Helping military veterans leverage their experience
for meaningful civilian careers
The transition from military service to civilian life is not always easy. Many veterans experience a lack of purpose and feel they no longer have the level of job confidence or peer support they had while serving. Veterans Conservation Corps are particularly adept at addressing these challenges by allowing veterans to build on their military experience and ethic for service by training for careers in resource management.
The Corps model benefits veterans in a range of ways: it provides a similar structure and sense of purpose as the military; offers the therapeutic benefits of getting outdoors and working with fellow veterans; and helps participants transition back to civilian life through skills development and other supportive services.
The basic program model allows veterans to serve full-time for several months, completing conservation projects focused on wildfire protection, recreation enhancement, and habitat restoration. Corpsmembers receive training and certifications, are paid a living allowance, and, in many cases, receive a post-program AmeriCorps Education Award.
Veterans Conservation Corps have been featured in several national news outlets, including The New York Times and CNN. For more information, please view and download The Corps Network’s publication Veterans Service & Conservation Corps: Career Pathways Through Continued Service (November 2017).
The following list includes Service and Conservation Corps that engage veterans (current as of 2020). To learn more about opportunities, please reach out to Corps directly.
- American Conservation Experience (National)
- American YouthWorks (TX)
- California Conservation Corps (CA)
- Canyon Country Youth Corps (UT)
- Civic Works (MD)
- CLIMB CDC Conservation Corps (MS)
- Community Training Works, Inc. (FL)
- Conservation Corps of the Forgotten and Emerald Coasts (FL)
- Conservation Legacy (National)
- Delaware State Parks (DE)
- GEM Environmental (NV)
- Great Basin Institute (NV)
- Great Lakes Community Conservation Corps (WI)
- Green Mountain Club (VT)
- Greencorps Chicago (IL)
- Heart of Oregon Corps (OR)
- Kansas Outdoor AmeriCorps Action Team (KS)
- Larimer County Conservation Corps (CO)
- Limitless Vistas, Inc. (LA)
- Maine Conservation Corps (ME)
- Mile High Youth Corps (CO)
- Montana Conservation Corps (MT)
- Mt. Adams Institute (National)
- Palmetto Conservation Corps (SC)
- Rocky Mountain Youth Corps – New Mexico (NM)
- Student Conservation Association (National)
- Utah Conservation Corps (UT)
- Vermont Youth Conservation Corps (VT)
- Walker Basin Conservancy (NV)
- Watershed Committee of the Ozarks
- Western Colorado Conservation Corps (CO)
- Wyoming Conservation Corps (WY)
- X-Cel Education (MA)
(Photo by Conservation Legacy – Veterans Fire Corps)