SKILLBRIDGE FAQ
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Yes! This is our 8th year helping military talent connect with great careers. We’ve placed over 1,000 Veterans and Active Duty service members into companies like General Dynamics, Xerox, Facebook, and hundreds of others.
Give our Manager a couple of days to process your application. Feel free to follow up for an update. His/her contact info is featured on our Leadership Page.
Yes, go to our Resume Page for improvement suggestions. There are also a number of free resources available to you if you write “how to write a great resume.” Also, check out Veterati or Hire our Heroes.
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Yes. Commanders or installation-level SkillBridge points of contact can use the “Contact Us” page at https://skillbridge.osd.mil/ to obtain details about Service-specific guidance on travel.
As a general rule, Service Members may not accept gifts, travel benefits (transportation, lodging, meals) or similar perks from a SkillBridge Industry Partner. However, they may be accepted if available to ALL participants (including members of the general public) from the SkillBridge Partner.
Example 1:
A military Service Member (SM) participating in a SkillBridge internship with Company X while in a permissive TDY status. In addition to Service Members, the internship includes members of the general public. If Company X offers to pay for the SM’s airfare and lodging/meals while participating in the internship, the SM may accept the offer if it is also extended to the participating members of the general public.
Example 2:
Near the end of the SkillBridge internship, the participating SM is invited to interview with Company X at its headquarters in another state. Company X HQ offers to pay for your interview travel expenses. However, members of the general public who also participate in the internship are not provided travel expenses when invited to an interview. Because the interview travel expenses are not offered to all invitees, the SM may NOT accept the travel expenses from Company X to attend the interview at the HQ.
Service Members and their Chain of Command should discuss the unique circumstances of any gift/benefits offer with their servicing Legal Office before accepting them.
OSD SkillBridge Policy Position: Employees of the U.S. government cannot, generally, accept payment to utilize services offered to them by their government employment or duty. That would, in effect, constitute double payment for their employment which is not permissible.
The Military Departments may make barracks or other similar lodging facilities available to Service members participating in a SkillBridge opportunity without charge. Current guidance in DODI 1322.29 provides that the “Military Departments will not spend DOD appropriations for JTEST-AI (SkillBridge) programs”. This provision does not prohibit Military Departments from making such lodging space available. Installation commanders may authorize otherwise unoccupied barracks, on a space available basis, without charge to any Service members participating in SkillBridge opportunities while on permissive TDY outside of their geographic home area.
Yes. The Armed Services place great importance on acculturating new employees into the Department of Defense. Likewise, the SkillBridge program recognizes that onboarding activities allow SkillBridge participants to learn about an organization and prepare them to be productive and successful in a civilian career.
Yes, the assigned unit/command retains responsibility of the Service Member while they participate in a SkillBridge program. In some instances, Service SkillBridge Program Managers may be able to assist units/commands in monitoring Service Members. However, Service Program Managers cannot replace or assume the administrative, ethical, or legal responsibilities of the Service member’s commander.
The decision to grant or adjust time taken to participate in a SkillBridge Program remains with the Service Member’s Commander and/or SkillBridge Program Director or Chief.
SkillBridge Programs provide eligible Service members with job training and career development opportunities to acquire employment skills, knowledge, and/or abilities to assist Service members with job opportunities in the civilian sector. SkillBridge industry partners’ training programs must offer a high probability of post-service employment with the provider or other employers in a field related to the opportunity, but participants are not entitled to a job at the conclusion of the SkillBridge opportunity with that specific industry partner or employer simply by virtue of completing the SkillBridge Program.
No, the DOD encourages Service members to participate in the SkillBridge Program and other career skills opportunities, however, participation is optional.
No. Commanding Officers maintain final approval of Service member participation in a SkillBridge Program. Approval authority rests with the first field grade commander who is authorized to impose non-judicial punishment under Article 15 of the UCMJ in the Service member’s chain of command. This authority may not be delegated.
Service member participation in the SkillBridge Program with civilian industry partners and employers is authorized, however, some restrictions and guidelines apply. Most commands have an associated “ethics” briefing that members must attend prior to participating in a SkillBridge Program. The Resources page of https://skillbridge.osd.mil also provides more detailed ethics information on issues such as pay, allowances, and gifts. Service members with questions or concerns pertaining to ethics must promptly contact their command chain, servicing legal office, or the installation SkillBridge point of contact.
Service members should contact their installation SkillBridge point of contact for details about Service and command-specific guidance about the SkillBridge approval process. If unavailable, Service members can also submit a question through the Contact Us link on https://skillbridge.osd.mil to be placed in contact with an installation-level program manager.
Yes, Service-specific SkillBridge instructions are available on the Resources page of https://skillbridge.osd.mil.
No, it is expected that Service Members expend all Leave prior to (or during) the SkillBridge program. Service Members should also expend their house hunting/Permissive TDY prior to starting a SkillBridge program.
