Mark Pryor

I would hope that you could look into this.

We really appreciate what SBA does, and we know that keying in on the veterans' needs... is really going to pay big dividends for everybody.

So we've gone through this discussion, and I know that some of this may have prompted other ideas or suggestions or stories on your part.

You're focusing on a very important segment of the U.S. economy and a very important part of Arkansas' economy.

One of the things we're trying to do is get that unemployment rate down with our Guard and Reserve folks and also try to open opportunities, either professional opportunities, starting your own business, credentialing opportunities, and…

I try to do a small business savings account, like an IRA

I'd like to thank you, first of all, for helping us with the Arkansas State ROTC program. Thank you very much for saving it for another year.

You know, those guys in the Arkansas Guard are great, because back home, they're plumbers and welders and school teachers and electricians and car mechanics. There's really nothing they can't do.

Senator Pryor has really encouraged us to take a good hard look at that

Thank you again, Senator, for your service, as always, and this opportunity.

It is critically important that... the DOD and VA are already providing education assistance to our service members and veterans.

Let me ask you, if I can, Ms. Hulit, about your announcement today.

Let me ask a follow-up on that, if I can. I know that all of you have gone to the SBA for one thing or another.

We just appreciate everything that our veterans have done for our nation.

Veteran employment is a very important issue, because it's a challenge for the country.

That's right. Let me also ask, if I may--I know that Ms. Roderick has mentioned before to me and other contacts, and I've heard a couple of other people say it as well today, about having a good mentor.

I know, Ms. Nelson, you mentioned something that you have--I think it's Boots to Business--at Little Rock Air Force Base.

Senator Landrieu has been a tremendous leader on that

The notion of moving warriors to entrepreneurs--I don't know who coined that, but I think that is a really good combination of words.

I actually met with a business owner earlier today, and he said he hires veterans.

I have a couple of them here in the room with me right now. But one thing I've noticed is that when you hire a veteran, they want to hire other veterans.

But are you seeing numbers increase out there? Are you seeing more and more people participate?

One of the initiatives that you're trying to set aside a savings plan for the veterans.

We need to think about that. All the veterans know this, but in the world of the military, there's the active component, the active duty folks, and then there's the reserve component, which is Guard and Reserve.

Access to capital is also something that's absolutely critical