Washington, D.C. - U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) recruiters and hiring specialists recently visited service men and women at Bolling Air Force Base in Washington, D.C. The visit is part of Phase II of the Veteran Invitational Program (VIP), OPM's initiative to communicate veterans' preference rights on federal employment opportunities to service men and women.

"The Veteran Invitational Program was created to assist veterans as they transition back to civilian life, and part of that transition is finding a meaningful job," said OPM Acting Director Dan G. Blair. "Providing hiring tips and helping veterans navigate the federal hiring process is the least we can do to thank them for their contributions and sacrifices."

VIP II includes seminars which explain veterans' preference and appointing authorities, workshops on resume writing and interviewing skills, and hands-on guidance with OPM's USAJOBS website -- www.usajobs.gov -- the primary source for finding federal jobs.

To further show OPM's commitment to veterans' preference, OPM has revised the Standard Form 15 (SF 15), Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, and located it to the agency's website (www.opm.gov) for immediate use in accepting Department of Veterans Affairs letters of disability. The online application is used by agencies, OPM examining offices, and agency appointing officials to adjudicate individuals' claims for veterans' preference in accordance with the Veterans' Preference Act of 1944.

"By streamlining the SF 15 application process, we are making it easier for veterans to claim veterans' preference," stated Blair.

Bolling Air Force Base is the single manager for all Air Force activities supporting Headquarters Air Force and other Air Force units in the National Capital Region as well as 108 countries throughout the world.

Recent VIP II visits included Cherry Point, and Camp Lejeune, NC, and additional visits are scheduled for Fort Sam Houston and Fort Bliss, TX, and Fort Lee, VA.

Our mission is to ensure the Federal Government has an effective civilian workforce. OPM supports U.S. agencies with personnel services and policy leadership including staffing tools, guidance on labor-management relations and programs to improve work force performance.