FORT HOOD, Texas — Over 190 organizations and over 1,500 prospective employees gathered at the Lone Star Conference Center on June 16, 2026, for the biannual Mega Career Fair hosted by the Fort Hood Transition Assistance Program, or TAP.
Owen Alexander, contract installation manager, TAP, said he has seen the program grow throughout the years.
“As we do more of the career fairs and the word gets out, and as Soldiers participate and go through the transition program, they are made aware of the fairs,” he said. “Not only does it allow for more advertising and bringing more interested parties, but also … you get more and more employers who are interested, and from various industries that are always willing to come down.”
The career fair featured representative industries from tech, medical, law enforcement and much more.
“So just about any category that you could think about, transportation and mechanical world,” Alexander said. “There is a plethora of different professions that’s available across the 190 or so employees that are setup.”
Alexander said the career fairs are designed not only for the Soldiers, but also the veterans, spouses and civilians, anyone who has access to the installation.
For Staff Sgt. Daniel Williams, 401st Military Police Company, 720th Military Police Battalion, 89th Military Police Brigade, the career fair was an opportunity to prepare for his time outside of the Army.
“I came to the career fair today because I get out in September next year, and the best way to find if you have a capability gap within yourself or maybe in your resume is to just go talk to people,” he said. “See what opportunities are available. Try and find the people that are in positions where you want to be and see what you need to get there.”
His main goal was to see where he was lacking so he can take the next year to focus on certifications and finishing school. William’s goal is to get into physical security and found an organization to network with in the future.
“Just by chance, a company actually specializes in physical security, but they don’t post it because it’s not well known or sought after,” he said. “So they don’t even mention it, but just by talking to their guy, he said, ‘That’s crazy because that’s actually 50% of our company.’ So I was able to rub shoulders with him, and he should be calling me sometime next week.”
Williams said the career fair was a lot bigger than he thought it would be and wished he had come better prepared with his resume, which Alexander said is vital to making a career fair success.
“You need to be prepared to be hired on the spot (because) there are some employers that are willing to do that,” Alexander said. “So, to be successful, you want to make sure you come with a resume that is tailored to the position of the industry you’re interested in.”
Alexander said an attendee will also want to have their elevator speech prepared, spending three to five minutes talking about oneself, their skills and experience.
Though that might help many attendees, some were there just to see what careers are available for them in the future.
“I’ve seen a lot more careers,” ,” said Enrico Williams, 15. “Not just regular jobs (but) careers, something you can do long term.”
Enrico said he was here visiting his brother, Spc. Jean Pierre Tavares, an in-processing Soldier, and wanted to see what kind of careers he can look toward once he graduates.
“(I have interest) mostly in the military ones and the wildlife, like outdoor jobs or anything hands on,” Enrico said.
Alexander said the next step for prospects to take is to follow up with the recruiters. The time limit and the method are unique to each recruiter, and they will need to follow the procedures the recruiter gave to them.
For those who missed the career fair, the next TAP career fair will be in November. For help in preparing for the next one, Soldiers can reach out to TAP located at the Copeland Soldier Center or call 254-288-2227. Military spouses can reach out to the Employee Readiness Program located at the Shoemaker Center or call 254-287-6067.