about good business," says one corporate executive. 

This year, major corporations like Walmart have announced the hiring of 100,00 veterans in the next five years. Starbucks also recently announced that it would hire 10,000 veterans. 

Do veteran hiring programs make a difference? What are some advantages or fall backs of such initiatives? Are veterans in the same boat as other Americans when it comes to jobs and the unemployment rate? What are your thoughts on veteran hiring programs? 

KPCC's Josie Huang examines the impact of these initiatives.