Nearly 2.3 million veterans work in federal, state and local posts. Nearly one in 10 veterans employed today works for a freight or transportation firm, almost double the rate of civilians. At U.S. rail companies, one in five employees is likely to be a veteran. According to Department of Labor statistics, more than 800,000 veterans have found work as maintenance and installation technicians, plumbers and electricians, telecommunications specialists, automotive repairmen and other craft workers. Department of Labor statistics also show that protective service jobs have grown by 35 percent over the last decade.