Denied Employment for Deploying Overseas

My question involves labor and employment law for the state of: Vermont.

Actually, it's probably more federal law than anything else.

I am a veteran, deployed twice to the mid-east. I was recently denied a job because I responded that I had been out of the country for more than 120 days, and was told that the background check was "too strict" to allow for this. I have a high-level security clearance and have gone through much stricter background checks than anything they could possibly administer.

First: I was on a US Navy ship, which had an FPO address. Does this even count as overseas?

Second: Even if it does count as overseas, are there any laws protecting veterans from this sort of occurrence?

I mentioned the first part to the recruiter, and they are "looking into it," but I fear that's put me at the bottom of the pile. More than anything, I want to know how I should answer that question if it comes up again in the future.

Thanks!

1.) What is the job you were applying for?

2.) Did you tell them the reason you were out of the country for so long?

3.) Thank you for your service.

1.) It's just an entry level data entry job for the summer at some kind of medical/pharmaceutical company. They're hiring through a staffing company so that's actually all I know. Either way, there's no way the background check is more intense than the one for my clearance. I also worked for a pharmaceutical research company before the Navy. The hang up is simply that I was overseas.

2.) I did tell the recruiter why I was out of the country. But when she compared my situation to kids studying abroad, I'm not sure she really felt it was an important distinction. Maybe it's not, but I feel it should be, so that's kind of what I'm trying to find out. Does it matter why I was out of the country?

3.) I appreciate that.

It does matter why you were out of the country, but the reason it matters favors you. Veterans have certain protections. Your protections would be stronger if you were trying to regain the same job you had before you were deployed, but I don't think they're non-existent either.

jk probably knows more about your recourse, if the recruiter's "looking into it" fails so I'll wait to see what he says before I progress further.

The recruiter's "looking into it" seems to have failed. They have essentially blown me off twice now with things like "still haven't heard back yet."

So, I'm wondering if anyone can give me some information or a source of information regarding this specific question. Any information I have been able to find pertains specifically to the rights of Reservists and/or people returning to jobs they held previously.