Employment Preferences
Involuntarily & Certain Voluntarily Separated Members: Under chapter 58,
Section 1143 (d) of title 10, U.S. Code, eligibility applies to members of the Armed Forces,
and their dependents, who were on active duty on Sept. 30, 1990 and who were involuntarily
separated under honorable conditions on or after Oct. 1, 1990. Preference eligible
veterans shall be identified by possession of a DD Form 1173 overstamped with “TA.”
Preference applies to jobs graded at NF-3 and below, and to positions paid at hourly
rates. Preference applies to any job that is open to competition in accordance with merit
staffing practices. Spouse preference may be used once for each permanent relocation of the
military sponsor. The spouse must have been married to the military sponsor before relocation
to the duty station.
Military Spouses: Under DoD Instruction 1404.12, “Employment of Spouses of Active
Duty Military Members Stationed Worldwide,” eligibility applies to spouses of active duty military
members of the Armed Forces. Under this basic policy, preferences for military spouses are the
same as the involuntarily and certain voluntarily separated members, except that military spouse
preference has priority over that preference.
Family Members in Foreign Areas: In accordance with DoD Instruction 1400.23 and
DoD 1402.2-M, Chapter VII, family members of active duty military members and civilian employees
stationed in foreign areas eligible. Basic policy allows preference for all NAF
jobs. Preferences apply when not at variance with the Status of Forces Agreements,
country-to-country agreements, treaties, or as prescribed by DoD Instruction 1400.23.
