Job opportunities are important to returning veterans, but so is a high quality of life. Luckily, the two meet in the Mountain State. West Virginia’s cost of living is 4.5 percent below the national average,
and the state boasts the lowest average housing costs in the country. House hunters find that fewer dollars buy larger homes, and homeowners see lower utility bills because West Virginia has the nation’s
third-lowest overall electricity costs.
Military retirees who choose to live in West Virginia also can take advantage of modifications to their state personal income tax returns that add up to one of the highest exemptions offered by states that tax the incomes of military retirees.
With its growing military support cluster, unique job opportunities and
high quality of life, it’s no wonder West Virginia is looking for a few
good men and women to come home to the Mountain State.
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Harry Siegel
If Harry Siegel could speak to every veteran returning from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, he would encourage them to make their home in West Virginia.
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Todd Meadows
Todd Meadows was born into the ranks of a large military family. His grandfather, uncles, father and brother were all members of the United States Navy. It was only fitting that he would follow in their footsteps.
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Aurora
Part of Aurora Flight Sciences Corp., Aurora WV, manufactures composite and metal subassemblies for manned and unmanned aircraft. The West Virginia company was recently awarded a project to produce the main rotor pylon for the Sikorsky Aircraft CH-53K heavy-lift military helicopter.
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Kimberly Conrad
Work quality is more than a matter of professional pride for Kimberly Conrad, lead business area export representative for Pratt & Whitney Engine Services (PWES) in her hometown of Bridgeport.
Her son Joseph is a pilot in the United States Air Force. He trained in a T6 Texan aircraft with Pratt & Whitney engines.
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Troops to Teachers
West Virginia’s Troops to Teachers’ logo says it all: Proud to Serve Again. This program helps eligible military personnel use their experience and education to transition into new careers as school teachers, at the same time recruiting much-needed, qualified teachers for the state’s school system.
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Fort West Virginia
To prepare for present and potential threats while creating new jobs, the West Virginia National Guard established the Center for National Response (CNR) near Standard, W.Va.
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Our Customers
Spc. Jessica Roop is a Fort West Virginia success story. At the age of 34, Roop, a recently divorced mother of two teenage girls, joined the National Guard.
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Azimuth
Azimuth, an electronic and software engineering firm that does the bulk of its projects for the Department of Defense, recruits and retains its stellar employees in part through a nearly irresistible combination of highly intriguing work and high quality of life.
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APUS
Military routine often means erratic work hours and frequent moves. The missed classes and lost transfer credits make it difficult to complete a degree in the traditional university setting.
The Internet and American Public University Systems (APUS) provide a solution:
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BSR Inc.
Does your work commute involve dodging traffic on the beltway — or bullets in Afghanistan?
You can learn to do both at BSR Inc. driving school at Summit Point Raceway in Summit Point, W.Va.
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