Washington (CNN) -- President Barack Obama unveiled a new $5 billion veterans jobs plan Friday that the administration says will put thousands of men and women who once wore their country's uniform back to work. The new Veterans Jobs Corps initiative, first mentioned in the president's State of the Union address last week, involves partnerships with the Veterans Administration and the Interior Department, as well as state and local law enforcement agencies. Under the blueprint, the administration will award $166 million in grant money to communities that show a preference for hiring post-9/11 veterans for new law enforcement positions. In addition, $320 million in grant money will be awarded to various fire departments who pledge to hire and train new veterans.
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NEW: Obama calls jobs for veterans "a top priority"
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The initiative would involve the Veterans Administration and Interior Department
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Grant money would be awarded to towns and fire departments that train and hire veterans
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The proposal's $5 billion price tag makes it a potentially tough sell in Congress
@placeholder last fall rejected a similar proposal that was part of the president's broader jobs initiative.