A Veterans Guide to an Engineering Job (2023)

FAQs

Is it harder to get a job as a veteran? ›

Appears In. Veterans continue to struggle to gain employment because of culture gaps between civilian society and their military pasts, as well as a lack of seamless integration amongst Veteran care programs.

Job Overview

As a Combat Engineer, you'll work quickly and skillfully to help Soldiers navigate while on combat missions by constructing bridges, clearing barriers with explosives, and detecting and avoiding mines and other environmental hazards.

VET TEC Coding Training

Veterans who are eligible for the VET TEC program are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. To apply for the program, veterans need only one day of unexpired GI Bill benefits. The program does not use GI Bill benefits but pays a monthly housing stipend to students.

Whether it's building a ship or fighter jet, designing software for a weapons system, or developing the latest medical advancements, the DOD has rewarding opportunities for engineers in any field to make a difference.

The average age of all veterans was 58 years. More specifically, 21.1 percent of the veteran population was under the age of 45, 41.2 percent were between the ages of 45 and 64, and 37.1 percent of the population was 65 years or older.

Most engineers enter service at the O-1 pay grade, which is called a second lieutenant (2LT) in the Army, Air Force and Marines, and an ensign in the Navy and the Coast Guard. The basic monthly pay, effective January 2021, includes the following: O-1 with over 3 years of service: ​$4,260.60​

While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $145,500 and as low as $24,500, the majority of Military Engineer salaries currently range between $39,000 (25th percentile) to $84,500 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $124,000 annually across the United States.

A combat engineer (also called pioneer or sapper) is a type of soldier who performs military engineering tasks in support of land forces combat operations. Combat engineers perform a variety of military engineering, tunnel and mine warfare tasks as well as construction and demolition duties in and out of combat zones.

Sixty-eight percent of employers say if they have two equally qualified candidates for a job, and one is a U.S. veteran, they are more likely to hire the veteran, on par with last year.

Why hire a tech VA? ›

Assist With Website Management and Marketing Tasks

With the help of a VA, businesses can save time with these tasks to focus on other areas of their business. Additionally, VAs can also help with various marketing activities, such as social media management, email marketing, and creating marketing materials.

If you are attending school at a foreign school your BAH rate will be the national average BAH rate for an E-5 with dependents. Currently that breaks down to $1,789.00 (August 2019 – July 2020).

Mechanized combat-engineer squads are organized around the armored personnel carrier (APC) and are armed with small arms, grenade launchers, light AT weapons, and explosives. Within the platoon, they carry a basic load of conventional mines sufficient to emplace a minefield to support a platoon defense.

Military and civilian engineers share a unique mission within the Defense Department – to advance cutting-edge engineering technology, systems and practices in specializations that range from cyber and space to hypersonics and quantum science and more, all in support of the warfighter..

As part of the Navy Civil Engineer Corps, you can receive unrivaled hands-on experience and advanced training in civil engineering areas including architecture, construction engineering, environmental engineering, water resources engineering, geotechnical engineering, hydraulic engineering, land surveying, structural ...

Veterans Are Entrepreneurial.

When veterans are hired as employees, they show the same qualities in their work as the owner would. They're self-sufficient, trustworthy and work toward the good of the business. These same qualities are the reason veterans are twice as likely to start businesses than non-veterans.

With sought-after attributes like loyalty, dependability, leadership, teamwork, attention to deadlines and detail, and the ability to make critical decisions under pressure, employers recognize that veterans are an immense asset to their teams.

A photo of Lawrence Brooks from his time in the military at his home in New Orleans on Sept. 8, 2021. Lawrence Brooks, 112, waves to the drive-by parade. He is the oldest living World War II veteran in the United States.

The largest birth cohort was born in the 1920s, and 87.9 % of the RMPs were born between 1910 and 1949. The majority of deaths (84.6 %) occurred between 1990 and 2012. The mean age at retirement was 46.48 ± 6.63 years (median 45.31), and the mean age at death was 69.40 ± 12.55 years (median 69.85).

How old is the youngest veteran? ›

Navy Veteran Calvin Leon Graham became the youngest World War II soldier at the age of 12, and the youngest recipient of the Purple Heart and Bronze Star. During World War II, it was not unusual for American boys to lie about their age in order to enlist.

The Army Corps of Engineers' motto is “ESSAYONS.”

The term, which is a French phrase meaning “Let us try,” is a nod to the French engineers who aided the American Continental Army during the Revolutionary War.

The Navy will give you hands down the best nuclear, power plant, and electrical engineering training. Sea Bees get amazing infrastructure engineering training as do Dirt Boys in the AF. The Air Force has amongst the best explosive engineering EOD members in the world.

Principal engineers hold the highest position or level on the technical engineering career track. They are highly advanced software engineers who make important product decisions regarding direction and scope.

The term sapper is a historical term for a combat engineer that remains in use to describe certain personnel in various armies. The term is used, for example, in the armies of the United Kingdom and some Commonwealth nations and in the U.S. military.

A sapper — also known as an elite combat engineer — is a combatant skilled in a variety of military engineering duties such as minefield placement or clearing, bridge-building, demolitions, field defenses, and road and airfield construction.

sapper, military engineer. The name is derived from the French word sappe (“spadework,” or “trench”) and became connected with military engineering during the 17th century, when attackers dug covered trenches to approach the walls of a besieged fort.

When an officer retires, their commission normally remains in force and effect forever. In return for the privilege of being legally entitled to being addressed by their military rank and getting all their retirement benefits, they basically remain an "officer of the United States" until death.

Why is it so hard to work with veterans? ›

Some employers see veterans as too rigid or formal. Other stereotypes include problems with anger management or post-traumatic stress. One way veterans can work to overcome the stereotype of rigidity is to prepare for interviews.

Pay is good but the work is too much

Understaffed, management is controlling and overbearing. There is no accountability and you're constantly being given more work. No room for growth. Very stressful but the pay and benefits are good.

Sample answer: I am a virtual assistant with an IT background and have worked remotely for five years. I am passionate about software, online tools, and data entry and analysis. I love this job for the opportunity to earn on the side while I work with and learn about the things that interest me.

Tech jobs often allow you to be creative and develop solutions for new challenges. Many tech jobs focus on innovating new solutions to problems, which requires creative thinking from the developers. This may help you feel satisfied with your career, as there are often new challenges to resolve.

Paygrade E-5

E-5 is the 5th enlisted paygrade in the United States military, with monthly basic pay ranging from $2,730.30 for an entry-level E-5 to $3,874.80 per month for E-5 personnel with over 40 years of experience.

The White House and Congress have proposed a 4.6% pay raise for the military in 2023, the largest in nearly two decades. For your personalized pay and allowance computation check out our free Military Pay Calculator which can provide you with personalized pay calculations.

Infantry is the first to see military action in a ground war or conflict. A combat engineer's role has to do with strategizing with military technology. An infantry's primary objective is to kill the enemy. A combat engineer is higher up in the hierarchy of the military.

Combat Engineers are trained to fight their way into and out of any terrain or environment, and they can make it safe for those that will follow them. They are as close to being Infantry as you can get and not being Infantry. It's a job that can be highly stressful and dangerous at times; it is not a job for everyone.

What is the difference between a combat engineer and an engineer? ›

The primary difference between the Engineer vs Combat Engineer, would be its load out and available PPOs (Player Placed Objects) available for each class. The Engineer is going to be more defensive oriented and focusing on the construction of larger projects (now, and going forward).

Benefits and Outlook

Military engineers can expect numerous benefits, including competitive salaries that factor in the cost of living increases, vacation and sick days, insurance and retirement plans, 10 paid federal holidays, flexible work hours and more.

A weapon engineer is a professional who designs weapons and artillery. They use their knowledge of electrical and mechanical engineering to develop new systems and tools for different divisions of the military and private-sector companies.

Famous names like George Meade, George McClellan, Andrew Humphreys, Robert E. Lee, P.G.T. Beauregard, and Gouverneur Warren were Army Engineers for most of their adult lives. Trained at West Point in engineering and the art of war, they had a tremendous impact on how the American Civil War unfolded.

The hardest military branch to get into in terms of education requirements is the Air Force. The military branch with the toughest basic training is the Marine Corps. The hardest military branch for non-males because of exclusivity and male dominance is the Marine Corps. What is the smallest military branch?

Military police and combat engineers complete both trainings at Fort Leonard Wood. Female recruits: Your basic combat training location will be Fort Leonard Wood, Fort Sill or Fort Jackson. These installations have gender-integrated training. Plan to become an officer?

Sixty-eight percent of employers say if they have two equally qualified candidates for a job, and one is a U.S. veteran, they are more likely to hire the veteran, on par with last year.

Highlights from the 2022 data:

The unemployment rate for all veterans (2.8 percent) was lower than the rate for nonveterans (3.6 percent) in 2022. (See table A.)

Your military experience is an asset and you should demonstrate on your resume what you have acquired through it. Many employers realize the value of bringing veterans on board. Personal attributes you obtain through the military include dedication, leadership, teamwork, positive work ethic and transferrable skills.

Veterans may be at greater risk for money mismanagement due to lack of financial experience, targeted predatory loans, and service-related traumatic brain injury. The highest levels of financial stress were found in post 9/11 service members and those closest to retirement.

Why do employers discriminate against veterans? ›

Presumption of PTSD or Mental Health Problems

USA Today reports that many employers have unfair, biased views of veterans, assuming that they all suffer from mental health issues or that post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) will cause them to be a liability in the workforce.

Under VEVRAA, a veteran may be classified as a ''disabled veteran,'' ''recently separated veteran,'' ''active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran,'' or ''Armed Forces service medal veteran. '' active duty* in the U.S. Military?

It is still possible to receive a 100% combined rating. In 2021, 8.3% of veterans with service-connected disabilities had a combined rating of 90%, while 16.9% had a combined rating of 100%.

The Army: Loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity, personal courage. The Navy and Marine Corps: Honor, courage, commitment.

VA benefits include disability compensation, pension, education and training, health care, home loans, insurance, Veteran Readiness and Employment, and burial. See our Veterans page for an overview of the benefits available to all Veterans.

Veterans. The Postal Service employs nearly 63,000 military veterans, making it one of the largest employers of veterans in the country.

Many companies provide Veterans Day discounts or hold a Veterans Day sale. Others extend discounts to veterans all year. Consider including active service members and their families to show your appreciation. Veterans Day is an opportunity to announce or bring awareness to your veterans programs.

What is Veterans Preference (VP)? Veterans who are disabled or who served on active duty in the armed forces during certain recognized periods, or in military campaigns, are entitled to preference over other qualified candidates from competitive lists of eligible applicants.