Post-Sept. 11 veterans given edge in federal hiring

[The Straight Story]

Post-Sept. 11 veterans given edge in federal hiring

By Karen Rutzick
[e-mail]

Military personnel who have served in the post-Sept. 11 period now qualify for preference in hiring for federal jobs, agencies were informed recently.

The Office of Personnel Management issued a regulation June 9 giving hiring preference to anyone who served on active duty for at least 180 days, any part of which was between Sept. 11 and whenever Operation Iraqi Freedom ends, either by presidential proclomation or law. Military personnel need not have spent time in Iraq or Afghanistan to qualify.

The last period designated for veterans' preference was the Gulf War -- specifically for military members who served between Aug. 2, 1990, and Jan. 2, 1992. Without this designation, the rules are much stricter for military members to benefit from veterans' preference, and can require 24 months in service, permanent positions and a campaign badge.

OPM has not completed any formal studies on the number of job applicants that the new rule, which implements part of the fiscal 2006 National Defense Authorization Act, may bring. Mark Doboga, the agency's deputy associate director for talent and capacity policy, said he believes it will have a substantial impact, depending on agency hiring budgets and other external factors.

The broadened rules qualify members of the National Guard and Reserves for veterans' preference, though none of the 180 days can be spent in training.

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