An official website of the United States government
          Here's how you know
        Here's how you knowDot gov**Official websites use .gov**
              
              A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
        Https**Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
              
              A **lock** (   Locked padlock
 ) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.  Newsroom
                                
                          
        
                Vote.gov Accessibility Menu
  

        
        Accessibility Menu
      Toggle Font Size
                                        
                                
          
                    Toggle OpenDyslexic
                                        
                                
          
                    Toggle Dyslexia-friendly black-on-creme color scheme
                                        
                                
          
                    Contact Us
 *U.S. Department of the Interior*
Menu


    close

        
        
                        
        
        
  
  
          About
      
                
        
        
  
  
          About
                    Interior
              
      
                
        
        
  
  
          Meet the Secretary
      
                        
                    
      
              Interior Leadership
      
                        
                    
      
              Departmental Offices
      
                        
                    
      
              History of the Interior
      
                        
                    
      
                      Join
              
      
                
        
        
  
  
          Careers
      
                        
                    
      
              Pathways Program
      
                        
                    
      
              Veterans Employment
      
                        
                    
      
              Volunteer
    
  

      
              
      
                        
                    
      
              Bureaus
      
                
        
        
  
  
          Bureaus
                    Bureaus
              
      
                
        
        
  
  
          Bureau of Indian Affairs
      
                        
                    
      
              Bureau of Indian Education
      
                        
                    
      
              Bureau of Land Management
      
                        
                    
      
              Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
      
                        
                    
      
              Bureau of Reclamation
      
                        
                    
      
              Bureau of Safety & Environmental Enforcement
      
                        
                    
      
              Bureau of Trust Funds Administration
      
                        
                    
      
              National Park Service
      
                        
                    
      
              Office of Surface Mining Reclamation & Enforcement
      
                        
                    
      
              U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
      
                        
                    
      
              U.S. Geological Survey
    
  

      
              
      
                        
                    
      
              Priorities
      
                
        
        
  
  
          Priorities
                    Addressing the Drought Crisis
      
                        
                    
      
                      Advancing Environmental Justice
      
                        
                    
      
                      America the Beautiful
      
                        
                    
      
                      Clean Energy Future
      
                        
                    
      
                      Increasing Outdoor Access
      
                        
                    
      
                      Investing in America
      
                        
                    
      
                      Strengthening Indian Country
      
                        
                    
      
                      Tackling the Climate Crisis
    
  

      
              
      
                        
                    
      
              Media
      
                
        
        
  
  
          Media
                    Blog
      
                        
                    
      
                      Press Releases
      
                        
                    
      
                      Media Contacts
      
                        
                    
      
                      Multimedia
    
  

      
              
      
    
          
    
  



Search

  Search


          
          
                      Newsroom
                                
                          
        
                Vote.govAccessibility Menu
  

        
        Accessibility Menu
      Toggle Font Size
                                        
                                
          
                    Toggle OpenDyslexic
                                        
                                
          
                    Toggle Dyslexia-friendly black-on-creme color scheme
                                        
                                
          
                    Contact Us
  


Breadcrumb
        Home
                            Veterans Employment Programs
                            Operation Warfighter (OWF)


  In This Section
    
      
      Home
                              Programs
                            DOI Careers
                              Military Spouse Employment Partnership
                              Operation Warfighter
                              Toolkit for Hiring Veterans
                              SkillBridge Program
                              Veteran Resources
                              Office of Human Capital
                  
                  Share
  FacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditPinterest

  Operation Warfighter (OWF)

Operation Warfighter (OWF) is a temporary assignment/internship program developed by the Department of Defense (DoD) for Recovering Service Members (RSM) that are convalescing at military treatment facilities throughout the United States. The program provides recuperating service members with meaningful activity outside of the hospital environment and offers a formal means of transition back to the military or civilian workforce.
OWF is a great opportunity for service members on medical hold to build their resumes, explore employment interests, develop job skills, and gain valuable federal government work experience to help them prepare for their adjustment to the workplace.
Participants must be American citizens who are on active duty in the military (including the National Guard and Reserves). They must also fulfill the security clearance requirements set by the office where they intend to work.
The Department of the Interior welcomes these individuals to the Department. Based on their skills, expertise, and interest, Warfighters are placed in host offices and assigned a supervisor and a mentor. Host offices are available in many areas of the Department including human resources, security, operations, and administration.
Resources:
OWF Informational Briefing for DOI (May 26, 2021)
E2i Owf Agency Brief 5 26 2021 Dcw [pdf]
OWF Regional Coordinators
OWF Factsheet   6 1  2022 [pdf]The Warfighter Experience at the Department
Pre-Employment Documents
Once you are selected to become a Warfighter, your manager will start processing your appointment. You will be asked to complete pre-employment documents, including the Department's security background investigation. The duration of the security clearance process depends on your particular background. Please note, if you have significant foreign travel, and/or foreign relatives or contacts, the security clearance process can be more involved.
Mentorship
You will be assigned a mentor to assist you with in-processing logistics throughout your assignment. Your mentor is available to orient you to your specific office and the department, provide guidance on how to perform your specific work duties, and answer questions you may have.
Duty Schedules
Duty schedules for OWF participants are determined by your treatment schedule. This flexibility accommodates your medical treatment and is designed to support your well-being and recuperation. You will work about 20 hours per week throughout your assignment, depending on your availability. The DoD OWF Initiative will provide transportation to and from your temporary assignment site at no cost to you.
Length of Assignment
The length of your assignment is also determined by your unique recuperation status. The average length of an assignment is 3-5 months. During your assignment, you may be asked to take training to enhance your existing skills and/or learn new skills.
Future Employment
While there is no guarantee of employment following the completion of an OWF assignment, service members released from medical hold status are considered potential candidates for full-time employment with the Department pending separation from the military.
The Department Benefits from Warfighter Service
While the Warfighter gets the benefits described above, the program simultaneously enables the Department to avail itself of the considerable talent and dedication of these recuperating service members. Since the service members are still receiving their military salaries, they are not compensated by the Department and there is no cost to the Department for bringing a Warfighter onboard.
In fact, the Department of Defense Computer/Electronics Accommodation Program provides all reasonable accommodations to OWFs on assignment to federal agencies. This includes electronic equipment, transportation, sign language interpreter services, etc.
Become a Warfighter
The first step of the OWF process is to obtain “medical and command approval” from the RSMs primary care manager and chain of command. Once an RSM is determined to be ready to participate, a Regional Coordinator assists the individual in identifying an internship opportunity based on their interests and capabilities.
Once a placement is agreed upon, the OWF Regional Coordinator works with the RSM and the agency to obtain necessary onboarding requirements and workplace accommodations.
Operation Warfighter program flow chart
Questions concerning the OWF Initiative can be directed to the designatedDOI Bureau/Office Veteran Employment Coordinator.
Was this page helpful?
    
      Yes
No
This page was not helpful because the content:
          

        
  
      Please provide a comment


  
Leave this field blankReturn to top
    
          Subscribe
    
      Enter your email address to subscribe to Interior news and updates


  Leave this field blank
Section Title
  

        
      About DOI
                              Accessibility
                              Contact Us
                              Copyright
                              Disclaimer
                              Information Quality
                              Privacy Policy
                              Site Map
                              Vulnerability Disclosure PolicySection Title
  

        
      Budget & Performance
                              Coronavirus Updates
                              Cummings Act Notices
                              Diversity, Inclusion & Civil Rights
                              FOIA
                              Inspector General
                              No Fear Act reports
                              Open Government Initiative
    
          U.S. Department of the Interior
                    Stewarding Conservation and Powering Our Future

                          1849 C Street NW, Washington, DC 20240