Soft Landings in Defense
Ready to hang up your boots? Make a smooth transition to a rewarding civilian job in the defense industry.
by Kathleen Ganster 

You can take the man out of the Marines, but you can’t take the Marines out of the man. And that is one reason Scott Latiolais loves his job as an assistant site manager at URS Corporation. “I was a war fighter and now I support the war fighter. I’m supporting the guys that I used to be,” he said.

Like Latiolais, many veterans find a career in the defense industry is a great way to use their training, education and skills from the military to continue to serve their country. For those same reasons, the defense industry actively recruits and welcomes veterans to their companies.

After a career of 23 years in the Marine Corps, Latiolais, 54, said his background as a transportation officer with experience in logistics worldwide, along with his education, ties in perfectly with his role at URS. “We have to get the items to the field as fast as we can, and I make sure we do,” he said.  

Veterans Know the Business
URS is a federal contractor that supports the Department of Defense (DoD). The company offers engineering, construction and technical services. In this role, it makes sense to recruit veterans.

“The military personnel we hire know our business. For example, they have experience operating the equipment we maintain,” said Marian Hyder, vice president of talent management. “They bring a strong sense of integrity and ethics, dependability, loyalty and a dedication to the mission.” Of the 13,000-plus employees at URS, about 43 percent are veterans.

With locations across the U.S. and abroad, URS recruits veterans for numerous positions.

Veterans also have the necessary security clearances to hit the ground running. “That allows them to immediately contribute to our success,” Hyder said. 

Leadership Skills Pay Off
Lenard Edmonds, 57, risk manager at URS, is responsible for safety, security and procedures. His military experience in the U.S. Air Force and Reserve as a vehicle maintenance superintendent helps in his civilian job. “Leadership is leadership,” he said.

Edmonds’ military training taught him skills that URS values in veteran employees: teamwork, dedication to the mission and task completion, the ability to follow and lead, and honesty. “The military laid the foundation and I just followed the blueprint,” he said.

Like his colleagues at URS, Troy Thurgood, 43, a deputy program manager, said his background in the U.S. Navy was good preparation for a career in the defense industry. “My role prepared me well for the challenges I face. You have to be able to interface with people well and understand that our mission is critical to the war fighter and commercial customer – I learned that in the Navy.”

Thanks to his military experience and finding “the perfect match” in civilian industry, Thurgood joked, “My biggest challenge was deciding what to wear to work every day – for 24 years my wardrobe consisted of a military uniform.”

Halbert Taylor Jr., 58, defense supply services, agreed. His experience and knowledge of government systems and operations is a direct match for URS’ work with the government. “For example, I didn’t have to learn the logistics systems, because I already knew it,” he said.

For those transitioning into civilian life, Taylor recommends a career in the defense industry. “You’ve learned a lot of things,” he said. “Take out the military jargon and show where you can best use your talents in industry. This is a good career match.” 

Looking for ‘Relevant’ Candidates
Smartronix Inc. seeks what Dave MacRae, executive vice president of business, intelligence and operations, referred to as the “relevant” candidate.

“This candidate may or may not have a degree, but brings current and direct knowledge of systems in operation to our target market space, specifically the DoD,” he said.

By valuing experience as well as education, the best candidate is hired for the job, according to MacRae. Smartronix is a global solutions provider specializing in NetOps, cyber security, enterprise software solutions, mission-focused engineering and health IT.

The Maryland-based company is looking for candidates with technical qualifications. “Areas in cyber security, network operations and health IT are very strong,” MacRae said. Salaries vary with location, experience, education and requirements.

Smartronix places a high value on hiring veterans as employees. Of the approximate 550 employees, 120 are veterans. The knowledge of the mission and hands-on operational experience are just two reasons veterans match well to Smartronix positions. “Plus, they understand what it means to put their lives in the hands of others and the take the job of protecting command and control data very seriously,” MacRae said. 

Same Cause, Different Employer
One of these valued employees is Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Robert Shea, 61, executive vice president, strategic solutions. A former Marine, Shea knows first-hand the assets veterans bring to Smartronix. “They know how to rally around a cause greater than themselves. We embrace the same ideals as they do in the service,” he said. “Teamwork, working without being closely supervised and work experience translate directly to a career in the defense industry,” Shea said.

An advisor to the CEO, Shea draws on his own years of experience to guide Smartronix. “I know what’s happening and what is coming down the line.

That helps us to better serve (the DoD),” he said.

Jim Miller, 46, tactical solutions specialist, said Smartronix recruited him for his unique experiences and background in the U.S. Army. “They needed someone with a military background to work with the engineers to better understand the operating environment and to liaison with the end users of their products,” said Miller, a retired command sergeant major.

The direct correlation between Miller’s military duties and his civilian job won him over to Smartronix. “There were ways to contribute in ways I had not envisioned while I was still in the Army,” he said.

Translate Your Military Skills
It was the same translation of skills and background that convinced Doug Schoen, 42, that a career at Rockwell Collins was the perfect civilian job for him ““I flew helicopters and that is the area that I now work in,” he said. Now a principal marketing manager, Schoen said he uses his education in mechanical engineering and public administration, along with years of working in the military with product development.

And while the skills and education help, the leadership and team-building skills he learned in the military help him at the corporate level. “It also helps that I am familiar with not only the military equipment, but the atmosphere and culture,” he said, “I speak their (military) language.” 

Civilian Jobs Ideal for Veterans
Rockwell Collins has a “whole host of positions” for veterans, said Steve Schulz, director of talent acquisition.

Rockwell Collins provides communication and aviation electronics solutions to commercial and government customers. Since the government is one of the company’s largest customers, many of the civilian jobs are particularly well suited for veterans, Schulz said. “The culture and structure here fit well for those used to the military structure,” he said. “It is a really good match to our environment.”

Many of their employees work near military bases both in the U.S. and abroad. That makes Rockwell attractive for those who may want to work overseas.

Rockwell Collins actively recruits military personnel and is committed to supporting employees who continue to serve through the Guard and Reserves. “We have found hiring the military is a formula that works for us. Afterall, our CEO is a former fighter pilot,” Schulz said.  

Military Transition Program
Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), a leading provider of scientific, engineering, systems integration and technical services and solutions, has numerous openings for civilian jobs, according to Chris Scalia, staffing director for SAIC’s Intelligence, Security and Technology Group.

Scalia said SAIC uses scientific, engineering and technology applications to solve problems in the nation and around the world. “We serve customers in the U.S. Department of Defense, the intelligence community, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and other U.S. government civil agencies and selected commercial markets,” he said, pointing out the natural match for veterans.

SAIC is dedicated to hiring veterans and recently created the SAIC Military Transition Program to define key strategies and connections to military installations that will help the company quickly identify pools of veteran candidates. SAIC also has an internal Military Affinity Group to serve veterans already within the company. 

Still Supporting National Security
Twayne Hickman, 35, a Marine Corps veteran and an operations manager for SAIC, likes that his work contributes to national security. “One thing that really surprised me is that everyone here believes in our mission as strongly as I did when I was a Marine. That is very important to me,” he said.

Although only with the company for 18 months, Hickman said he recognizes how his leadership training, skills and familiarity with military systems and culture have helped him at SAIC. “My position as an infantry officer gave me the exposure to leadership that I use in my day-to-day issues here,” he said.

Sherman Coleman, 45, a program security manager with SAIC, loved his security work in the Air Force and found a perfect match for his skills and interests. “I work with all different aspects of security, which is the beauty of the position,” he said. “I never get bored.”

His experience helped him understand the basics of security systems and issues that he faces in his civilian job. Having the necessary security clearances also puts him “head and shoulders” ahead of the competition since he could immediately begin working on security issues.

He recommends soon-to-be veterans consider the defense industry. “We do awesome programs to support our military and the security of our country. It is what you do in the military,” he said. 

People Person Excels in HR
It was the nervousness Glenn Lebak felt when retiring from the Army that pointed him toward his civilian job – a talent acquisition operations manager with Northrop Grumman Corporation. “I remember that uncertainty I felt as a separating Soldier and figured that helping our separating service members would be a rewarding career,” he said. “And I was correct.”

Lebak, 58, helped establish the Army Career and Alumni Program (ACAP) in U.S. Army Europe, a mission that helps with the “people” job he has today. Lebak recommends veterans take a look at the human resources arena in the defense industry. “If you are a people person, you can succeed in this field,” he said.

Laurie Palmquist, corporate talent acquisition branding & communication lead at Northrop Grumman, said civilian jobs available at Northrop Grumman are listed on the company’s careers website.

Of the 120,000 Northrop Grumman employees, more than 18,000 are military veterans, Palmquist said. “Military-experienced candidates have a first-hand appreciation and passion for our business, products and services,” she said. “We value the training and leadership development that candidates gain from their military experience.” 

Just Keep Trying
In addition to the usual military recruitment avenues, Northrop Grumman’s Operation IMPACT (Injured Military Pursuing Assisted Career Transition) program reaches out to service members who have been severely wounded in the global war on terrorism, Palmquist said.

Anthony Gilkes, 26, found his civilian job as a computer security analyst with Northrop Grumman through the Wounded Warrior program, although he was already familiar with the company through his work in the Army. Gilkes was training in the computer field before he was designated to be an infantry scout. He used the Blue Force Tracking system while serving in Iraq. Northrop Grumman is the primary contractor for Blue Force Tracking, a GPS-enabled system that provides military commanders and forces with location information about friendly and hostile forces. When Gilkes was wounded, he turned to Northrop Grumman for a civilian job.

The military background and training, along with his education, have helped Gilkes in his work at Northrop Grumman. “In the infantry, we had to troubleshoot many, many times while overseas,” he said. “That, along with the discipline and ‘ready to go’ attitude, really help in the workplace.”

Gilkes suggests those preparing for civilian life take advantage of military transition programs and other services. “And don’t get frustrated. There are thousands of jobs out there and employers are always looking for qualified vets. If you get turned down for one, just keep trying,” he said.