Nearly one-third of the federal government's new hires in fiscal 2014 were veterans – a record high, according to the administration.

About 33.2 percent of new agency hires were veterans – up from 31 percent in fiscal 2013 and the highest in the more than five years since the establishment of the Veterans Employment Initiative, according to the administration.

Veterans Affairs Secretary Bob McDonald said veterans possess character, team-building skills and discipline, which make them great federal employees.

"Those traits don't stop when we take off the uniform. They transfer into the workplace and help their businesses grow and succeed," McDonald said. "For us in VA, where more than a third of our employees are veterans, that means providing better outcomes and better service to their fellow veterans."

The Veterans Employment Council, made up of agencies across government and tasked with increasing veteran hiring, has also included diversity goals in its strategic plan, according to the administration. Catherine Emerson, the chief human capital officer at the Department of Homeland Security, will also lead a working group to assess the hiring of women veterans.

"I am confident that together this Council is doing what is needed to achieve the President's objectives and establish the foundation for ongoing and sustainable progress for our veterans for years to come,'' said OPM Director Katherine Archuleta, who is Vice-Chair of the Council.

Tom Perez, the secretary of Labor, said veterans embody the finest qualities of military tradition and demonstrate great character when standing up for American workers and their families.

"Breaking down silos across the government and coming together to explore innovative strategies to boost veterans' ranks within our agencies not only helps us honor the men and women who protect our nation with good jobs, but leads to more dependable, professional, and conscientious government services for the American people," he said.

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