Easiest Transition Ever
Trading their uniforms for civvies was a cakewalk for these veterans working in defense.
By Tyler Smith 

Ask Jim Jeter about his transition from the military to the civilian work force and he’ll tell you it was a breeze. But then again, Jeter transitioned into one of the most military friendly industries: defense.

Jeter spent 33 years with the Air National Guard, 19 of them on active duty as a recruiter and retention office manager. He now works as a recruiting professional for CSC, one of America’s leading defense suppliers. “It was very easy for me,” Jeter said about his transition. “My supervisors understand the military and had a vision of how my military background could benefit the company with the type of personnel they needed out in the field at the various military sites we serve.” 

Win-win-win Situation
Even though he has only been with the company for a year, Jeter, 54, is passionate about his work. “I love being a recruiter because I have the opportunity to work with customers in-house and outside our company,” he said. “It is a great feeling to have a hiring manager come to me with a vacancy to fill and I find just the right person for them. It’s a win-win-win situation for me. The hiring manager wins, the applicant wins, and I win.” 

A Natural Fit
Recruiting director Jim Gattuso said CSC offers an environment where veterans can flourish. “Our North American Public Sector serves all branches of the military, so it’s a natural fit,” he said. “The expertise garnered over a long and diverse military career is easily converted to careers at CSC and ultimately helps us to better serve our clients.”

CSC offers a wide variety of services ranging from consulting and financial management at the federal level to IT infrastructure solutions, cyber security, logistics, engineering, and training and simulation for the U.S. military and coalition partners.

Although CSC’s defense contracts represent a big part of its business, Gattuso said the company will be transitioning into two different segments of the global IT market, positioning the company for growth. 

What About Defense Cuts?
According to the terms of the latest debt ceiling agreement reached in August, the government will make at least $350 billion in defense cuts by the end of 2011, which represents 13 percent of the current U.S. defense budget.

Despite the ominous numbers, Oshkosh Defense’s Mike Ivy is optimistic about the future of the defense industry. Ivy, vice president and general manager of Army Programs, said regardless of what is happening right now in Washington, D.C., most of the company’s open orders for fiscal year 2012 are already booked. 

Hiring Across the Board
So the company, which specializes in severe-duty four-wheel drive vehicles for the U.S. military and emergency rescue organizations, is hiring across the board, from professional salaried positions to assembly line operators. And since Oshkosh Defense makes equipment for troops in the field, the company is recruiting military veterans. “They’re passionate about the end user of the product,” Ivy said. “They ensure the Soldiers get what they need.” 

For Soldiers by Soldiers
That’s what got Army veteran Nguyen Trinh, 39, interested in Oshkosh. “You can see where the [truck equipment] goes, as well as to whom,” he said. “That’s important to me especially, because I still have friends who are active.” He said he is proud to help provide Soldiers with the quality equipment they need.

After separating from the Army in 2005, Trinh accepted a position in Kuwait, where he gained the experience to eventually become the director of international programs at Oshkosh. He said his transition from the military to the civilian work force was natural for him – the hardest part was figuring out what to wear every day. 

Getting Veterans Hired
“One of the best aspects of my job is the ability to provide career opportunities for military veterans,” said Kenya Pulliam, manager of talent acquisition at URS Federal Services. She said helping veterans transition from the military into URS is the most fulfilling task she performs in her position.

URS’s operations are mostly focused on engineering, construction and technical services to both the private and public sectors. URS Federal Services provides support for the U.S. Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, as well as the U.S. military. The company updates weapons systems, refurbishes military vehicles, trains pilots and even manages military and government facilities.

To bolster the company’s 44 percent veteran work force, URS is recruiting veterans for a variety of positions, including program managers, project managers, security-cleared personnel, engineers, mechanics, capture and proposal managers and many others. Many of the positions require previous exposure to certain elements of the military, which is why a lot of veterans are attracted to the opportunities. 

Pushing Past Poultry
With a bachelor’s degree in health science and a master’s in environmental management, Brian Jackson, 37, worked as a quality control technician in the poultry industry and as an environmental health inspector until he saw a vacancy at URS while working on a project for a subcontractor.

“I decided to pursue it, because I felt it would offer me an opportunity to utilize more of my skills, as well as provide growth opportunity within the company,” said Jackson, a two-time veteran of the Air National Guard.

He now works in operations support as a waste supervisor for URS – a position he enjoys because it allows him to apply his education and on-the-job training, as well as make management decisions. Jackson also appreciates URS because it allows him to use the skills he acquired in the military to be an effective leader. 

From User to Supplier
Former Marine Corps Capt. Frank Camp, 29, was lucky enough to directly transfer the job skills he attained in the military to his work at Booz Allen Hamilton. The former communications officer today works with field radio systems that go to the Defense Department.

“Going from the user side of the industry to the business side is a little different, but Booz Allen Hamilton will definitely be there to help you through it,” Camp said.

Booz Allen is an American consulting firm based out of McLean, Va. A majority of the company’s work is contracting with the U.S. federal government. The contracts include IT work, operations improvement, systems engineering, program management and economic and business analysis. 

Know and Sell Your Value
As easy as Camp’s transition was, his job search became a little taxing. He started applying online for positions eight months before his exit, but it took months for him to get through to someone. Camp finally interviewed for the junior military officer recruiting program, but was unable to get the position he wanted. Not easily discouraged, Camp went to another interview in San Diego and secured the position he was applying for.

“Have persistence – a lot of companies are in a budget crunch – and it will get you through,” he said. “You have to know your value and make them see it.” 

Capabilities Can Get You Hired
Pamela Hardy and Daniel Piontkowski, senior associate and associate at Booz Allen Hamilton, respectively, said their company doesn’t simply look for a certain person for a certain position. “We’re not hiring for a single skill set,” Piontkowski said. “A lot of our hiring is based on capabilities: aptitude to learn, ability to communicate, application of skills, attitude, analytical skills, core values. All of these come together to make a good employee.”

Topping G.I. Jobs’ 2011 Military Friendly Employers® list at number one, Booz Allen Hamilton offers extensive benefits and programs, including health coverage plans, paid leave time and numerous programs to help employees develop in their company.

“Booz Allen really offers opportunities to serve in a different yet challenging way,” Piontkowski said. “It gives you different tools to affect some of the problems you face in the military, and you still work in a team. There are always challenges to face – you’re always on your toes.” 

Vets Mentor Vets
Michael Bruni, staffing manager for SAIC, said his company is employee-oriented. “Our environment is similar to the military, making the transition easy for a veteran,” he said. “We also will pair a seasoned veteran employee with a new hire to further ease the new employee into their position. We also understand that a lot of people are still in the Reserves and we offer flexibility with that.”

In the defense sector, SAIC develops military vehicles and upgrades existing ones. The company also is helping the Defense Department increase bandwidth throughout its bases.

SAIC is hiring in all fields, including logistics and supply, IT, intelligence analysis, research and development, operations, information support and management. Although some positions do require a bachelor’s degree, Bruni said employees’ education ranges from a GED to a Ph.D. A bachelor’s will never hurt you, Bruni said, but experience will be taken into account.