Veteran & Transitioning Military Services

Home to over 300,000 veterans and their families and three major military installations, Kentucky has a distinguished history in serving the U.S. military, veterans, and their families. The West Kentucky Workforce Board provides job seeker services for veterans, transitioning service members, and eligible spouses.  Veterans and eligible spouses receive priority of service at Kentucky Career Centers.
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) strengthens and improves our nation's public workforce system, which helps Americans, including veterans and eligible spouses, get into high-quality jobs and careers and helps businesses hire and retain skilled workers.  WIOA ensures that the needs of businesses and workers drive workforce solutions; reaffirms the role of the one-stop delivery system to provide customer-driven services; and enhances and increases coordination among several key employment, education, and training programs.
Veterans, transitioning service members, and eligible spouses can visit their local Career Center and take advantage of the following no-cost services:
  • Orientation and information on training and employment needs
  • Local employment statistics, including vacancies and skill requirements
  • Program eligibility applications and determination
  • Resource room access for resumes, internet job searches, etc.
  • Outreach and intake
  • Assessment of skill levels and needs
  • Job search and placement
  • Referrals to partner agencies
  • Information including performance, cost and referrals to providers
  • Assistance locating supportive services and Financial Aid
  • Assistance with Unemployment Insurance claims, rights and responsibilities

Serving Separating Service Members & Military Spouses with Dislocated Worker Funds

Service members exiting the military, including, but not limited to, recipients of Unemployment Compensation for Ex-Military members (UCX), generally qualify as dislocated workers.
  • Dislocated Worker funds under WIOA Title I can help separating service members enter or reenter the civilian labor force.  Generally a notice of separation, either a DD Form-214 from the Department of Defense or other appropriate documentation (such as separation orders) that shows a separation or imminent separation from the Armed Forces, qualifies as the notice of termination or layoff to meet the required dislocated worker definition.
  • In most instances an individual will have to be eligible for or have exhausted entitlement to unemployment compensation (including UCX) in order to receive dislocated worker services.  In the case of separating service members, or those on a terminal leave from the military, it may make sense to begin providing career services while the service members are still on Active Duty but have imminent separation dates.
  • It is appropriate to provide career services to separating service members who will be imminently separating from the military, provided that their discharge will be anything other than dishonorable. 
  • Separating service members are required to participate in the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) in order to ensure they are prepared for civilian employment.  During this program, separating service members and their spouses are encouraged to contact AJCs in the area in which they wish to seek services.

WIOA expands the definition of dislocated workers to include military spouses who have lost employment as a direct result of a relocation to accommodate a permanent change in the service member’s duty station.
  • Military spouses also may qualify if they are a dependent spouse of a member of the Armed Forces on active duty whose family income is significantly reduced, as determined by the State or local area, because of a deployment, a call or order to active duty, a permanent change of station, or the service-connected death or disability of the service member.
  • Military spouses also can qualify if they are unemployed or underemployed and are experiencing difficulty in obtaining or upgrading employment.

Job Search Resources

American Job Centers are designed to provide a full range of assistance to job seekers under one roof. Established under the Workforce Investment Act, and reauthorized in the Workforce Innovation and Opportunities Act of 2014, the centers offer training referrals, career counseling, job listings, and similar employment-related services. Customers can visit a center in person or connect to the center's information online or through kiosk remote access.
Feds Hire Vets has a list of Veteran Employment Program Offices responsible for promoting veterans' recruitment, employment, training and development, and retention within their respective agencies. Veterans are encouraged to contact these individuals for specific information on employment opportunities in those agencies.
G.I. Jobs' mission is to simplify the military transition experience using education and employment tools and resources to guide you to a successful career.
Through Hire Veterans' alliances with many veterans organizations, networks, and other military agencies, HV has established its brand as a top e-recruiting site for the veterans of our armed forces.
Military Hire's mission is to "Serve Those Who Served" by connecting veterans of America's armed forces with employers who value their experience and skills. Within the Military Hire network are the resources and contacts you need to successfully make your initial transition to civilian life and to make any future career change after transition.
Military OneSource is a confidential Department of Defense-funded program providing comprehensive information on every aspect of military life at no cost to active duty, Guard and Reserve Component members, and their families. Information includes, but is not limited to, deployment, reunion, relationship, grief, spouse employment and education, parenting and childhood, and much more.
Military OneSource provides comprehensive education and career guidance, support and resources to military spouses pursuing employment or an advanced degree. Read fresh content related to career exploration; education, training and licensing; and employment readiness and career connections. Check out tips and strategies for military spouses that help match your interests, skills and goals with a degree or occupation that's compatible with your mobile military life.
The Military Spouse Career Advancement Account (MyCAA) Scholarship is a workforce development program that provides up to $4,000 of tuition assistance to eligible military spouses. The scholarship helps military spouses pursue licenses, certificates, certifications or associate degrees necessary to gain employment in high demand, high growth portable career fields and occupations. Spouses may use their MyCAA funds at any academic institution approved for participation in the MyCAA Scholarship.
My Next Move is an interactive tool for job seekers to learn more about their career options. My Next Move has tasks, skills, salary information, and more for over 900 different careers. Users can find careers through keyword search; by browsing industries that employ different types of workers; or through the O*NET Interest Profiler, a tool that offers personalized career suggestions based on a person's interests and level of work experience.
O*NET OnLine is an application that was created to provide broad access to the O*NET database of occupational information.  Search codes or titles from the Military Occupational Classification (MOC).

Other Value Added Resources

COMMIT seeks to provide high touch transition support that becomes the standard nationwide so veterans in all communities can access services helping them identify their passions, build strong networks, and leverage their skills in civilian careers.
The Kentucky Career Center has assembled all of our services here for you.

Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs

It is KDVA's mission, job, and privilege to work every day to make sure Kentucky's 295,000 veterans and their families receive all the benefits and services they have earned. Here you will find information on benefits counseling, skilled long-term care at state veterans centers, dignified interment at state veterans cemeteries, health care, education, employment and special programs for women veterans, homeless veterans and others.

Military Pipeline to Manufacturing

Student Veterans Transitioning from Military to Higher Education