Do these companies actually give veterans hiring preference?

Most have internal goals for veteran hiring and dedicated recruiting teams. That does not mean you get hired automatically. It means there is a recruiter whose job is to find qualified veterans. Your resume still needs to pass the ATS and demonstrate that you are qualified. Veteran preference gets you looked at. A tailored resume gets you interviewed.

Should I apply directly through the company website or through a job board?

Apply through the company's career page, especially if they have a veteran-specific portal. Job board applications sometimes get routed differently or lost in higher-volume pipelines. Many of these companies also attend military hiring events and career fairs. Applying online and following up with a recruiter at an event is a strong combination.

What if I want to work for a company not on this list?

The same rules apply. Research whether they have a veteran hiring program. Tailor your resume to their job description. Use civilian language throughout. Many companies that do not advertise veteran hiring programs still value military experience. They just need you to present it in terms they understand.

Veteran-Friendly Companies Actively Hiring in 2026

By GetVetsHired · July 2026 · 6 min read

There are companies that say they hire veterans, and then there are companies that actually do. The difference is usually a dedicated military recruiting team, a veteran employee resource group, and a hiring process that understands what your experience actually means. Here are the companies that are serious about hiring veterans in 2026, what they are looking for, and how to make sure your resume gets past their ATS and into the right hands.

Amazon

Amazon hired over 40,000 veterans and military spouses in the last five years and has a dedicated military recruiting team. They hire for operations management, logistics, IT, corporate roles, and software engineering. Their operations manager roles are a natural fit for veterans with leadership experience. Starting pay is $60,000 to $80,000 for area managers, with fast promotion paths to senior operations and general manager roles. The ATS at Amazon scans for keywords like 'process improvement,' 'team management,' 'safety compliance,' and 'performance metrics.' Tailor your resume to include these terms. If you led a team of any size, lead with the numbers. 'Managed a team of 12' is better than 'led a squad.'

Lockheed Martin

Lockheed Martin is one of the largest defense contractors in the world and one of the largest employers of veterans. About 20% of their workforce are veterans. They hire for engineering, program management, cybersecurity, logistics, and manufacturing. A security clearance is a major advantage here. Many roles require one, and your active clearance saves them months of waiting and thousands of dollars in background investigation costs. Their ATS scans for technical keywords and clearance status. Put your clearance at the top of your resume. If you have a degree in engineering or a related field, lead with that. If you have hands-on maintenance or production experience, frame it in manufacturing terms: 'quality assurance,' 'production planning,' and 'configuration management.'

USAA

USAA was founded by veterans for veterans, and they still hire veterans at every level. They have offices in San Antonio, Phoenix, Tampa, and Colorado Springs, plus remote roles nationwide. They hire for customer service, claims, IT, finance, compliance, and management. Claims adjuster roles start at $45,000 to $55,000 and are a common entry point. IT and finance roles pay significantly more. USAA's ATS looks for keywords like 'customer service,' 'regulatory compliance,' 'risk assessment,' 'data analysis,' and 'financial services.' If you have experience managing budgets, processing claims, or handling sensitive information, frame it in their language. The company culture is military-friendly, so your background is understood and valued once you get past the ATS. The challenge is getting past the ATS in the first place.

Verizon

Verizon has a dedicated military hiring program and actively recruits veterans for retail management, field operations, network engineering, and corporate roles. Retail store managers earn $60,000 to $80,000 plus performance bonuses. Field technicians and network engineers earn $55,000 to $90,000. Corporate roles in project management, supply chain, and IT pay $70,000 to $120,000. Their ATS scans for 'team leadership,' 'operations management,' 'customer experience,' 'technical troubleshooting,' and 'project coordination.' If you have communications or signal experience from the military, highlight it. '25S Satellite Communications Operator' becomes 'satellite and network communications technician with experience in signal operations and equipment maintenance.'

The Home Depot

Home Depot has a strong military hiring program and promotes from within. They hire for store management, distribution center operations, supply chain, IT, and corporate roles. Store managers earn $80,000 to $120,000. Distribution center supervisors earn $55,000 to $75,000. The company values the leadership and operational discipline that veterans bring. Their ATS scans for 'inventory management,' 'team supervision,' 'customer service,' 'safety compliance,' and 'operational efficiency.' If you have logistics, supply, or maintenance experience, these roles are a natural fit. Tailor your resume to include the specific operational keywords from the job posting.

JP Morgan Chase

JP Morgan Chase has a dedicated Office of Military and Veterans Affairs and hired over 18,000 veterans since 2011. They hire for operations, technology, finance, risk management, and client services. Operations analysts earn $55,000 to $75,000. Technology roles pay $80,000 to $130,000. Their ATS scans for 'process improvement,' 'risk management,' 'data analysis,' 'stakeholder communication,' and 'project management.' The financial industry loves process-oriented thinking and attention to detail. Both are core military skills. Frame your experience in terms of processes, controls, and outcomes. If you managed a property book, you understand asset management. If you tracked training readiness, you understand compliance reporting. Connect those dots on your resume.

How to apply to these companies the right way

Every company on this list has an ATS that scans your resume before a human sees it. You can have the perfect background for a role and still get rejected if your resume does not contain the keywords the ATS is looking for. The solution is simple but tedious: tailor your resume for every single application. Match the keywords from the job description. Use the company's language, not the military's language. A tailoring tool can do this in minutes. Upload your resume, paste the job description, and get a version that speaks the employer's language. Then apply through the company's veteran hiring portal when one exists. Most of these companies have a dedicated military recruiting page. Use it. It often routes your application to a recruiter who understands military experience.

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