There is an “America Supports You” program that helps active duty, Guard, and Reserve veterans transition to jobs in the construction industry. Defense officials say the “Helmets to Hardhats” program has “matched about 40,000” veterans with apprenticeships in construction unions around the country. However, the program still has some 150,000 registered job seekers looking for their particular area of interest and more signing up each year.
The Defense Innovation Board adopted a series of new recommendations and praised the Air Force for its big bets on emerging technology in recent years that seem primed to help new entrants to the defense market bridge the so-called valley of death between initial investment and actual production contracts.