Veterans and Homeland Security

The Department is committed to engaging the unique talents, skills and work ethic of veterans through employment, contracting opportunities and outreach with the veteran community.

Work with Us

The Department counts 47,000 veterans – 25% of the entire Department civilian workforce – among its employees. This is on top of the 42,000 active duty members of the United States Coast Guard (USCG).

Secretary Napolitano has set a goal to have 50,000 veteran civilian employees at the Department by 2012, and is targeting more positions for veterans and utilizing direct hire authorities to hire veterans to reach that objective.

The Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer (OCHCO) and the Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (CRCL) lead the Department's efforts in veteran recruiting. They develop recruitment materials, identify and participate in job fairs, and coordinate with other departments on special veteran programs. They are also responsible for training components in veteran hiring tools and developing standardized training materials for recruiters to be used by components. CRCL provides leadership, guidance, and technical assistance for the Disabled Veterans Affirmative Action Program.

Learn about finding a job at the Department.

Contract with Us

In Fiscal Years 2008 and 2009, the Department awarded approximately $900 million in prime contracts to non-disabled and service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses.

In an effort to push annual contract awards to veteran owned small businesses above $1 billion, the Department has developed several contracts and contracting mechanisms to ensure that Department procurement opportunities are accessible to veteran and service-disabled veteran business owners.

One example is a multiple award Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) set-aside contract for department-wide use for Program Management, Administrative, Clerical, and Technical Service - referred to as PACTS. PACTS is a $1.5 billion program with a five-year period of performance.

The Office of the Chief Procurement Officer (OCPO) and the Office of Small Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) work to ensure that Department procurement opportunities are accessible to veteran and service disabled veteran business owners. With PACTS and other procurement programs, the Department is moving toward fulfilling important service disabled veterans procurement goals.

Learn about contracting opportunities for veterans.

Partner with Us

Our nation’s veterans possess unique talents, experiences and dedication that can be invaluable to the Department’s mission of securing our homeland. That is why the Department works every day to cultivate a stronger relationship with the veteran community.

Whether engaging with veteran service organizations (VSOs) and military service organizations (MSOs); meeting regularly with veterans groups to discuss the Department's ongoing collaborative efforts; or spearheading projects like the DHS Veterans Outreach Steering Committee—a group of representatives from across the Department that advise the Secretary on efforts to improve and integrate veteran outreach; the Department strives to gather input, share information, and increase transparency.

There are also ways that veterans can continue their service to our nation and our communities by volunteering through the Department. Citizen Corps was created to help coordinate volunteer activities that will make our communities safer, stronger, and better prepared to respond to any emergency situation. Coordinated nationally by the Department's Federal Emergency Management Agency, Citizen Corps provides opportunities for people to participate in a range of measures to make their families, their homes, and their communities safer from the threats of crime, terrorism, and disasters of all kinds. Get involved today!