Kilmer, Russell Introduce Bill to Open Defense Jobs to Military Retirees

Press Release

Today, Representatives Derek Kilmer (D-WA) and Steve Russell (R-OK) introduced a bill to make sure military retirees have fair access to jobs with the Department of Defense. Under current law, servicemembers who retire have to wait 180 before even applying for civilian jobs at military facilities like the Pentagon. Every year since 2001, the President has issued a waiver to lift this hiring rule; however, recent years have seen substantial uncertainty.

Kilmer and Russell's bipartisan legislation, the Military Retiree Employment Act, would eliminate the 180 day wait time for five years and open up these positions on a competitive basis to members of the military who have retired. It also requires that officials look into a permanent elimination of this provision and increases the transparency of job announcements.

"Retiring servicemembers deserve every opportunity to apply for jobs they are qualified for," said Kilmer. "Just last month, the Navy announced they are hiring hundreds of employees at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton. Local veterans who have recently completed their military service shouldn't have to wait 6 months to apply for these types of jobs. Our bipartisan bill seeks to eliminate roadblocks veterans face in local employment opportunities and encourages veterans to continue serving their country in civil service."

"Some of our country's best and brightest have retired out of the military, and to put them on a waiting list to apply for DOD jobs, that they may be perfectly qualified and suited for, does not make a lot of sense," said Russell. "So much so, this provision has been waived for years. These jobs should be open to all who merit it, and that should include those leaving our military after a distinguished career."

Source