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Service members who are ending their time on active duty have many options available to them, such as college or jobs in the civilian workforce. However, there is another option as a government employee.
Opportunities for federal employment exist across the United States and at many foreign locations. Military experience and disability ratings give veterans added benefits, such as veterans preference or retirement benefits, in the hunt for a federal position.
According to the Office of Personnel Management, military service is creditable for retirement purposes if it was active service terminated under honorable conditions, and performed prior to separation from civil service for retirement.
The government gives veterans preference using two different methods, a five-point or 10-point preference. The preferences give veterans, especially disabled veterans who rate a 10-point preference, an advantage over the competition.
“Anytime that you are on active duty during certain times, such as when the country is at war, will qualify you for a five-point preference,” said Rickey Johnson, the Transition Assistance Program manager aboard the Air Station. “You won’t receive a 10-point preference until you are out of the military and you file a claim with Veterans Affairs for compensation for a disability and it comes back with a service-connected disability of at least 10 percent.”
Another advantage was given to service members on Nov. 9, 2009, when President Barack Obama signed an Executive Order making hiring veterans a top priority in all federal agencies.
“[Some agencies think] why would I hire a civilian, someone to work in administration for instance, when they do not have the experience as someone who has prior experience and was in the military,” Johnson said. “They are already qualified to be an administrative clerk, all I have to do is bring them in and teach them how we do things here.”
The process of applying for a federal job is unique and often challenging. A useful guide to federal employment has been developed by the Office of Personnel Management and is available at www.opm.gov. The website provides information about federal job opportunities and the application process. Federal jobs and employment information can also be found at www.usajobs.gov, the official job site of the federal government.
Service members in the Lowcountry can attend the federal employment workshops that the Transition Assistance Program office provides. The workshops teach service members how the federal selection and hiring process works. They also provide information on veteran's preference, military spouse preference, resume, and other federal employment applications.
According to Johnson, the biggest piece of advice he gives to service members considering the transition is to start early.
“One year from your expiration of active service, you should be knocking down the career planner’s door asking to go to the Pre-Separation Brief and Transition Assistance Program classes,” Johnson said.
With the right amount of research and education many service members can find a way to serve their country after hanging up their uniform. A federal job may not be right for all, but it is another option available to service members.
| Date Taken: | 10.14.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 10.14.2010 13:10 |
| Story ID: | 58111 |
| Location: | CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 119 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Federal jobs open to transitioning service members, by Sgt Christopher Zahn, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
