INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Military service members, veterans and their families are about to get some needed help from a partnership among state and federal agencies and Purdue University.

The Indiana National Guard announced Tuesday that an initiative called Joining Community Forces Indiana will help provide resources to community groups across the state to help military members and veterans find jobs and gain financial literacy and assistance.

Bureau of Labor and Statistics data showed Gulf War II-era male veterans aged 25 to 34 had a 7.5 percent unemployment rate last year, compared with 6.3 percent for their civilian counterparts. Female veterans had a 9.0 percent jobless rate, compared to 4.8 percent for civilians.

The initiative’s partners include Purdue’s Military Family Research Institute, the Indiana Department of Veteran Affairs and federal agencies.