What Is the Career Accelerator Pilot Program?

The Department of Defense Career Accelerator Pilot (CAP) is a 12-week fellowship that places military spouses in paid positions with host companies across the country. Unlike unpaid internships or volunteer programs, CAP fellows earn a real paycheck while building skills and professional connections in their target industry.

The program launched under the authority of the FY2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), Section 596, which directed the DoD to create fellowship opportunities specifically for military spouses. It runs through the DoD's Spouse Education and Career Opportunities (SECO) program, the same office behind MySECO and the Military Spouse Employment Partnership (MSEP).

CAP exists because the DoD recognized a specific problem: military spouses face a 21% unemployment rate according to the 2021 DoD Survey of Active Duty Spouses, and PCS moves make it almost impossible to build a linear career. Fellowships give spouses a way to gain experience in a new field, re-enter the workforce after a gap, or build connections at a company that might hire them full-time after the fellowship ends.

After helping 15,000+ veterans and military spouses build resumes through BMR, I can tell you the most common barrier spouses face is not a lack of skills. It is a lack of recent, verifiable experience in a specific industry. CAP solves that directly by putting you inside a company for 12 weeks with real projects and real deliverables on your resume when it is done.

Who Is Eligible for the Career Accelerator Pilot?

Eligibility is narrower than many spouses expect, so check these requirements before you invest time in an application. The program targets active-duty military spouses, which means your service member must be currently serving on active duty in one of the branches (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Space Force, Coast Guard).

Beyond the active-duty requirement, you need to meet the following criteria based on the program guidelines published through SECO:

• You must be the spouse of a current active-duty service member
• You must be legally authorized to work in the United States
• You must be available to commit to the full 12-week fellowship schedule
• You should have an educational background or work history relevant to the fellowship track you are applying for

There is no rank restriction. Spouses of E-1s through O-10s are all eligible. There is also no restriction on how many PCS moves you have had or how long your current employment gap might be. The program was designed with career gaps in mind.

Guard and Reserve spouses have more limited eligibility. The program has historically prioritized active-duty spouses because the PCS cycle creates the most acute employment disruptions, but eligibility criteria can shift between cohorts. Check the current SECO guidelines at myseco.militaryonesource.mil for the latest on whether your component qualifies for the current cohort.

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How Do You Apply for a CAP Fellowship?

The application process runs through SECO's online portal, and fellowship cohorts open on a rolling basis depending on host company availability. Here is the step-by-step process from initial interest to fellowship placement.

Application timelines vary by cohort. Some fellowship openings fill within weeks, while others stay open longer. Set up notifications through MySECO so you do not miss openings in your field. Pay attention to application deadlines because late submissions are not accepted regardless of your qualifications.

One detail that catches spouses off guard: some fellowships require a phone or video screening before the formal interview with the host company. SECO career counselors conduct this initial screening to confirm eligibility and assess basic readiness. If you are not prepared for that first call, you may not advance to the company interview stage.

The resume you submit matters. This is a competitive application, and the host company is evaluating you the same way they would a regular job candidate. If you have not built a resume recently, BMR's Resume Builder can help you put one together that is tailored to the specific fellowship role.

What Do Fellows Actually Do During the 12 Weeks?

This is the question that matters most, and the answer depends on which host company and industry track you land in. CAP fellowships span multiple sectors, and the day-to-day work varies significantly.

Common fellowship tracks have included technology, project management, human resources, finance, marketing, and operations. Host companies range from large corporations participating through the MSEP network to mid-size firms that have signed on specifically for the CAP program.

During the fellowship, you are not shadowing someone or sitting in on meetings. You are assigned real projects with real deadlines. Host companies commit to giving fellows meaningful work because the program is designed as a pipeline to full-time employment. A fellow who spends 12 weeks doing busywork does not become a strong hire, and the companies know that.

Typical fellow responsibilities include managing a project from start to finish, contributing to team deliverables, attending internal meetings and client calls, and building a portfolio of work you can reference in future job applications. Many fellows also get access to the company's internal training platforms and professional development resources.

How Should You Position Yourself for the Fellowship Application?

The CAP application is competitive. Host companies are looking for fellows who will add value during the 12 weeks and potentially convert to full-time employees. Your application needs to show them you are worth investing in.

Start with your resume. The biggest mistake I see when building BMR is spouses treating fellowship applications like they would a generic job application. A fellowship resume needs to show two things clearly: that you have transferable skills relevant to the fellowship track, and that you can hit the ground running despite any employment gaps.

Your professional summary should lead with your strongest qualification for the specific fellowship. If you are applying for a project management fellowship, open with project management experience, certifications, or education. Do not bury that in section four of your resume.

Address employment gaps directly in your cover letter. Military spouse employment gaps are expected in this program, so do not try to hide them. Instead, explain what you did during those gaps. Volunteer coordination, PCS logistics management, FRG leadership, and remote freelance work all count. Frame the gap as context, not as an apology.

Your LinkedIn profile also matters. Host companies will look you up. Make sure your profile matches your resume and includes a headline that signals what you are looking for. Something like "Project Manager | CAP Fellowship Applicant | Military Spouse" tells the story immediately.

What Other Programs Work Alongside CAP?

CAP does not exist in a vacuum. The DoD and federal government run several military spouse employment programs that can complement a fellowship application or serve as alternatives if CAP is not available in your field or location.

The Military Spouse Employment Partnership (MSEP) connects spouses with over 700 partner employers who have committed to hiring, promoting, and retaining military spouses. If your CAP fellowship does not convert to a full-time offer, MSEP employers are a strong next step because they already understand the PCS cycle.

SECO career counseling is free and available to all military spouses regardless of whether you apply for CAP. Career counselors can help with resume review, interview prep, and career planning. They can also help you identify which fellowship tracks match your background.

For spouses interested in federal employment specifically, Executive Order 13473 provides noncompetitive hiring authority, which means federal agencies can hire you without going through the full competitive process. This is separate from CAP but worth knowing about if you want to target federal positions after your fellowship. See our guide on writing a federal resume if that path interests you.

For remote work opportunities, many CAP fellowships now offer remote or hybrid options. This is a significant shift from earlier cohorts that were mostly in-person. Remote fellowships open up opportunities regardless of your current duty station.

Making the Most of Your Fellowship and What Comes After

The 12 weeks go fast. Fellows who convert to full-time employees or walk away with strong references all share a few habits. They treat the fellowship like a 12-week job interview, because that is exactly what it is.

Document everything. Keep a weekly log of what you worked on, what you delivered, and what impact it had. Specific numbers matter: "Managed the onboarding project for 40 new hires, reducing time-to-productivity by 2 weeks" is a resume bullet. "Helped with onboarding" is not.

If the fellowship does not convert to a full-time role at the host company, you still walk away with 12 weeks of recent, relevant experience on your resume, professional references from your supervisor and team, industry-specific skills and tools you can list on your resume, and a network of contacts at the company and within the CAP cohort.

I built BMR because my own transition from the Navy was a mess. I spent a year and a half applying for jobs with zero callbacks before I figured out what worked. Programs like CAP did not exist when I separated, and military spouses had even fewer resources. If you are eligible, this is one of the strongest career programs available to you right now. Apply for it.

Your resume is the gateway to getting accepted. If you are not sure how to position your experience for a fellowship application, BMR can help you build a military spouse resume that highlights the right skills for the role you are targeting. The free tier includes two tailored resumes, which is enough to apply for two different fellowship tracks and see which one moves forward.