How to Add Military Experience to a Resume

Absolutely! Military experience demonstrates leadership, discipline, teamwork, problem-solving, and specialized technical skills that employers highly value. 87% of employers view veterans as valuable employees. The key is presenting your service in civilian terms that hiring managers understand.

Place military experience in your "Professional Experience" or "Work Experience" section—not in a separate "Military" section. This ensures your service is evaluated as legitimate professional experience and helps avoid unconscious bias that can occur when military experience is segregated.

Your military service IS professional experience. Format it exactly like you would any job: translated job title, organization (branch), location, dates, and achievement bullets. Focus on transferable skills like leadership, operations, training, and technical expertise.

Maybe, but translate it for civilian understanding. Instead of just "E-6" or "O-3," add context: "Senior Team Lead (E-6)" or "Department Manager (O-3, equivalent to mid-level management)." This helps employers understand your level of responsibility, which can either work for or against you.

You have two options: (1) List each assignment as a separate position with its own bullets, or (2) Combine similar roles under one heading with a date range covering your total service. Choose based on relevance—if assignments were similar, combine them; if they demonstrate different skills, list separately.

Every military role has transferable skills. Focus on the underlying competencies: Did you lead people? Manage resources? Solve problems? Train others? Operate technology? These skills apply everywhere. For example, Infantry can become "Security Operations" or "Team Leadership."

Generally, include the last 10-15 years of experience. Recent veterans should include all military service. If you have extensive post-military civilian experience, you may summarize or condense older military roles. Always prioritize relevance to the job youre applying for.

No. Your resume should contain translated, civilian-friendly descriptions of your experience. Keep your DD-214 and military records for verification purposes if an employer requests them, but dont reference specific military documents on the resume itself.