USDA Hires 240 Veterans, Expands SkillBridge Partnership

The Agriculture Department's 100 Hires in 100 Days effort more than doubled its original goal, while a new Gold Star Trails Program is set to honor fallen service members.

Updated on Nov. 11, 2026 in Military Jobs

Editorial illustration of a winding forest footpath leading toward a row of plain granite posts, rendered in muted greens, ochre, and cream. — The USDA hired more than 240 veterans and military spouses through its 100 Hires in 100 Days effort, more than doubling its original goal. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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The U.S. Department of Agriculture has hired more than 240 veterans and military spouses through its 100 Hires in 100 Days effort, more than doubling the original goal. The agency also signed a memorandum of understanding with the Department of War and the U.S. Forest Service to develop the Gold Star Trails Program.

Why it matters

The hiring push targets mission-critical roles for transitioning service members and military spouses, expanding federal career paths for veterans. The partnerships with the Department of War's SkillBridge and SpouseWorks programs connect service members and spouses to civilian work experience and employment.

USDA reports more than 240 veterans and military spouses hired, against an original target of 100 under its 100 Hires in 100 Days effort. SkillBridge allows eligible active-duty members to spend up to their final 180 days of service gaining civilian work experience while receiving full military pay and benefits.

The players

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)

The federal department responsible for agriculture, forestry, and rural policy, which runs the veteran hiring effort and new partnerships.

Richard Lopez

USDA's newly named Military Veterans Agricultural Liaison, who previously served as a Regional Beginning Farmer/Rancher Coordinator at the USDA Farm Service Agency and spent eight years in the U.S. Army as an Intelligence Analyst and Staff Sergeant.

U.S. Forest Service

The federal agency that manages national forests and grasslands and is partnering with USDA and the Department of War on the Gold Star Trails Program.

The details

USDA recruited veterans, transitioning service members, and military spouses into mission-critical careers as part of a Veterans Day event in Washington, D.C. The Gold Star Trails Program will establish a formal process for naming or renaming select Forest trails to honor U.S. service members who made the ultimate sacrifice.

November 10, 2026: USDA held its Veterans Day event announcing the hiring milestone and related initiatives.

Market Landscape

USDA's expanded use of the Department of War's SkillBridge Program extends that transition framework into federal agricultural employment. The move gives the agency a structured pipeline of transitioning service members as it fills roles across its workforce.

Eligible active-duty service members can use SkillBridge to gain civilian work experience during their final 180 days of service while still receiving full military pay and benefits. Military spouses can pursue federal employment through the SpouseWorks Program.

The takeaway

Veterans and military spouses seeking federal careers can use programs like SkillBridge and SpouseWorks to bridge military service and civilian employment. Checking USDA's veteran resources is a practical first step for those planning a transition.