Having prior military experience works to your benefit when looking for a job after your career in the military ends. In addition to the job skills acquired during your time in the military, many employers appreciate the discipline and values possessed by military veterans. While most companies will appreciate your military experience, some companies go the extra mile in helping military members transition to civilian life and provide veterans with lucrative career opportunities.
American Corporate Partners
American Corporate Partners (ACP) works to help military members transition to a great civilian career. ACP is focused on helping veterans and spouses of active duty service members find their next career. Through one-on-one mentoring, networking, and online career advice, ACP will help the more than 1 million veterans that are expected to transition from the armed forces to civilian life over the next five years.
The companies that partner with ACP give preference to job candidates with military experience and provide support to military members as they advance in their new careers.
Some of the companies that work with American Corporate Partners include:
- UPS
- Lockheed Martin
- Northrop Grumman
- Raytheon
- PepsiCo.
- The Coca Cola Company
- The Home Depot
- Nike
- Johnson & Johnson
- American Express
Other Top Military Employers
In addition to the companies who work with American Corporate Partners, many companies are known for the benefits and preferences they give to employees with military experience. Many of these companies, such as defense companies, have jobs with descriptions that rely specifically on the experience gained during your military service.
Defense Companies
- Booz Allen Hamilton offers consulting services related to defense and intelligence. Military members are given help transitioning to civilian life through a special Armed Forces forum.
- Boeing is one of the top defense contractors in the nation and is committed to supporting veterans who want to transition to a civilian career. Boeing is so committed to supporting veterans that veterans represent 15 percent of their workforce. Since 2010, they have hired more than 13,500 veterans and support more than 800 military and veteran-specific programs and organizations and have awarded more than $14 million to 97 non-profit veterans organizations.
Transportation Companies
- CSX Corporation is another employer known for being very military-friendly. Veterans employed by this railroad company can join their Military Affinity Group. It’s not surprising that 1 in 5 CSX employees have served in the military. CSX has been named as one of the top military employers by organizations such as the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars.
- BSNF Railway Co. has developed a special military staffing program and heavily recruits employees with previous military experience. Members of the National Guard and Reserves also have opportunities to make up the time and wages they lost while away from the job for military-related training.
Insurance and Financial Companies
- In addition to providing banking and insurance services for military families, USAA is friendly to employees with military experience. In fact, veterans and their spouses are given preference over other job candidates.
- Deloitte not only sponsors the Warrior Games, but they’ve also pledged to set a goal of doubling their veteran hiring numbers over the next three years.
Other Companies
- AECOM provides services to more than 20 agencies of the U.S. federal government, including the Department of Defense, NASA, the Department of Energy, the Department of Homeland Security, and intelligence agencies. They currently employ over 9,000 veterans.
- Amazon actively seeks military veterans, firmly believing in their capacity to be leaders who can “invent, think big, have a bias for action, and deliver results on behalf of their customers.”
- Merck & Co., a pharmaceuticals company, offers competitive pay for veterans, continuing base salary for six months after being discharged from the military to help veterans adjust. National Guard members and Reservists retain full benefits from the company while deployed.
- Johnson Controls, which works to develop systems and equipment for the building and automotive industries, offers a variety of programs for veterans. It also has policies in place to ensure job security of members of the Reserves or National Guard.
Jim spent 22 years on active duty, climbing the ranks from Airman Basic to a decorated Air Force Major. Stationed all over the world, he held many high-level posts, including Chief of Foreign Military Sales at the U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Jim earned his Ph.D. through the Montgomery Era GI Bill and spent 13 years teaching African Studies in Pennsylvania. Jim is also an award-winning travel writer.
