Is military service considered a federal job?

I'm curious about how military service is classified in terms of employment. Is serving in the military considered being in a federal job, and how does that influence benefits or career transitions?

Yes, military service is indeed considered a federal job. All branches of the U.S. military, including the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, and Space Force, are parts of the U.S. Department of Defense, which is a federal agency. This means that service members are federal employees, specifically, uniformed service members, a category distinct from civil service federal employees.

In terms of benefits, military service members are eligible for several federal programs such as the Thrift Savings Plan (similar to a 401(k) for civil service federal employees), federal health and life insurance, and the Post-9/11 GI Bill for education benefits. Additionally, there are veteran benefits provided by the Veterans Affairs department, which include healthcare, disability compensation, and home loan assistance among others.

When it comes to career transitions, the fact that military service is a federal job can be very beneficial. Federal agencies are often particularly interested in hiring veterans, and there are programs in place to facilitate this. For example, veterans can receive preference over equally qualified applicants for civil service jobs, and there's the Veterans Recruitment Appointment, which allows agencies to appoint eligible veterans to jobs without competition. However, the requirements for these programs can vary, so it would be helpful to look into these if considering a transition to a civil service job post-military. It's also worth noting that the skills and experiences gained during military service can be highly valued in many types of jobs, both within and outside of the federal government.