How veterans can find the same camaraderie the military offered in a new career

Veterans or personnel leaving the service often struggle with finding a second career when they get out, particularly one that gives them a similar sense of fulfillment and camaraderie found in the military sector.

However, despite the transition woes faced by many, some veterans have found a new home in the form of the US Customs and Border Protection service.

An agency whose core is nearly as old as the United States, the CBP later merged several agencies and components in the early 2000s. Since then, the CPB has become a veteran-friendly environment that truly embraces the skillsets that veterans bring to the table in order to accomplish the most personal of defensive missions- the protection of the United States from her very edges and entry points.

Roughly one-third of the CBP is comprised of military veterans, and the demographic personifies the CBP’s culture of teamwork and innovation, as well as some of the core values of service, integrity and vigilance.

“US Customs and Border Protection was a natural transition from military service for me,” said CBP Officer Black, a US Army veteran. “CBP has allowed me to continue to serve in a uniformed, goal orientated atmosphere that respects my status as a veteran. I have found a place where my skills and experiences are not only welcomed but desired.”

The CBP recognizes its veteran members as a crucial part of their team and works hard to reward their experience with a fulfilling career. This is one of the many reasons why Military.com and Monster rated CBP the best Federal Agency for hiring veterans in 2016.

One of the perks of working for the Federal government is that veterans may be eligible to count their time in the military towards CBP retirement and leave accrual, and may be eligible to receive a GI-Bill monthly housing allowance benefit for On-The-Job Training.

National Guardsmen or Reservists seeking employment with the CBP are entitled to time off in order to perform some types of active or part-time duties.

“I was in the U.S. Army Reserve when I started my career with Customs and Border Protection, in fact I was deployed when I received the job offer,” said CBP Officer Cannon. “Three more deployments and one mobilization later I retired from the reserves and never once felt that my military career interfered with my CBP career. Even though I spent half of my first 10 CBP years activated for one mission or another, it never had a negative impact. My supervisors and coworkers were always supportive and the training I received in both uniforms helped me with both of my careers.”

CBP employees who complete their National Guard/Reserve commitments are covered under The Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA). USERRA protects service members’ reemployment rights when returning from a period of service in the uniformed services.

With a great foundation to work from, veterans would be remiss to overlook such a fantastic job opportunity. Find out more at here.