Joseph Sharpe, director of the American Legion's economic division, says, "My first reaction is it that it sounds like a positive step as far as getting veterans hired." With the drawdown of U.S. military forces expected to put more veterans in the job market,  "We've been very supportive...of any attempt to accelerate the hiring of veterans," Sharpe adds.

He says, "We don't know all the details of how this is going to be implemented. We don't know if it's going to be an undue burden on  those  contractors because of that, but our general attitude towards the [rule] appears to be positive."

Sherman Gillums, Jr., Paralyzed Veterans of America associate executive director of veterans benefits, says, "It's always positive whenever the federal government takes steps to bring greater awareness to the issue of veteran unemployment, particularly as it impacts disabled veterans."

But Gillums says that "what we worry about is whether these veterans who ostensibly benefit from these new rules get the types of jobs that...represent a competitive career placement or they won't be laid off in times of [federal  budget] sequestrations."

He adds, "You've got contractors who already are having a tough time, in the wake of sequestration, securing contracts...." Gillums says that as contractors try to meet the new Labor Dept. hiring goals, "I'm afraid, as a disabled-veteran advocate, that veterans wojn't be hired into the types of jobs that are meaningful."

Story updated on Aug. 30 with comments from American Legion and Paralyzed Veterans of America officials.