The Military Post - #9

Welcome back to the Military Post! In this edition, we cover the recent news about federal layoffs, especially at the VA, as well as upcoming opportunities and job-seeker advice.

Every week we search for relevant news to share with you, as well as speak with recruiters for career tips and the employment opportunities we share. Our goal is to deliver you great advice, the latest news, and fantastic opportunities condensed every single week!

We’re feeling inspirational this week. . . and maybe a bit philosophical with our quote of the week:

Now let’s get into it - at the bottom of the newsletter you will find upcoming events, open roles, and free training opportunities!

The Single Most Impactful Thing Someone Can Have in the Transition is a Mentor

Now, thanks to the always-free platform MilMentor, jobseekers in the military community can search hundreds of available mentors by job title, company, and expertise, easily request a time to chat with them from their pre-defined availabilities, and be connected via automated phone call at call time. For mentors, you can change someone’s transition on your schedule.

Sign Up Today Here.

Weekly Job-Seeker Advice

We get a lot of questions about how to prepare to attend a hiring fair and during the event, how to approach companies. Here’s our best advice:

1. Research companies attending, find all of the roles of interest from each company, and then create a priority list.

2. Create resumes for each of these roles and have them easily accessible to email from your phone. Additionally, have your LinkedIn QR code readily accessible to connect with recruiters.

3. Dress professionally and show up early on event day.

4. Show up to each company’s booth, tell them the role(s) you are interested in and a few highlights about your background (ideally relevant experience, relevant education, and military experience). Be short and sweet, but think through the best things you can highlight with 3-4 sentences.

5. After chatting with companies, be sure to connect with recruiters, inquire about the roles you are interested in, and get applications in with the companies. If you have already applied beforehand, tell them so they can know it came from the event.

6. Bonus - visit every booth at these events. So many people get hired at fairs by a company that didn’t even have the role they were interested in publicly posted yet. It is always worth connecting and sharing the types of roles you are interested in.

Finally, be confident. You have done way harder sh**. Be courteous and hold your head up high, a great opportunity is coming your way.

Ok - on to our news for the week. . .

VA Medical Research on Cancer, Suicide Prevention, and Toxic Exposure at Risk Due to Hiring Freeze

A VA hiring freeze threatens hundreds of medical research projects, affecting up to 10,000 veterans. Senators warn 200 researchers may lose jobs, putting studies on cancer, opioids, and suicide prevention at risk. Despite healthcare exemptions, research positions are being cut. Lawmakers and experts urge Congress to lift the freeze, citing the VA’s century-long history of medical breakthroughs. Critics argue the cuts contradict responsible spending, while the VA nominee pledges to investigate but takes no stance.

Federal Return-to-Office Causing Spouses Headache

Despite the Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) guidance categorically exempting federally employed military spouses from President Donald Trump's return-to-office directive, many agencies are not consistently applying this exemption, leading to confusion and career uncertainty among military families. Thirteen Democratic lawmakers have urged OPM and Secretary of State Marco Rubio to take immediate action to ensure all federal agencies reinstate or approve remote work and telework agreements that were in place or pending before the January 20 directive. Some spouses have lost pre-existing telework agreements, with no clarity on if or when new agreements will be offered. This uncertainty poses a threat to military readiness, as service members may face difficult decisions between continuing their service and supporting their families' employment stability.

VA Fires 1,400 More 'Nonessential' Workers, Sparking Backlash

The VA has fired 2,400 employees under the Trump administration’s workforce cuts, including many veterans in "non-mission critical" roles. The move sparked backlash from veterans' groups, warning of lost expertise and service disruptions. VA Secretary Doug Collins defended the cuts, citing $83 million in savings to improve veteran care. Lawmakers are scrutinizing the dismissals, with concerns over transparency and impact on services like the Veterans Crisis Line. Some employees have been reinstated, but the debate continues over the VA’s workforce strategy.

House Democrat Pushes Bill to Reinstate Veterans Fired by Trump Administration

Rep. Derek Tran, an Army veteran, is pushing a bill to reinstate veterans fired under the Trump administration and require agencies to justify dismissals. Nearly 6,000 veterans and 38,000 federal workers have been let go, sparking backlash. Democrats call it unfair, while Republicans see it as cutting bureaucracy. Tran insists his bill is about protecting those who served, not politics.

Veteran Unemployment Rate Rises to 4.2% in January

In January, U.S. veteran unemployment climbed to 4.2% from December's 2.8%, contrasting with a slight national unemployment decrease to 4.0%. Post-9/11 veterans experienced a jobless rate increase to 4.7% from 3.9%. Notably, veteran unemployment rates surpassed those of the general populace, as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in its first release since President Donald Trump's second term commenced on January 20th.