Hampton Roads and Richmond VA have made it onto a list of the 10 best metropolitan areas for military retirees to launch new careers.
The list was compiled by the financial services company USAA and the veterans membership organization Military.com. It is intended to point new military retirees, typically still in their 40s, toward cities with jobs that match their skill sets.
They worked with Sperling’s Best Places to evaluate 379 metro areas by various measures related to quality of life and to the needs of military retirees, such as proximity to VA hospitals and employment opportunities for people with military skills.
The study, being released today, ranked Norfolk/ Hampton Roads VA No. 2 on the list. Oklahoma City was the top area .Norfolk/ Hampton Roads was followed by Richmond, Va., and Austin, Texas.
These cities made the list by offering advantages important to military retirees seeking to start a new career. They are:
- employment opportunities that match up with military skills,
low unemployment;
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proximity to military facilities and veterans services; and
-
moderate housing costs
According to their study the The Norfolk/ Hampton Roads area boasts high scores in all of the military-specific employment categories. This area has a large number of federal jobs as well as a high number of employment opportunities in other industries seeking military skills. The Norfolk/ Hampton Roads area also stands out for a significant number of defense contract awards. Military retirees can enjoy local access to quality base amenities and a VA hospital. The relatively milder climate and affordable housing options also make Norfolk an attractive place to live and work.
"It’s a huge life event to swap your military boots for civilian shoes," said June Walbert, certified financial planner at USAA and a lieutenant colonel in the Army Reserves. "This is meant to take some of the guesswork out of the job search process — where do I go for my second act?"
Sperling’s BestPlaces, which conducted the study, looked primarily at factors related to employment and also considered general quality of life. Does the area have plenty of military-related positions, federal government jobs, defense contract work? How’s the crime rate, the weather?
Military retirees are often relatively young, she said. The average age for enlisted retirees leaving military service is 39 and that of officers is 46.
Virginia is home to 822,300 military veterans, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
USAA and Military.com worked with Sperling’s Best Places to create the list aimed at helping veterans find a job in a tough economy, the firms said.
Like what you are reading ? Want to receive updates by email in the future ? Sign up here  psst … I’m a Realtor! Thanks for stopping by my website. I would love to help you find your dream home and community in the Hampton Roads or Williamsburg area or to sell your existing home. This post was authored by local resident and REALTOR, John Womeldorf. John is known around town as Mr. Williamsburg, for both his extensive knowledge of Hampton Roads and the historic triangle, and his expertise in the local real estate market. His websites, WilliamsburgsRealEstate.com and Mr Williamsburg.com were created as a resource for folks who are exploring a move to Williamsburg, VA , Hampton Roads VA and the surrounding areas of the Virginia Peninsula. On his website you can search homes for sale , foreclosures, 55+ active adult communities, condos and town homes , land and commercial property for sale in Williamsburg, Yorktown, New Kent, Poquoson, and Gloucester, VA as well as surrounding markets of Carrolton, Chesapeake,Gloucester, Hampton, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth Mathews, Newport News Norfolk, Poquoson, Smithfield, , Suffolk, Surry, Va Beach, Yorktown and York County Virginia You can reach John by email John@MrWilliamsburg.com or phone @ 757-254-8136 |
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