Not every veteran is fresh out of the military. Many people who served years or even decades ago have built civilian careers since separating — but they still want to include their military service on their resume. Maybe you served one enlistment in the Marines and have been in corporate sales for 15 years. Maybe you did 6 years in the Army and now have a decade of IT management experience. Or maybe you are a Reservist or Guard member with both military and civilian experience running in parallel. The question is not whether to include your military service — it is how to include it so it strengthens your resume without overshadowing your more recent civilian experience.

This guide is specifically for veterans who have been out of the military for several years and need to incorporate their service into an established civilian career narrative. If you are actively transitioning out of the military right now, our military resume building guide covers that process in detail. This article addresses the unique challenge of presenting military service as part of a longer career story.

Should You Always Include Military Service on Your Resume?

In most cases, yes. Military service is almost always a net positive on a resume, even if it was years ago. Hiring managers consistently rank military experience as a positive signal — it communicates discipline, work ethic, leadership experience, and the ability to perform under pressure. Even if you served a single 4-year enlistment 20 years ago, that experience shaped who you are as a professional, and employers recognize that. Here is why it matters:

It demonstrates discipline and work ethic. Employers know that military veterans have been through rigorous training, operated under strict standards, and developed a level of reliability that is hard to find elsewhere. Even a single 4-year enlistment signals qualities that hiring managers value — especially for leadership, management, and operations roles.

It can qualify you for veteran-specific benefits. Many companies have veteran hiring goals and diversity initiatives. If your military service is not on your resume, you may miss out on these programs entirely. Federal contractors with VEVRAA obligations actively seek veteran applicants — but only if they can identify you as one. Government applications also benefit from veterans preference points that require documented military service.

It explains career gaps or transitions. If your career timeline has a period that would otherwise appear as a gap, military service fills it with meaningful experience. Employers understand military service timelines and do not view them as employment gaps.

The rare exception: If you served for a very short period (less than 180 days) or received a less-than-honorable discharge, you may want to consult with a career advisor about whether and how to include it. For the vast majority of veterans with honorable service, military experience belongs on your resume regardless of how long ago it was.

Where to Put Military Service on Your Resume

The placement of your military service depends on how recent it was and how relevant it is to the job you are applying for. There are three common approaches, and the right one depends on your specific situation.

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How Much Detail to Include Based on Relevance

The amount of detail you include about your military service should be proportional to how relevant it is to the job you are applying for and how recently you served. Here are practical guidelines:

Highly relevant service (within 10 years): Treat it like any other work experience entry. Include your translated job title, unit/organization, dates of service, and 4-6 accomplishment bullets with quantified results. Focus on achievements and skills that directly apply to your target role. If you were an Army logistics NCO and you are applying for a supply chain manager position, your military logistics experience deserves full treatment even if it was 8 years ago — it is directly relevant experience that strengthens your candidacy.

Moderately relevant service (10-20 years ago): Condense to 2-3 bullets highlighting your most transferable accomplishments. Focus on leadership scope, technical expertise, and any achievements that still differentiate you from other candidates. Include your branch, rank at separation, dates, and a translated job title. Skip the day-to-day duties and focus on standout accomplishments that are still relevant.

Distant or less relevant service (20+ years ago): A brief summary is sufficient — branch, rank, dates, MOS (translated to civilian terms), and one sentence about your most significant achievement or responsibility. This acknowledges your service without taking space away from more recent and relevant experience. Something like: "U.S. Marine Corps — Communications Specialist (E-5), 1996-2000. Led 8-person team providing tactical communications for a 1,200-person organization."

Examples: How Different Veterans Format Military Service

Seeing real examples helps you decide which approach works best for your situation. Here are three scenarios that cover the most common situations veterans face when adding older military service to a resume:

Scenario 1: 8 years out, applying for management. Sarah served 5 years as a Navy Operations Specialist (OS) and has spent the last 8 years in civilian project management. Her military experience is directly relevant to her target role, so she includes it in her Work Experience section with 4 bullets focusing on team leadership, operations coordination, and process improvement. She uses the title "Operations Coordinator (E-5 / OS2)" and lists it after her civilian positions in reverse chronological order.

Scenario 2: 18 years out, established civilian career. Mike served 4 years as a Marine infantryman and has been in corporate sales for 18 years. His military experience is not directly relevant to sales, but it demonstrates character and leadership. He creates a "Military Service" section below his Work Experience with two lines: his branch, rank, dates, and MOS translated to "Team Leader / Infantry Squad Member," plus one bullet about leading an 8-person team in high-pressure environments. Short, professional, and it keeps his sales career as the primary focus.

Scenario 3: 25 years out, senior executive. Pat served 6 years in the Air Force as a communications specialist before building a 25-year career in telecom management. She is now a VP applying for a C-suite role. Her military service goes in an "Additional Information" section as a single line: "United States Air Force Veteran — Communications Specialist (E-5), Honorably Discharged, 1995-2001." It is enough to signal her veteran status for hiring programs without taking space from her extensive executive career history.

Reserve and National Guard Service

Veterans who served in the Reserves or National Guard face a unique formatting challenge because their military service often overlaps with civilian employment. Here is how to handle it:

Active duty periods (deployments, mobilizations, active duty for training) should be listed separately if they were significant (6+ months). Treat these like a regular work experience entry with dates, duties, and accomplishments. If a deployment was shorter, you can note it within your Reserve/Guard entry as a bullet point.

Ongoing Reserve/Guard service can be listed as a separate entry with a note about part-time status: "U.S. Army Reserve — Supply Sergeant (E-6), 2010-Present (Part-Time/Weekend Drill)." This prevents confusion about concurrent employment and helps employers understand the nature of your ongoing military commitment. Be transparent — employers cannot discriminate against you for Reserve or Guard service (it is protected under USERRA), and most are supportive once they understand the commitment.

Highlight deployments separately if they involved significant leadership or were directly relevant to your civilian career. A Guard member who deployed as a civil affairs officer and coordinated community development projects has experience that directly translates to nonprofit, government, and international development roles.

Military Service in Your Professional Summary

Your professional summary at the top of your resume is prime real estate for weaving in your military background without dedicating excessive space to it. Here is how to mention your service efficiently in a summary that leads with your civilian expertise:

For recent veterans (within 10 years): "Operations manager with 8 years of progressive leadership experience, including 4 years managing logistics operations for the U.S. Army and 4 years in civilian supply chain management at [Company]. Proven track record of leading 30+ person teams and managing $10M+ in assets."

For veterans with longer civilian careers: "Senior IT director with 15 years of experience in enterprise technology, including an early career foundation in U.S. Navy IT and communications. Secret clearance eligible. Skilled in network architecture, team leadership, and vendor management."

The key is positioning your military service as part of your overall career narrative rather than the sole focus. You are not a veteran who happens to have civilian experience — you are a seasoned professional whose career foundation includes military service. That distinction matters in how hiring managers perceive your candidacy, especially for senior roles where they are evaluating career trajectory and professional growth. For hiring managers, this approach demonstrates career progression and continuity — they see someone who built on their military foundation to develop a deeper civilian career.

Formatting Tips for Older Military Experience

Always use civilian job titles. No matter how long ago you served, translate your rank and MOS into civilian terms. "Logistics Supervisor" is better than "E-6 / 92A" for any audience. Include the military rank in parentheses for context if you are applying to veteran-friendly employers or government positions.

Include your branch and discharge status. "U.S. Army — Honorably Discharged" or "United States Marine Corps Veteran" is sufficient. This confirms your veteran status for employers with veteran hiring initiatives and satisfies any requirements for federal contractor positions.

List relevant training and certifications. Military training that is still relevant — leadership courses, technical certifications, security clearances — should be mentioned even if the training was years ago. A clearance that has lapsed can still be reinstated faster than obtaining a new one, which some defense contractors value.

Skip outdated details. Do not list every award, decoration, or qualification from 20 years ago unless it is directly relevant. A Good Conduct Medal from 2003 does not add value on a 2026 resume. If you earned a Bronze Star, Purple Heart, or Meritorious Service Medal, those are worth noting because they signal extraordinary performance. For everything else, a general "multiple awards for performance and leadership" covers it without cluttering your resume with details that civilian hiring managers cannot contextualize. Focus on major awards, leadership positions, and combat or deployment experience that demonstrates character and commitment.

BMR''s resume builder handles the military-to-civilian translation automatically, whether your service was last year or 20 years ago. It formats your military experience appropriately based on your career timeline and target role.

Related: Military resume keywords that beat ATS by industry and resume red flags that get veteran resumes rejected.