b'A N N UA L R E P O R T 2021Vets2STEM poised to help Service Academy RelationsINL University Partnerships, in collaboration with other nationalINL University Partnerships laboratories, has established the brand name Vets2STEM for variousentered 2021 fresh on the heels of military/veteran recruiting events. The first event was held at ColoradoINL Service Academy Days, which School of Mines in 2019. While the COVID-19 pandemic hampered similarwas held in mid-November 2020. efforts in 2020 and 2021, the program is poised to provide information toThis inaugural event included active-duty military and veterans at colleges and universities who might bean overview presentation to the a good fit for employment at a national laboratory. These events highlightUnited States Air Force Academy, the advantages of making a transition from a military career to a civilianWest Point, and the United career at a Department of Energy national lab.States Coast Guard Academy. Key takeaways from the inaugural event: The discussions included open dialogue regarding fellowship and Veterans are more likely to stay in their first job out of the military,internship opportunities for cadets especially if they feel valued and supported, also out of a sense of loyaltyas well as collaborative research and dedication to the mission. opportunities for faculty, including joint appointments, faculty Veterans are more likely to be promoted quicker than their civilianresearcher positions and academic counterparts. visitor programs. As a follow-up, About 6 million vets are unemployed or underemployed in the U.S. in January 2021 the U.S. Air Force Academy asked about inviting Networking is essential to finding the right work/culture fit. guest lecturers from INL to talk to cadets about nuclear engineering. Networking with other veterans is key to establishing pathways to careersDiscussions have been underway in laboratories. with personnel in N&HS (nuclear Mission/unifying objectives and organizational structure is key similaritynonproliferation), ATR, and the from military to labs. space power systems programs for virtual lecturing opportunities.Veteran experience can play key factor in all aspects of labs work: logistics, planning/management, trades/tech, engineering and research.know that a lot of students want to work at some of the big-Iname companiesSpaceX, Tesla, Google or Amazon. They can have great careers there. But the mission impact, the things we do at the national labs, change the world for the better every day. Zachary Tudor, associate laboratory director, National & Homeland Security, Idaho National Laboratory23'