On Veterans Day, the nation pauses to honor those who served, but Merit Systems Protection Board Chairman James J. Woodruff II argues that true gratitude must be backed by enforceable legal protections for veterans' civilian careers.
Writing in a personal reflection, Woodruff, who also serves as a major in the Air Force Reserve, traces a 160-year congressional commitment to ensuring military service does not hinder veterans' opportunities in the civilian workforce. He points to the 1865 law that first gave hiring preference to honorably discharged veterans with service-connected disabilities, a measure later expanded to include broader federal employment preferences.
That foundation was reinforced in 1994 with the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA), which prohibits discrimination against service members and guarantees reemployment rights after military duty. Woodruff emphasizes that these protections are vital for National Guard and Reserve members, who juggle civilian jobs with ongoing service obligations. Their ability to return to work without penalty is not just a personal benefit but a national security imperative, he argues.
Four years after USERRA, Congress passed the Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA), which Woodruff calls a critical turning point. VEOA gave veterans a way to challenge violations of their preference rights in federal hiring, including appeals through the Department of Labor and the Merit Systems Protection Board. As he puts it, rights without remedies are merely aspirations, and VEOA turned a symbolic promise into an enforceable commitment.
Woodruff is careful to note that veterans' preference does not guarantee a job. Veterans must still meet qualification standards and compete through normal hiring processes, though some special authorities allow noncompetitive appointments. The preference, he says, is designed to recognize service within the merit system, not to undermine it. The two goals—honoring veterans and maintaining a qualified federal workforce—are complementary, not contradictory.
The broader principle, Woodruff argues, is that military sacrifice should never become a source of civilian disadvantage. Veterans often bring valuable skills, leadership, and discipline to the workplace, benefiting both government and private employers. The nation gains when those who have served can continue contributing.
Woodruff's comments come amid ongoing debates about veterans' care and benefits. Recent reports have highlighted systemic failures in the VA, and veterans face systemic care failures as suicide risks mount. Meanwhile, political leaders have used Veterans Day to spotlight their own commitments, with Trump honoring veterans at Arlington amid political turmoil.
Woodruff's message is clear: a grateful nation must do more than offer words. For over a century and a half, Congress has tried to give practical meaning to that gratitude. That commitment must endure, ensuring that those who answer the call come home to opportunity, not obstacles.
