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Houston departments and Metro promote veteran hiring, SkillBridge internships and transit benefits
Summary
Representatives from the Houston Fire Department, Houston Police Department and Houston Airport System described veteran recruitment paths — including the military SkillBridge internship program, reserve-friendly policies and transit/parking benefits — and urged veterans to apply for civil-service openings.
City departments and the Houston Airport System used a veterans town hall to highlight hiring pathways for veterans and to encourage those leaving military service to apply for city jobs.
Mohammed Kuchek, assistant chief with the Houston Fire Department, explained the department’s use of DD Form 214 and the SkillBridge program, which can provide up to 180 days of transition internships where service members are placed as city interns while still employed by the military. Kuchek said participants commonly receive EMT training during the SkillBridge placement and may receive a conditional job offer at the end of their military service.
Houston Police Department Chief Noah Diaz described active recruitment of service members and noted that the department employs roughly 5,300 officers, with many veterans among its ranks. Diaz said HPD conducts outreach to military installations and recruits service members because “they’re quality people that are already put together.”
Tim Jonik, director of government relations for the Houston Airport System, listed veteran-friendly services at city airports including USO facilities and a disabled-veteran/specialty-plate parking program that allows five consecutive days of free covered-garage parking or 60 consecutive days at remote lots for qualifying plates. Jonik said those programs served about 57,000 veterans in the previous year and that the airport is managing parking supply while several garages are offline for terminal redevelopment.
Speakers urged veterans to use veteran-specific hiring channels and to contact department liaisons for transition assistance. Kuchek also noted the department’s policy to facilitate reserve and National Guard service during employment and to provide limited paid leave for reserve duties.
Panelists encouraged SkillBridge participants and other transitioning service members to pursue conditional job offers, use veterans’ preference documents such as DD 214, and connect with department recruiters and the city’s Office of Business Opportunity for contracting and procurement opportunities.
