Protecting the Home Front
Dept. of Homeland Security responds to the President’s challenge to hire more of America’s veterans.

The foiled car bombing in New York City’s Times Square in early May served as a stark reminder of the threat terrorism still poses to the United States.

The more than 230,000 men and women who work for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) are on the front lines of the fight to keep America safe and preserve its freedoms. More than 47,000 are military veterans, many of whom served on the front lines overseas.

“Until my injuries, I volunteered for the front lines to protect this great nation,” said Brian Wilson, a Pennsylvania Army National Guard veteran and physical security specialist with the Office of the Chief Security Officer, Technical Services Branch. “Since joining DHS I stand at a different front line, but still serve with others dedicated to the protection of all we hold dear.”

DHS was born in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, when the Homeland Security Act of 2002 directed the merging of 22 federal agencies – the largest merger in the federal government since the creation of the Department of Defense in the late 1940s.

The homeland security mission includes preventing terrorism and enhancing security, securing and managing U.S. borders, enforcing and administering immigration laws, safeguarding and securing cyberspace and ensuring resilience to disasters.

“Whether serving in uniform or with the department we serve to protect our Nation’s freedoms and to secure our borders from anyone with the intent to harm our way of life,” said Theodore C. Lopez, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and senior special agent with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Every day the men and women of DHS bring a variety of backgrounds and experiences to the mission. The department is committed to engaging the unique talents, skills and work ethic of veterans through employment, contracting opportunities and outreach with the veteran community.

Occupations and career paths at DHS are wide-ranging and the skills and training veterans acquired while serving the country are well suited for many DHS jobs. There are multiple job opportunities in all fields and disciplines.

In November, President Barack Obama issued an Executive Order directing all federal agencies to ramp up efforts to hire America’s veterans. While 25 percent of DHS’s work force – more than 47,000 – are veterans, agency officials this year set a goal of increasing that number to 50,000 by 2012.

“There are many similarities DHS shares with the military,” said Teresa Nechvatal, an Air Force veteran and contract specialist with the Border Patrol Acquisition Division, U.S. Customs and Border Protection. “For example, we are all professionals committed to protecting our nation; we demand the best from ourselves. There is a brotherhood among CBP personnel that is also present among military members.”

Obama’s Executive Order: On Nov. 9, 2009, President Obama signed Executive Order 13518 directing all federal agencies to hire more military veterans. Each month G.I. Jobs will profile a different federal agency seeking to hire veterans. To read more about Executive Order 13518, visit www.gijobs.com/order.

Jobs Popular with Veterans Include:

• Management & Program Analyst
• Immigration Enforcement Agent
• Federal Air Marshall
• Immigration Services Officer
• Disaster Assistance Employee
• Criminal Investigator
• Border Patrol Agent
• Customs and Border Protection Officer
• Transportation Security Officer

Future Job Growth FY 2010-2011 Projected Hires:

• Contract Representative (Legal)
• Import Specialist
• Asylum Officer
• Intelligence Analyst
• Human Resources
• Police Officer
• Attorney
• Security Administration
• Immigration Enforcement
• Management & Program Analyst
• General Inspection, Investigation and Compliance
• Adjudication Officer
• Customs and Border Protection Officer
• Border Patrol Agent
• Transportation Security Officer