Following their military careers, many veterans decide to apply for jobs with the federal government. But, this application process can appear complicated and, often, overwhelming. As such, we’ll use this article to provide some tips for veterans to land a federal job.

Specifically, we’ll discuss the following:

• Why Federal Jobs Make Sense for Veterans
• Tips for Veterans to Land a Federal Job
• Final Thoughts

Why Federal Jobs Make Sense for Veterans

Benefits

As with military service, working in the federal government offers outstanding benefits. While employees will need to confirm available benefits directly with their federal agency, common benefits include access to the following programs:

• Federal Employees Group Life Insurance Program
• Federal Employees Dental/Vision Program
• Federal Employees Health Benefits Program
• Federal Flexible Spending Account Program
• Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program

Retirement Savings

In addition to the above benefit programs, federal jobs come with outstanding retirement savings options. All current federal employees can contribute to a Thrift Savings Program, or TSP. As with the military version of the TSP, the one available to federal employees serves as a tax-advantaged retirement savings account, with both Roth and traditional options. And, when you separate from the military, you can transfer your military TSP balance into your federal civilian employee account.

Additionally, when service members separate from the military and begin careers as federal employees, they can “buy back” a portion of their retirement pension. According to the US Office of Personnel Management: federal employees who are veterans can receive retirement credit for military service once they make a deposit into a civilian annuity covering their military service. The details of this program are beyond the scope of this article, but in essence, you make an up-front payment to significantly increase your civilian retirement pension.

Competitive Salaries

For veterans with bachelor’s degrees or less education, federal employment also offers, on average, higher total compensation than comparable private sector jobs. According to the most recent Congressional Budget Office research:

• Among workers whose education culminated in a bachelor’s degree, the cost of total compensation averaged 21 percent more for federal workers than for similar workers in the private sector.
• Among workers with a high school diploma or less education, total compensation costs averaged 53 percent more for federal employees than for their private-sector counterparts.

However, it should also be noted that this benefit reverses with professional degrees and doctorates:

• Total compensation costs among workers with a professional degree or doctorate, by contrast, were 18 percent lower for federal employees than for similar private-sector employees, on average.

Continued Sense of Service

Though less tangible than the above benefits, federal jobs also provide veterans a continued sense of service. Many veterans – the author included – struggle with a loss of purpose following their military service. When they continue to work for the federal government, many veterans gain the benefit of a renewed sense of purpose and service.

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Tips for Veterans to Land a Federal Job

Having outlined the above benefits to federal employment, we must add a caveat: landing a federal job isn’t always easy, even for veterans. But, by following the below tips, you can better prepare yourself to successfully apply for a federal job.

Tip 1: Enroll on the USAJOBS.gov Website

USAJOBS.gov serves as the federal government’s central portal for posting job openings and accepting applications. Rather than apply for jobs in different agencies at different sites, this portal allows you to search for and apply for open jobs across the entire federal government.

But, before using USAJOBS.gov, you need to actually enroll and create a profile. Unfortunately, this can be a long and time-consuming process. Despite this reality, the sooner you enroll and create a profile, the better. Once you’ve entered all of your information, it remains in the system, meaning you can quickly and efficiently apply once jobs become available. Bottom line, do this as soon as you begin the job search process.

Tip 2: Use Veteran Preferences and Special Hiring Authorities

While being a veteran doesn’t guarantee you a federal job, it can certainly help. When applying for a federal job, the government uses a point-based system to screen candidates. Veterans who have received a Purple Heart or service-connected disability can potentially receive a 10-point increase in their applicant rating. And, any honorably discharged veteran can increase his or her rating by five points due to military service.

Additionally, the federal government has created certain special hiring authorities related to veterans. Of note, veterans with disability ratings of 30% or greater have access to a certain authority that allows federal agencies to non-competitively appoint them to open jobs.

Tip 3: Tailor Your Longer Resume to a Specific Federal Job

When it comes to most job applications, the one-page resume makes sense. But, when applying for federal jobs, you’ll need far longer, multiple page resumes tailored to the specific job to which you’re applying.

Most federal jobs require resumes up to five pages, with detailed descriptions of how your military service relates directly to the open position. Crafting one of these resumes can be a daunting challenge. Fortunately, USAJOBS.gov offers a resume-building tool that provides a step-by-step guide to creating your federal resume. And, to maximize your chances of landing a federal job, the website also lets you create multiple versions of your resume. Depending on the particular job, you can choose the most relevant resume version.

Tip 4: Understand the Federal Hiring Numbers

As with a trip to Las Vegas, it helps to play the odds when applying for federal jobs. Specifically, job seekers should understand which federal agencies hire the most veterans. By applying to the agencies with the most veterans, you can increase your chances of landing a federal job.

As expected, the Department of Defense employs the most veterans. Many veterans wrap up their military service on a Friday and begin work as a federal civilian employee in a similar job the following Monday. Next in line, the Department of Veterans Affairs hires the second-most veterans. Applying to both of these agencies offers the advantages of 1) available jobs, and 2) familiarity, as veterans continue to work with and around fellow servicemembers.

NOTE: This approach shouldn’t dissuade veterans from applying to an open federal position in another agency. Plenty of outstanding jobs exist across the entire federal government, and job seekers shouldn’t limit themselves if an opportunity outside of DOD or the VA presents itself.

Tip 5: Be Persistent

Yes, veteran preferences can help you land a federal job. But, you’ll also be competing against plenty of other highly qualified veterans applying for the same job openings. In other words, being a veteran absolutely doesn’t guarantee you a federal job. Recognizing this reality, many veterans don’t land the first handful of federal jobs for which they apply.

Don’t let these rejections discourage you! With persistence and continued refinement of your federal resume, you will put yourself in the best position possible as a job applicant. As you continue to apply for open jobs, you dramatically increase your chances of landing one.

Tip 6: Take Advantage of Feds Hire Vets

And, part of this persistence should include seeking help. Asking for assistance when applying for federal jobs isn’t a sign of weakness. It’s a smart decision. As stated, the federal hiring process tends to be far more complicated than in the private sector. Fortunately, organizations exist with a mission of helping veterans to navigate this convoluted process.

Of note, FedsHireVets.gov serves as the Office of Personnel Management’s veteran employment resource. The site has a wealth of resources to help veterans pursue federal jobs. In particular, it offers an online educational tool, the Virtual Classroom: Thinking about a career in Federal civil service? Visit the Virtual Classroom for information about finding and applying for Federal careers, writing a Federal resume and more. Take advantage of this tool, and you’ll significantly improve your chances of landing a federal job.

Final Thoughts

After serving their country in uniform, many veterans decide to pursue second careers in the federal government. Tremendous benefits exist with federal jobs, but these positions also require competitive and complicated applications. By following the above tips, veterans will increase their chances of landing a federal job.

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Maurice “Chipp” Naylon spent nine years as an infantry officer in the Marine Corps. He is currently a licensed CPA specializing in real estate development and accounting.

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There are two types of child care military families come to know – one is provided by the agency found on most military bases known as the Child Development Center or CDC. These offer full-day, part-day, and drop-in care for military families with children aged six weeks to five years old, and operate on schedules that vary from base to base.

CDC facilities and programs are certified by the Department of Defense and accredited by a national accrediting body. But CDC facilities aren’t the only option offered; another program is called FCC or Family Child Care.

Family Child Care

FCC is a program that offers care for children up to 12 years old in private homes on or off-base (depending on circumstances) in government-owned or government-leased housing.

Family child care providers must be certified professionals. FCC homes are certified and must meet requirements and providers may also seek accreditation from the National Association of Child Care.

FCC homes offer care on a more flexible schedule than traditional day care or even some CDC facilities. 24/7 care and extended care may be offered depending on demand, mission requirements, and other variables. Each FCC home is limited to the number of children that can be in that home at any one time:

• No more than six children under age eight
• No more than three children when all children are under age two

How To Become A Family Child Care Provider

In general, those living in government quarters on base are allowed to provide a small amount of child care in their homes without certification. But those offering more than 10 hours per week on a regular basis must be certified or risk losing their base housing privileges.

Being certified as an FCC provider means working with the local branch of Child and Youth Services or its equivalent on post. You will be required to become certified, get inspected, and operate as a legitimate business on base. The steps to becoming an FCC provider include:

• Be at least 18 years old
• Complete an FCC Application and submit to the local FCC office
• Attend 38 hours of training in First Aid, CPR, and child abuse prevention
• Completion of a local background check
• Have inspections conducted by local Fire, Safety and Preventive Medicine Offices

Filling Out The Application

When filling out the FCC Application (DA Form 5219) you should be prepared to answer both practical questions (are you willing to work with mildly sick children, offer extended care hours, etc.) and also personal ones (specifically about legal issues, violation of the law, etc.)

It is a very good idea to decide in advance what your care provider hours will be as the application will ask you to list potential days and times you will offer child care in your home. You should also decide in advance how many children total you wish to care for and what age ranges. Those ranges are generally:

• Under 2 years old
• 2-6 years old
• 6-12 years old

You will be asked to name all members of your household, any pets, and give any information about relevant training or experience that may help as in Family Child Care Provider.

You will also need to provide information about any current home business operated from the quarters where applicable, and you’ll need to provide names, contact information, and addresses for at least three references.

The form is only the start of your screening process. A personal interview is required that must include all members of the household. You will, as mentioned above, be subject to a background investigation that also includes the military spouse, children, and any other resident of the home 12 years or older.

When this process is complete, the applicant may open for business with “provisional certification.”

Age and Training Requirements

All caregivers are required to be 18 or older and have either a high school diploma or equivalent. Once provisional certification is achieved, there is an 18-month on-the-job training period that allows the certification process to continue at month 12.

The care providers in training must complete training modules and complete the entire run of the program in order to be officially certified. This process is considered a coaching experience, so don’t expect to be left alone to read pamphlets and watch videos without personal interaction with your trainer.

The Background Check

The initial background check is a detail that is a bit daunting for newcomers to the FCC program–it can take up to six months to compete. But once the initial check is done, that investigation can travel with the provider from base to base–there is no need to go through the entire six-month process every time.

At each new base, the original background check is updated, not completed from scratch. This will be a much faster process in typical cases once the first one is accomplished.

Getting Started As An FCC Provider

When approved to begin providing care as a provisionally certified FCC home, you’ll get a special sticker–an official FCC “house and rainbow” sticker that indicates the home is inspected and approved to provide FCC services. That is an important indicator to your potential clients that your home is approved.

Depending on the base and other variables, you may find that your early days as an FCC provider are supplemented by the FCC program providing some initial basic safety supplies and other provisions. This help is meant to reduce out-of-pocket startup expenses.

Once an FCC home is up and running, it is subject to regular inspections, so there is accountability for safety, health, and wellness of those under the care of an individual FCC home.

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Joe Wallace is a 13-year veteran of the United States Air Force and a former reporter for Air Force Television News

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Do you want to learn how to become a teacher at a military base high school, middle school, or primary school?

This is not your typical educator job and the hiring and even the application requirements can be greatly different than what experienced educators might be used to. What does it take to be considered for a teaching job at a military base?

The Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA)

DoDEA is responsible for the operation of schools on military bases all over the world. A separate organization within DoDEA has responsibility for schools at overseas military bases–that entity is called Department of Defense Dependent Schools or DoDDS, and in spite of the fact that it operates overseas is said to be in the top ten largest American school systems.

DoDEA is a “field activity” of the Office of the Secretary of Defense (Personnel and Readiness). And is located at DoDEA Headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia. DoDEA’s schools are divided into 3 geographic areas: the Americas, the Pacific, and Europe.

DoDEA operates an impressive number of facilities in the Continental United States and overseas. The agency has some 160 accredited schools in 11 foreign countries, seven states, Guam, and Puerto Rico. Approximately 70,000 children are served in DoDEA facilities each year.

The official site of DoDEA reminds parents and job seekers that DoDEA schools offer “comprehensive prekindergarten through 12th grade curriculum that is dedicated to attaining highest student achievement for all students” with 100% of DoDEA schools “accredited and in good standing with their regional accrediting agency,” according to the official site.

Applying To Teach At A DoDEA School

Those interested in teaching at a DoDEA school in the United States or overseas should know that like many federal agencies, there is a centralized application portal and process and if you don’t apply for a teacher job using that application portal, you are likely wasting your time.

All applicants must use the  Employment Application System (EAS) as all DoDEA teaching jobs are filled via EAS and only “active” applications are considered.

You may find job listings for DoDEA teaching jobs elsewhere such as on Indeed.com or other job boards. Don’t waste time applying for such jobs outside the Employment Application System as you likely won’t be considered based on the instructions on the DoDEA official site.

Applying For Non-Teacher Jobs

The advice above does NOT APPLY for those seeking non-teacher jobs within the agency. Those who want to be employed by DoDEA but not as a teacher must look for jobs at USAJobs.gov. The official site advises this is true for those seeking jobs including but not limited to:

• Educational Aides
• Office Automation jobs
• Principals
• Assistant Principals
• ROTC Instructors
• Instructional System Specialists

Be advised that some positions listed at USAJobs.gov may be restricted to current DoDEA employees only–read the fine print carefully.

About Becoming A DoDEA Substitute Teacher

The official site advises there are substitute teacher positions open within DoDEA as well as Tutoring jobs, and Training Instructor positions. Unlike permanent teacher positions, these jobs are not advertised via Employment Application System, but rather via USAJobs.gov. If you want to find substitute teacher jobs, don’t look at EAS as those positions are not listed there.

Requirements To Teach At A DoDEA School

No matter where you wish to teach, stateside or overseas, you will have a set of standards you must meet in order to be considered for a teaching position within the agency.

If you haven’t applied in a while, or at all, it’s best to review the these requirements as A) they are subject to change and B) they have been revised since 2009 with new guidelines. Those include:

• State teaching endorsements (must be comparable to DoDEA’s teacher categories)
• Official transcripts reflecting 50% of the applicant’s course work in the classroom content area being applied for
• Professional development/teacher education
• A baccalaureate degree from an institution accredited by a regional accrediting association is required
• Academic preparation of at least 40 hours in general education coursework in English, history, social studies, mathematics, fine arts, languages, science, philosophy, and psychology is required
• 18 hours of professional teacher education coursework is required
• Student teaching or an internship

Some DoDEA teaching jobs may be exempt from the professional teacher education requirement listed above, including (but not limited to):

• Social Workers
• School Nurses
• School Psychologists
• JROTC Instructors
• Non-certified Training Instructors

There are also testing requirements. All applicants must submit proof of meeting DoDEA minimum scores for both PRAXIS I and PRAXIS II.

The official site lists separate requirements for elementary, middle school, and secondary school jobs. Space does not allow us to list all requirements for all possible subject matter areas and grade levels, but one thing you’ll notice that is consistent across all applications?

A general requirement to have training and/or experience directly in the subject matter taught but also a minimum amount of grade-level-appropriate teaching training/experience.

For example, among DoDEA grade school teacher job openings, you’ll find things similar to the following line:

“All applicants must have completed a minimum of 3 semester hours containing early childhood education if reassignment to lower elementary grades 1-3 becomes necessary for continuous employment”.

Requirements for specific training and experience at a specific grade level or developmental level are common.

DoDEA Jobs In Support Services

Not all jobs advertised involve direct classroom teaching work. There are plenty of support services jobs for guidance counselors, school psychologists, and school nurses. These each require specific credentials and education depending on the nature of the job.

The school psychologist, for example, is required to have earned a Master’s Degree in school psychology or a state license in school psychology.

DoDEA Teaching Certification

While it is true that DoDEA instructors must carry a DoDEA certification, this is not available until after you are hired for a specific job. Also, the agency does not generally permit experience to substitute for college-level coursework in a subject matter area.

What is this certification? According to the official site, the agency, “…issues a Provisional certificate and a Professional certificate. The provisional certificate is issued to all newly hired educators” and is valid for two years. It is basically an endorsement that states the bearer has met qualification requirements of the job and has successfully completed “two years in an educator position with DoDEA”.

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Joe Wallace is a 13-year veteran of the United States Air Force and a former reporter for Air Force Television News

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A security clearance can be a significant advantage for a veteran or soon to be separating service members who are seeking employment. Thousands of employers in fields such as commercial defense and government agencies are seeking to find qualified employees with active or current security clearance positions. Skills in demand vary greatly but include engineering, programming, intelligence, overseas careers, accounting & finance and much more.

Many employers, including both private companies and federal agencies, hire those who have or have had security clearances from Confidential to Top Secret.

And it’s not just those who work directly with classified information such as intelligence data, satellite imagery, or counterintelligence who get hired needing a security clearance. You may have an edge if you have a security clearance and seek a job in certain sectors of engineering, programming, telephony, accounting & finance, and too many others to name.

Why Do You Need A Security Clearance For Some Civilian Jobs?

The short answer is because while you might not be tasked with directly handling sensitive data, the workstation you use, the facility you are in, or even simply the overall mission of the agency may require you to be cleared to work with classified or sensitive data even if you aren’t responsible for those materials.

Sometimes the mere presence of a controlled or classified network in a building is enough to warrant security clearance screenings of employees and other personnel.

Why Veterans with Active or Current Security Clearances are in High Demand?

Background checks for a security can take anywhere between a couple months to over a year to complete and can cost thousands of dollars. At any given time there are hundreds of thousands of back logged background investigations pending security clearance. Employers can’t wait this long or afford the cost therefore HR managers are seeking out qualified veterans with active or current security clearances. Also, an individual cannot get a security clearance for themselves. A current or prospective employer has to sponsor this clearance.

How Long is a Security Clearance Good for After the Military?

Generally, a security clearance after separation from the military is good for 24 months or 2 years–but much depends on how old the original clearance or investigation was.

The time frame your clearance is considered valid may be less if the periodic investigation window expires less than two years at the time of retirement or separation from the military.

If you are due for a re-investigation of a SECRET clearance, your re-screening may be valid for 10 years unless circumstances change.

In cases where the service member has separated from the military a year prior to the re-investigation, the service member would have a year left on their current security clearance instead of two years.

Post-Military Issues

Allowing your security clearance to lapse after retiring or separating means you may be required to sit through an entirely new, from-scratch investigation process as though you have never had your background checked before.

Why do we mention this? Because some veterans leave the military and choose to use their GI Bill benefits for college right away rather than returning to the workforce. In such cases, if your school keeps you out of the employment pool longer than the time left on your current clearance you may have to be reinvestigated from the beginning.

Post-military life can make getting reinvestigated more complicated. Have you become involved romantically with someone from another country?

That in and of itself may not be an issue compared to the concerns that might be raised depending on where the romantic partner is from. If that does not sound ideal or fair to you, you are not alone, but it is a serious concern for those who must work with clearances.

Have you experienced substance abuse issues since leaving the military that might affect your ability to qualify for a clearance?

This is another area that can be complicated for some. A third and very common issue that can get in the way of a security clearance job after military service? Those who experience trouble with their credit post-military. These areas are all put under scrutiny in a background investigation.

What Are the Statuses of a Security Clearance?

There are three types of statuses for a security clearance.

• Active – Present job requires use of a security clearance.
• Current – Had a job in the past two years that required use of a clearance.
• Expired – More than two years since that person had a job that required a clearance.

Current, unexpired security clearances are comparatively easy to reinstate and thus in high demand to employers. Expired clearances or more than two years since leaving the military are more difficult to reactivate.

Are There any Other Benefits to a Security Clearance?

Yes! In addition to increased job prospects typically these positions can earn thousands of dollars more than counterpart positions that do not require a security clearance. Finding qualified employees with clearance can be expensive for employers who put a premium as it relates to compensation in order to fill these positions.

What Are the Types of Security Clearances?

• Confidential – Information that reasonably could be expected to cause damage to the national security if disclosed to unauthorized sources. Most military personnel are given this basic level of clearance. Reinvestigated every 15 years.
• Secret – Information that reasonably could be expected to cause serious damage to national security if disclosed to unauthorized sources. Reinvestigated every 10 years.
• Top Secret – Information that reasonably could be expected to cause exceptionally grave damage to the national security if disclosed to unauthorized sources. Reinvestigated every 5 years. These clearances may sometimes be enhanced by other designations including:
  • Sensitive Compartmentalized Information (SCI)
  • Single Scope Background Investigation (SSBI)

Examples of Government Agencies Hiring Security Cleared Professionals

• Air Force Intelligence
• Army Intelligence
• Border Patrol
• Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
• Citizenship and Immigration Services
• Coast Guard Intelligence
• Defense Intelligence Agency
• Department of Defense
• Department of Energy
• Department of Homeland Security
• Department of Justice
• Department of State
• Department of the Treasury
• Drug Enforcement Administration
• Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
• Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
• Federal Law Enforcement Training Center
• Marine Corps Intelligence
• NASA
• National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
• National Reconnaissance Office
• National Security Agency
• Navy Intelligence
• Secret Service
• Transportation Security Administration

Examples of Private Companies Hiring Security Cleared Professionals

• Accenture
• Aerospace Corporation
• Bechtel Corporation
• Boeing
• Fluor Corporation
• General Dynamics
• General Electric
• General Motors
• Grumman
• Hewlett-Packard Co.
• Honeywell International Inc.
• IBM
• Jacobs Engineering Group
• KEYW
• Lockheed
• Martin Marietta
• McDonnel Douglas
• Raytheon
• SAIC
• TASC
• United Technologies
• URS

Examples of Jobs that Require a Security Clearance

• Accountant
• Administrative Assistant
• Business Analyst
• Business Development
• Cartographer
• Cost Estimator
• Counterintelligence Analyst
• Cryptanalyst
• Cryptologist
• Customer Service Specialist
• Cyber Security
• Engineering Technician
• Executive Assistant
• Financial Analyst
• Foreign Language Interpreter
• Foreign Language Translator
• Fusion Analyst
• Intelligence Analyst
• Linguist
• Logistics Analyst
• Mathematics
• Network Engineer
• Operations
• Pricing Manager
• Program Analyst
• Project Manager
• Radar Analyst
• Sales Manager
• Security Analyst
• Security Officer
• Sign Language Interpreter
• Software Developer
• Software Engineer
• System Administrator
• Systems Engineer
• Technical Writer
• Toponymist
• Transportation Security Inspector
• Web Developer

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Joe Wallace is a 13-year veteran of the United States Air Force and a former reporter for Air Force Television News

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