Stephanie Rose is no stranger to a flight deck. After logging more than 2,500 hours in the Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft during her 22-year career in the Air Force, she now serves as a manager for Boeing’s AWACS program in Oklahoma City.
Rose is one of more than 18,000 veterans across Boeing’s U.S. workforce supporting commercial aviation, defense platforms and aerospace innovation.
Transitioning from military to civilian life can be challenging, especially when translating military experience into a corporate environment. Research from the Syracuse University D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families shows that many veterans leave their first civilian job within the first two years after separation.
Boeing works to ease that transition for veterans, reservists, National Guard members and military families by offering career development resources, onboarding support and opportunities for long-term growth—all while fostering a strong sense of community.
Programs such as the Department of Defense SkillBridge initiative help connect transitioning service members with civilian career opportunities before they leave active duty. Through the program, participants can complete internships during their final 180 days of service, often leading to full-time employment.
“Partnering with the Department of Labor and Department of Defense has been critical to helping us meet veterans where they are and provide the right transitional training, support and services,” said Robin Johnson, director of Boeing’s Military-Connected and Veteran Program (MVP) and a veteran herself.
For Rose, the SkillBridge program helped build early relationships that became instrumental during her transition into civilian life.
“I feel like I belong when I’m trusted,” Rose said. “I felt that at Boeing when our team consistently leaned on each other—everyone’s voice was respected and made a difference.”
Boeing’s support for military-connected employees extends beyond recruitment. The company offers veteran-focused onboarding, résumé assistance, mock interviews, relocation resources and professional development programs tailored to military talent. Military spouses can also participate in Boeing’s Military Spouse Career Accelerator fellowship program.
Employees additionally have access to the company’s Learning Together Program, Boeing’s tuition assistance initiative designed to support continued education and career advancement.
To help veterans identify opportunities aligned with their experience, Boeing also offers a military skills translator tool that matches military occupational specialties with open positions across the company. Opportunities span both Boeing Defense and Boeing Commercial Airplanes programs.
After serving 24 years in the Air Force, Travis Snyder joined Boeing’s Commercial Airplanes team in North Charleston, South Carolina. He credits Boeing’s transition support with helping him better understand how to present his military experience during the hiring process.
Like many transitioning service members, Snyder initially wondered whether he would find the same sense of purpose and teamwork in the civilian workforce.
“From the start, I was welcomed onto a team that made me feel like I was part of something again,” Snyder said. “That feeling of being part of a team working toward a common goal reminded me a lot of what I valued most during my time in the military.”
Miguel Martinez joined Boeing in March 2026 after more than two decades in the Air Force. Although initially approached about opportunities supporting the C-17 Globemaster III, he ultimately chose to work on the 787 program, highlighting the range of career paths available across the company.
Martinez said Boeing’s emphasis on safety, quality and accountability helped make his transition feel familiar.
“That level of engagement reminded me of the Air Force mindset of ‘training your replacement,’ where long-term mission success takes priority,” Martinez said. “The team made it clear that I could contribute meaningfully, and that sense of inclusion and shared purpose is what made me feel that I belonged at Boeing.”
Boeing’s continued investment in veteran hiring, development and long-term career support reflects a sustained commitment to the military-connected community. That dedication is why Boeing is being recognized as a 2026 Top Veteran Employer.
You can also view the 2026 recognition list in the digital magazine here.
Read more articles for the Veteran Community here.
