November 12, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:
The NOAA Veterans Corps provides opportunities for military veterans to build their skills and work experience contributing to habitat and fisheries restoration projects.
Through strong partnerships, the year-long paid training program for veterans includes marine and freshwater restoration for native fish and other natural resources. Participants also conduct research and monitoring to track the progress of fish restoration projects and fish populations. These efforts are helping different threatened and endangered species recover, including:
Here are a few key metrics to help understand the NOAA Veterans Corps partnerships impact.
- 8 years: Established in California in 2012, NOAA Veterans Corps partnerships have grown ever since.
- 3 states: We now have veterans corps partnerships in California, Oregon and Washington. Each state has a unique experience for veterans, with different levels of field, research and community outreach opportunities to help prepare them for longer-term careers in resource management.
- 22 partners: Throughout those states, we’re working with partners to help shape the unique veterans corps experiences.
- 50+ veterans: In 2020, we have 14 veterans participating, and more than 50 have participated since the partnerships started in 2012. Many of these veterans furthered their education and gotten jobs in state and tribal natural resource agencies. A recent Washington participant even got hired to work at NOAA!