Hundreds of veterans turned out Thursday at a special job fair designed to pair veterans and their spouses with local companies looking to hire.

The event, sponsored by Chesapeake Energy, was produced by RecruitMilitary.com, the country’s largest veteran job placement firm.

Lloyd Knowles, a retired airman and civil servant, waited in a long line for the opportunity to hand out his resume.

“I'm at that age where the economy is bad and I'm looking for something else to do,” said Knowles. “Everything is going up. And then Social Security and other things that you're looking forward to that you might receive, it might not be there.”

Mike Rollins, a spokesman for RecruitMilitary.com, said the companies at the job fair were specifically looking to hire qualified veterans, whose skill and experience make them attractive job candidates.

“They have that core value that corporate America is looking for. They have the drive, the dedication, the integrity,” said Rollins.

Rollins said anyone who missed the event can apply online for nearly 300,000 jobs that are posted on RecruitMilitary.com.