dhs.gov/veterans

President Barack Obama signs an executive order on the Employment of Veterans in the Federal Government, in the Oval Office, Nov. 9, 2009. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

Earlier today, the Secretary recorded a message honoring our nation’s veterans, nearly 47,000 of who continue to serve today at the Department of Homeland Security. These veterans bring with them special skills and experiences that are invaluable to our ability to carry out our mission. As the Secretary said in her message, we are proud to have as many veterans among our ranks as we do, and we’re working actively to bring even more veterans – along with their proven skills and dedication to protecting our nation – on board.

To support our recognition and recruiting efforts, we launched a new page on the DHS website last night to provide more resources for veterans who want to work at or with DHS. At www.dhs.gov/veterans, you can see profiles of a few of the 47,000 veterans within the DHS workforce and read how their military experience prepared them for work at DHS, in their own words. We are grateful every day for their service, not just on Veterans Day - we encourage you to take a look at the new page, and share any thoughts you might have in the comment section there.

A New Look, and a New Way to Communicate

Today, the department proudly unveiled an updated dhs.gov. We've been working on the "new look and feel" for sometime, and we're happy to finally share it with you. The new design and navigation reflects Secretary Napolitano's five major responsibilities, and makes it easier for users to find information. We relied on extensive user input and search analysis to help us in the redesign, and want your feedback. Check it out.

We're also launching the department's new official YouTube channel. President Obama continually emphasizes the need for more transparency and access, and YouTube is a social media tool that helps us do just that. We'll use it to highlight events, speeches, public service announcements and other related content. We'll continue to move forward with the use of web 2.0 tools, allowing the Department to communicate its message and broadcast content with a human face and voice to an audience eager for more transparency and access.

“Social media plays an increasingly large role as we engage with the public, especially in the event of an incident or disaster,” said DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano. “These new tools help us communicate directly and facilitate immediate dialogue about the Department’s security efforts across the nation and around the world.”

Check out the new look at dhs.gov, and our new Youtube channel.

dhs.gov Spotlight: Operation Warfighter

Dhs.gov features a number of programs aren't always in plain view. Operation Warfighter is a great example. It offers recuperating miliatry service members the chance to remain active in internships or temporary assignments during their convalescence. The Operation Warfighter page on our site explains the program, its benefits for employers and service members, and information on how to become involved. Check it out.

dhs.gov Spotlight: Career Opportunities

Interested in a career at the Department of Homeland Security? We're always updating career postings on dhs.gov. Check out the most recent opportunities from our Office of Cybersecurity and Communications here, and visit our careers page for openings from around the Department.