Hire Veterans Act

The Hire Veterans Act (S 3636) creates a 5-year pilot program to help veterans secure jobs at five federal land management agencies (Forest Service, National Park Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, and Bureau of Reclamation). Veterans apply through the Office of Personnel Management, take tests assessing skills for 20 specific career fields (like firefighting, ecology, and land surveying), and may receive noncompetitive hiring for positions if they pass. If veterans don’t initially qualify, agencies must refer them to training programs and retest them until they meet requirements. The program aims to streamline hiring for veterans with relevant skills while requiring annual reports to Congress.