By Peter S. Gaytan

As a veteran, you may receive preference for Civil Service jobs if you meet certain criteria:

• - You must have an honorable or general discharge;
• - Your military rank must be below major, lieutenant commander (or higher) unless you are disabled
• - Your military service must be more than Guard and Reserve active duty for training purposes
• - You must claim preference on your application or resume when applying for Federal jobs. If you are claiming a 10-point preference, you must complete SF-15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference.

SERVICE DETERMINES TYPES OF PREFERENCE

Depending on your military service, you may receive an additional five or 10 points to your Civil Service examination score.

Five Point Preference To receive an additional five point’s preference, you must have served during one of these time periods:

• - December 7, 1941 to July 1, 1955 OR
• - For more than 180 consecutive days any part of which occurred after January 31, 1955 and before October 15, 1976 OR
• - During the Gulf War from August 2, 1990 through January 2, 1992 OR
• - In a campaign or expedition for which a campaign medal has been authorized, including El Salvador, Grenada, Haiti, Lebanon, Panama, Somalia, Southwest Asia, and Bosnia.
• - On active duty for a period of more than 180 consecutive days any part of which occurred during the period beginning September 11, 2001 and ending on the last date of Operation Iraqi Freedom (whenever that is declared either by Presidential proclamation or by law).

Some additional requirements to qualify for a five point

preference:

• - If you are a Medal holder or Gulf War Veteran who enlisted after September 7, 1980, or entered on active duty on or after October 14, 1982, you must have served continuously for 24 months or for the full period called or ordered to active duty. You do not have to have served in a combat zone in order to qualify for veterans’ preference if you were on active duty during the Gulf War.
• - Service requirements do not apply to veterans with compensable service-connected disabilities OR to veterans separated for disability in the line of duty OR for hardship.

10 point Preference To receive an additional ten points added to your examination score, you must meet these qualification requirements (and complete SF-15, Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference):

• - You are a veteran (service at any time) who has a present service-connected disability OR is receiving compensation, disability retirement benefits OR pension from the military or the Department of Veterans Affairs.
• - You received a Purple Heart
• - You are the unmarried spouse of certain deceased veterans who either served during a war or during the period of April 28, 1952 through July, 1, 1955 or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign medal has been authorized; or died while on active duty that included service described as under conditions that would not have been the basis for other than an honorable or general discharge. OR the spouse of a veteran unable to work because of a service-connected disability
• - You are the parent of a veteran who died in service or who is permanently and totally disabled.

Next Week: How Does Veterans Preference Really Work

Peter S. Gaytan is the author of For Service to Your Country, The Insider’s Guide to Veterans’ Benefits (Citadel, 2008), available from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other booksellers. He has served as an advocate in securing and protecting the earned benefits of America’s veterans for more than a decade. Gaytan is the Executive Director of the American Legion, the largest veterans service organization in America.

*Material released with permission of the authors.