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Partner with OWF to connect with an unparalleled talent pool of recovering Service members (RSMs).
Becoming an OWF partner is a simple process that begins with a conversation with our team to discuss your agency's needs and how recovering Service members (RSMs) can support your organization through internship opportunities. RSMs participating in OWF bring leadership, technical expertise, and mission-focused experience while gaining valuable federal work experience during recovery and transition.
The first step is to review and sign the Partnership Agreement below.
The formal, one-time agreement required to host an OWF intern.
Once the partnership agreement is reviewed and signed, the OWF team will begin matching qualified RSMs with your agency's internship opportunities.
To establish an internship opportunity, please consider the following five steps. OWF internships are flexible and can be tailored to meet your agency's needs.
Identify potential internship roles within your agency that support your mission needs.
Outline the desired qualifications, skills, or experience you are looking for in an intern.
Determine how many interns your agency has the capacity to host at one time.
Provide the physical work location or indicate if the opportunity can be remote or hybrid.
Identify any required security clearance levels for the potential internship roles.
OWF connects federal agencies and partners with highly skilled and motivated RSMs. This partnership is a no-cost way to evaluate potential hires, fill critical skills gaps, and support the professional and educational development of our nation's wounded warriors. Join over 100 federal agencies that are already strengthening their workforce while making a meaningful impact on the lives of those who have served.
Tap into a pool of dedicated, highly trained active-duty service members with diverse skill sets and a strong work ethic.
Gain valuable support in key functional areas, contributing to your agency's mission objectives.
RSM interns continue to receive their compensation and benefits by the DoD. This allows your agency to host skilled individuals without any impact on your budget.
Provide a meaningful opportunity for wounded, ill, or injured service members to regain confidence, develop new skills, and successfully transition to civilian life.
Assess interns for potential future employment opportunities within your agency.
OWF is identified as an HR best practice that federal agencies must adopt. Click here to view.
Operation Warfighter is a Department of Defense (DoD) internship program for recovering Service members. It provides opportunities to gain valuable work experience in a federal agency during their rehabilitation. These internships help them develop professional skills in a federal workplace.
Service members from all branches and components are eligible if they are assigned to a service's Wounded Warrior program or enrolled in the Integrated Disability Evaluation System (IDES).
All federal agencies are eligible to host OWF interns. Participation is at no cost to the agency. Since 2008, OWF has placed interns in more than 200 federal agencies nationwide.
No. There is no cost to the federal agency. OWF is a non-paid internship program designed to help recovering service members gain valuable skills while they continue to receive their military pay and benefits.
Internships last as long as the Service Member is on active duty and meets eligibility requirements. The medical board process, which averages about 180 days, typically defines the window of availability, so agencies are encouraged to act with urgency.
OWF interns commit to a minimum of 20 hours per week for at least three months. Some interns may be available full-time until their last day of active duty or until they are found fit and return to duty.
Yes. Agencies are expected to provide flexibility to accommodate the intern’s medical appointments and unit requirements. If needed, the agency may request a copy of an appointment slip to confirm medical-related absences.
Yes. Most candidates hold at least a Secret clearance, and many possess Top Secret/SCI (TS/SCI) clearances.
No, but agencies may offer full-time employment if an opportunity is available. Many candidates receive a VA disability rating of 30% or higher, which can qualify them for certain direct-hire authorities.
No. An OWF internship ends when the Service Member separates, retires, or is found fit to return to duty.
If any issues arise, the agency supervisor should immediately contact the OWF Regional Coordinator (RC). The RC will work with both the agency and the intern to resolve the issue and ensure the internship is a positive experience for everyone.
Department of Defense Instruction (DoDI) 1300.25 is the policy that governs both Operation Warfighter (OWF) and the Education & Employment Initiative (E2I).
The process is simple and requires only four forms:
A concise summary of OWF's goals, benefits, and processes.
The formal, one-time agreement required for an agency to host an OWF intern.
An in-depth presentation on the operational framework and impact of the programs.
An online questionnaire to obtain Agency's feedback on their experience.
Read how other recovering Service Members have successfully transitioned through the OWF program.
A comprehensive list of federal departments and agencies that partner with Operation Warfighter (OWF).