Terry DavidService members nearing the end of active duty face a practical puzzle: how to build a civilian resume while still in uniform. The Hiring Our Heroes Corporate Fellowship Program offers one answer, and HX5, led by CEO Margarita Howard, has used it to bring eight transitioning members into its ranks since 2021.
How the Program Works
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation started the fellowship in 2015 as a Department of Defense SkillBridge initiative. Eligible active-duty members can join during their final 180 days of service. For 12 weeks, they work at a host company four days a week. The fifth day goes to professional development training.
Participants continue receiving military pay and benefits throughout. That arrangement allows them to earn civilian credentials and apply their expertise without giving up financial security during the transition.
Outcomes have been strong. Over 500 fellows have graduated since the program’s launch, 80% were hired, and average starting salaries reached $70,000.
The HX5 Approach
HX5 has hosted two fellows per year. Margarita Howard, an Air Force veteran with a service-connected disability, sees the program as a structured route into specialized government contracting rather than simple recruitment.
Her company supports Department of Defense and NASA missions across more than 20 states and over 70 government locations. Work areas include research and development, engineering, information technology, and mission operations. Clearances are often required, and many service members already have them.
Howard prefers candidates with prior agency experience. “Experience in their respective fields, while supporting these agencies’ respective programs and missions, is very different from experience gained from working in the commercial world,” she told the Ritz Herald.
The fellowship also teaches the business side of contracting. Service members understand operations, but many have little exposure to procurement, contract structures, or the administrative rules governing contractor relationships with the government. Twelve weeks at HX5 gives them that context before they commit to the field, and it gives Margarita Howard a reliable stream of candidates already familiar with federal missions. Visit this page for more information.
Find more information about Howard on https://m.doyoubuzz.com/margarita-howard
