Veterans

Veterans at VA

Your Service. Our Honor.

At VA, we have an unwavering commitment to support our Veterans, and that includes helping them build rewarding careers within our health care system. VA gives Veterans—particularly those with disabilities—hiring preference for any available positions. Because we value the special skills and unique perspectives Veterans bring to the table. And we understand that by sharing your experiences you can continue a life of service, helping other Veterans heal and cope with being back home.

Are you a Veteran interested in career opportunities with VA? If so, feel free to email the Veterans Employment Services Office (VESO) for guidance. Find other helpful employment resources, including a military skills translator, resume builder and more at www.vets.gov/employment.

“I know what they’re
going through—so
we help each other.”

‹ ›

“I know what they’re
going through—so
we help each other.”

Benefits for Veterans, by Veterans

VA’s benefits are designed with Veterans in mind and offer you tons of support in a career best suited for your skills and experience. If you are leaving the military, a Veteran already, or an active Reserve or National Guard member, we invite you to pursue a career at VA.

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Veterans’ Programs

VA provides comprehensive tools to help you transition from service to civilian jobs.

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Educational Support

VA invests in your continuing effort to learn and grow your skills, from tuition assistance and loan repayment programs to mentorship and career training.

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Hiring Initiatives

We help make sure you find the job that’s right for you through a variety of hiring initiatives and inventive programs.

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Life Benefits

From generous vacation days to robust medical insurance and retirement plans, VA enables better balance between your work and your personal life.

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Top 10

Reasons to Work at VA

Sure, there are lots of places you could build a health care career. But VA can offer you greater challenge, opportunity, teamwork and satisfaction unlike any other. Here are just a few of the many ways a career at VA stands out from the crowd:

The mission to serve America
Nation’s largest health care system
Access to cutting-edge technology
Education support
Work/Life balance
Exceptional benefits
Team-based. Patient-focused.
Live and work anywhere
Leadership Training
The best patients—Veterans!

The mission to serve America

We are united as an organization to deliver on President Lincoln’s promise to honor and care for the brave men and women who put their lives on the line to protect our country.
VA’s culture is defined through a set of core values, which remind us and others that “I CARE”: integrity, commitment, advocacy, respect and excellence. Every day, we’re dedicated to showing how much we care for our Veterans.

Nation’s Largest Health Care System

Each year, VA serves over 9 million Veterans in 1,200+ health care facilities spread throughout all 50 states, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories.
VA is a leader in clinical innovation and surgical quality, performing about 400,000 procedures annually.
Over 7,000 training programs in affiliation with over 1,800 educational institutions means endless opportunities to grow your skills and advance your career at VA.

Access to cutting-edge technology

VA is the leader in telehealth, with over 700,000 Veterans accessing care through telehealth across 50 different specialties in 2016.
In 2017, VA introduced plans to dramatically expand telehealth—also known as “anywhere to anywhere”—health care services.
VA offers state-of-the-art tools, including speech-recognition capabilities, virtual technologies, mobile devices and renowned knowledge-based resources.

Education support

VA offers a broad range of scholarships, tuition reimbursement and loan repayment programs, and other educational opportunities to help you in your lifelong quest for learning.
VA employees with federal student loans may be eligible for the national loan forgiveness program.
VA conducts the largest medical education program in the country, in partnership with over 1,800 academic institutions.

Work/Life balance

VA employees enjoy predictable, flexible schedules with guaranteed shifts that accommodate their specific needs and lifestyles.
Some VA facilities provide on-site child care, operated by licensed providers.
Many VA facilities have fitness centers on site.
Employees receive generous vacation and personal leave, including 26 paid days off, 13 sick days and 10 paid federal holidays.

Exceptional benefits

VA employees can choose from a variety of high-quality health care and life insurance options, as well as flexible spending accounts.
Health care professionals at VA are protected by the Federal Government in cases of alleged malpractice, eliminating the need for personal liability insurance.
VA offers up to 15 days a year of military leave support for reservists and National Guard.
VA employees are covered by the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) and Thrift Savings Plan (TSP).

Team-based. Patient-focused.

Each Veteran works with a Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT), a group of medical professionals with defined roles, coordinating care to promote the total health and wellness of a patient.
VA is a leader in patient satisfaction.
VA provides mental health integration in clinical practice and clinical pharmacists embedded in primary care.

Live and work anywhere

One active, unrestricted state license allows VA employees to practice in any VA facility nationwide.
Wherever life may lead, VA employees can seek employment at a VA facility with an open position and transfer with no loss of benefits.
With VA’s integrated system, employees are free to explore new areas of career development and pursue opportunities anywhere within VA.

Leadership Training

Employees have 24/7 access to multiple web-based catalogs, filled with diverse online courses and training options to help advance their careers.
VA offers ongoing internal training opportunities to employees at all employment levels, from mandatory developmental programs to competitive opportunities.
Through VA Learning University’s many initiatives (VALU), ambitious candidates can complete customized training to become unifying leaders and innovative agents of change at VA.

The best patients—Veterans!

VA employees have the chance to give back to America’s heroes and help improve life for them and their families every day.
Every day, you have the privilege of spending time with Veterans and hearing their harrowing stories of struggle and triumph. It’s a chance to develop genuine bonds and understanding that helps you better serve their unique needs.
VA patients have experienced wide-ranging military conflicts, resulting in a broad array of ailments and wounds—that means employees regularly meet new challenges that sharpen their skills and critical thinking abilities.

Transitioning Military

As a transitioning service member, you know what it takes to harness your passion and turn it into results. Integrity, wisdom, leadership, courage under pressure—these are the qualities that make you the ideal team member. Plus, your ability to understand Veterans on a deeper level goes unmatched by civilian professionals and will allow you to excel both personally and professionally at VA.

VA is developing a pipeline specifically to separate health care professionals exiting military service, so that they can be swiftly placed in similar positions as civilians. Search and apply now for a thrilling career that lets you continue your mission to protect and serve your fellow Veterans.

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Transitioning Military Careers Flyer

Discover Why Veterans Choose VA

VA offers Veterans a wealth of resources to improve their lives. Choose VA helps you better understand your options by providing comprehensive information in one convenient place. Explore videos, links and firsthand accounts from Veterans and employees explaining the range of benefits, health care and employment opportunities available at VA.

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FAQs

How do I claim Veterans’ preference?

If you are claiming Veterans’ preference, the following documents must be submitted with your application. Failure to do so will result in not having Veterans’ preference applied.

If you are claiming 5-Points Preference, the following must be submitted:

DD214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (must show your character of service upon discharge)

If you are claiming 10-Point Preference, the following must be submitted:

DD214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (must show your character of service upon discharge)
SF-15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference (must be complete)
Letter from the VA Regional Office stating what your percentage of disability is. It is not necessary to send documentation of what your specific disabilities are.
Purple Heart recipients: Purple Heart must be listed on your DD214 or other official documentation.

If you are using your spouse, son or daughter’s 10-Point Preference, the following must be submitted:

DD214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (must show their character of service upon discharge)
SF-15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference (must be complete)
Letter from the VA Regional Office showing that your spouse is unemployable/100-percent service-connected
If deceased, a copy of the death certificate

Where can I get more information about Veterans’ preference?

Specific details regarding Veterans’ preference can be found on USAJobs and on the OPM web site in the Vet Guide.