Checking in on the 'New Jobless'

Lynette Mendez and her three adult children were all in the process of joining the U.S. Army in the winter. It was a way for the close-knit family to gain some financial stability and, for the kids, to get out of Holyoke, Mass. But as a result of their Army ambitions, the family has been split apart by its economic troubles.

Both of Mendez's sons have graduated from basic training, and her oldest, Samuel Morales, is already stationed in Korea. Her younger son, Ezxavier Morales, has more skill training to complete before he is stationed. Cheramie, her youngest child, is in the Army Reserve and is scheduled for basic training. But Mendez says her daughter has lost interest in the Army and doesn't know what she'll do.

Mendez herself is still trying to push through the paperwork so she can join. "It seems that it is an uphill battle," she says. In the meantime, her job woes remain the same: She has had some temporary work but struggles to find anything permanent.

NEXT: Bonnie Loo: Expanding her search