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March 24, 2021
Veterans transitioning out of service bring a suite of valuable skills to the environmental field. Numerous federal programs offer opportunities in land management, agriculture, and conservation, helping to transition veterans to civilian careers while addressing the need for skilled workers in the natural resource field.
The following is a list of federal programs supporting veterans in transition to the low-carbon workforce:
Veterans Fire Corps (VFC)
Federal partners: United States Forest Service (USFS), Bureau of Land Management, Corporation for National and Community Service
Non-federal partners: Conservation Legacy, California Conservation Corps (CCC), Arizona Conservation Corps (AZCC), Southeast Conservation Corps (SECC), Southwest Conservation Corps, Student Conservation Association (SCA), Mount Adams Institute
Number of positions available: Varies; state programs have multiple crews of four to six participants led by a crew leader
VFC engages with veterans transitioning from military to civilian service while developing the next generation of wildland firefighters. Veterans join as AmeriCorps members to work on priority hazardous fuel projects, receiving all the mandatory training required to become certified as type 2 firefighters, who serve on crews suppressing wildland fires and managing fuels in extremely adverse conditions. At the end of the program, participants receive guidance and support while applying for positions, and most find jobs as wildland firefighters. In the California program, fifty-three percent of graduating veterans said they have gained or are pursuing employment in wildland fire suppression.
BattleGround to Breaking Ground Program (BGBG)
Federal partners: U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Non-federal partners: Texas AgrAbility, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
Number of positions available: Varies; 712 veterans served since 2008
Based in Texas, BGBG is a yearlong 3-phase training program that works to increase the number of veterans starting careers as farmers/ranchers. BGBG provides military members who come from rural areas with the resources to succeed in farming and ranching. Through the program, veterans receive individualized, face-to-face, and online educational training in farm management and production-specific agriculture practices. The BGBG program has served 962 participants and 712 veterans, with over 97 percent of participants expecting to benefit economically from the information gained through the program. One hundred percent of BGBG graduates have started or expanded agriculture operations.
VetsWork Environment
Federal partners: United States Forest Service (USFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Non-federal partners: King Conservation District
Number of positions available: Varies; Over 26 positions listed for 2021 season
VetsWork Environment is a 45-week workforce development internship program during which veterans can learn skills and build professional networks in natural resource management, public lands, and the environment sector. The program has two cohorts: the Northwest cohort offers positions in Oregon, Washington, and Alaska, while the Southeast/Central cohort covers Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas, Alabama, Louisiana, Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas, Virginia, West Virginia, and Puerto Rico. Participants receive a living stipend, an AmeriCorps education award, and basic health coverage.
VetsWork GreenCorps
Non-federal partners: Umatilla National Forest
Number of positions available: Varies; Nine participants during the 2019 season
VetsWork GreenCorps is a 13-week career development program for veterans interested in pursuing wildfire landscape management, wildland firefighting, and other natural resource management careers. While living in Forest Service bunkhouses, participants learn new skills and build professional networks by serving within the Umatilla National Forest. Similar to VetsWork Environment, participants receive a living stipend, an AmeriCorps education award, and basic health coverage.
NOAA Veterans Corps Fisheries Program (California)
Federal partners: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service (USFS)
Non-federal partners: California Conservation Corps (CCC), California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission, and a range of other government, private sector, non-profit, and academic organizations
Number of positions available: Varies; 14 total participants across California, Washington, and Oregon programs in 2020
The Veterans Corps Fisheries program trains veterans in habitat restoration at one of six centers across California. Veterans gain natural resource management expertise by training and working alongside fisheries biologists and other experts. By working on projects like restoring endangered salmon habitats and conducting fisheries research, veterans can develop a range of skills including riparian restoration, sonar camera techniques, and habitat survey training. The program is highly effective: not only have participants supported 279 restoration projects since May 2020, but dozens of veterans have successfully gone on to work in the natural resource field with employers like the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, CAL FIRE, and USFS.
NOAA Veterans Corps Fisheries Program (Washington)
Federal partners: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries
Non-federal partners: Washington Department of Veterans Affairs
Since 2016, NOAA has hosted veterans at various NOAA Research Stations in Washington state. The program provides six-month internships during which veterans gain technical training in the field and research experience in West Coast salmon recovery efforts and habitat restoration. Not only do veterans collect, analyze, and report valuable ecological data, but they also develop original reports and research papers in collaboration with NOAA staff and other outside academic institutions. Veterans further diversify their skill sets through field work opportunities, which include stream restoration and monitoring, planting native plants, and watershed restoration. The program offers professional support, with technical training for job placement and mentoring from conservation professionals.
NOAA Veterans Corps Fisheries Program (Oregon)
Non-federal partners: Mt. Adams Institute, Tillamook Estuaries Partnership, Willamette Riverkeeper
The Oregon program started in 2018 based on the success of the Veterans Conservation Corps Fisheries programs in California and Washington State. The Oregon program provides 11-month career development experiences during which veterans provide NOAA project support, learn about various career paths, and gain hands-on job training. Veterans gain experience in a variety of social and natural science fields, including stewardship of conserved lands, invasive species removal, ecological surveys, and data collection and management.
Author: Celine Yang
Read more about other programs and initiatives helping veterans enter the low-carbon workforce:
Iowa Programs Offer Renewable Energy Opportunities to Veterans
Special Operation Veterans Take on a New Mission: Marine Conservation
Solar Ready Vets Network Prepares Veterans for Solar Industry Careers
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