At IBS, a general supports the troops

Las Vegas -- Retired U.S. Army General George Casey, a member of the Home Builders Institute's board of directors, was the first speaker at the opening ceremony of the International Builders' Show.

He immediately asked the question on everyone's mind. "What the heck is a general doing on the board of the Home Building Institute?" he asked. It turns out, there are thousands of reasons.

The retired general pointed to statistics showing 150,000 unfilled skilled positions in the home-building industry. And then he pointed to the number of unemployed veterans -- 500,000, he said, with 40% of that having service in recent conflicts.

"We can do better than that as a country," Casey said.

To a standing ovation, the general introduced three veterans who have benefited from HBI training programs that turn former soldiers into builders.

The Home Builders Institute is the workforce development arm of the National Association of Home Builders.