The Federal Government’s Commitment to Hiring Veterans
General

By: Supriti Jaya Ghosh, U.S. Committee on the Marine Transportation System

This Veteran’s Day, and every day, we honor the many brave women and men who serve or have served in our U.S. uniformed services. But as we pause to honor those in our armed forces, we are also reminded of how we can continue to support those who have risked their lives to protect our great nation!

As we look to the jobs of tomorrow in the domestic maritime industry, hiring of U.S. veterans is critical. Veterans have the skills and experience from the sea services that translate directly into qualifications needed in the U.S. Merchant Marine and maritime sector – a win-win for both maritime businesses and our Veterans.

In 2014, the U.S. Committee on the Marine Transportation System (CMTS) formed the Military to Mariner Task Force to help coordinate Federal efforts to facilitate the transition from military service to civilian employment in the U.S. Merchant Marine and other positions within the Marine Transportation System. In the four years since its inception, significant progress has been made by the Federal partnership to more easily guide departing service members into positions within the commercial maritime industry.

The following are some of CMTS’s member resources that can help a Veteran, or an employer wishing to hire Veterans, succeed in this industry:

  • Getting a Merchant Mariner Credential is a multi-step process, and the U.S. Coast Guard National Maritime Center (NMC) strives to provide mariners with the resources needed to successfully meet their requirements and receive a credential. NMC even has a convenient Live Chat, where mariners can securely connect with the NMC staff members with questions.
  • One of the most robust resources is the Navy Credentialing Opportunities On-Line (Navy COOL), a step by step resource mapping skills, training, and credentials needed to meet certain mariner qualifications, and even where GI benefits can be used to meet those requirements! Similarly, the Department of Labor’s My Next Move and O*Net provide crosswalks and ability to identify employment opportunities fitting a Veteran’s experience and interests.
  • There are a growing number of resources for companies wishing to hire and retain Veterans. The Department of Labor launched recently the HIRE Vets Medallion Program to recognize the many companies that successfully support Veterans in their employ. Veterans can also use the program to identify good companies to work for.

The above only scratches the surface of the ways CMTS member agencies support veterans and service members transitioning into civilian careers. If you’re a Veteran, active service member or a maritime company looking to hire Veterans, learn more on our website at https://www.cmts.gov/topics/m2m.

The CMTS is committed to your success before, during, and after your time in the uniformed services and is honored to work with the American Maritime Partnership to make this a reality.

Thank you to our Veterans for your bravery, sacrifice, and service for our Nation.

Supriti “Jaya” Ghosh is the Senior Maritime Policy Advisor at the U.S. Committee on the Marine Transportation System, where her portfolio covers Veteran’s Hiring, Data Interoperability, and Infrastructure.