Deciding where to live and work can be a daunting task. We may want to live in one place to be close to family, nice weather, etc. Those places aren’t always where the jobs are. Finding a civilian job after the military can be tough. Here are the 5 best cities to look for a job in after the military.
Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas
Texas loves their veterans! And who doesn’t want to live someplace where they are appreciated? The sprawling Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex may not be “vet central” like some of our upcoming options, but in this part of the country, military and ex-military are treated like family. This is precisely why the DoD works so closely with Texas contractors like Lockheed Martin, which are always on the lookout for new talent!
The Pentagon pumps billions of dollars in defense spending into the coffers of these companies. It’s a lucrative but competitive industry, so they’ve made it their business to understand the needs of the Armed Forces and supply those needs.
Nearby bases with job opportunities include Naval Air Station Fort Worth and, a little further out, Sheppard Air Force Base and Dyess Air Force Base.
San Diego, Califorina
San Diego is full of military activity and a great place for vets. The beach-front city is full of federal and civilian jobs. The area has a history of military heritage and has many veterans networks. San Diego is home to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Naval Base Coronado, Naval Base Point Loma, Naval Base San Diego and USCG Station San Diego. The sunny California city consistently ranks in the top cities for vets.
Tucson, Arizona
The desert town is booming with jobs. The city is full of defense contractors and aerospace giants like Boeing, General Dynamics, Honeywell, Raytheon and Aerovation. Tucson is known for a low cost of living and clean air. It also hosts the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Navy Operational Support Center (NOSC) Tucson, Air National Guard and less than two hours away in Phoenix is TriWest Healthcare Alliance, another major employer of veterans.
Hampton Roads, Virginia
Hampton Roads consists of several cities including Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Newport News, Hampton and Suffolk. The area is a massive military-industrial complex and includes Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Naval Station Norfolk and Naval Air Station Oceana. It is also close to many government agencies who are also open to hiring veterans, such as NASA, Department of Agriculture, Department of Commerce, Department of Energy, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Labor, Department of Transportation, Department of Veterans Affairs, the Government Accountability Office, General Services Administration, and more!
Huntsville, Alabama
Huntsville is home to dozens of government agencies and defensive contractor companies making it the top city for veterans to find jobs. Such contractors include: Lockheed Martin, Boeing, BAE Systems, Raytheon, General Dynamics, Northrop Grumman, Airbus, UTC Aerospace Systems, Leonardo DRS and L-3 Communications.
The city also has a strong military presence as well, with many large and small units in the area, including the Army Space & Missile Defense Command and Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Aviation & Missile Center (formerly AMRDEC).
The Pew Research Center published the results of a study on veteran transition, showing that a whopping 44% of vets who served within the ten-year period after 9/11 reported difficulty with re-entry into civilian life. Many veterans don’t realize the changes they’ve gone through during their time in the military. But those changes do occur, and the differences often only become apparent after leaving and being fully immersed back into the civilian world. Being around civilians with similar backgrounds, people who have been in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines or Coast Guard, makes the transition much smoother.
Find a spot where you have the support you need, both professionally and personally, by sticking with a vet-friendly city.
Source: GI Jobs