The marine industry is short on technicians and skilled service and parts workers - just as boats and systems get more complex. Meanwhile, about 200,000 service members transition to civilian careers annually. Candidates who are disciplined, hard-working, good with their hands and who value operational excellence. Veterans provide a pre-qualified pipeline: every recruit took the ASVAB, which screens for mechanical and technical aptitude and many military jobs map directly to marine careers. There are even programs to help pay for mentorship. This session will look at what opportunities are available, how to access to them, ways to fine-tune your search based on specific military experience and top tips for creating the kind of shop environment where all of your technicians (whether they have a military background or not) will thrive and want to remain for years to come.