How Defense Contractor HX5 Uses the Hire Our Heroes Military Fellowship Program to Build Its Talent Pipeline

 

Government contractors face persistent challenges recruiting professionals who understand both technical requirements and the operational culture of federal agencies. HX5, a firm providing research and development, engineering, and mission operations support to the Department of Defense and NASA, addresses this gap in part through consistent participation in the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Hiring Our Heroes Corporate Fellowship Program.

Since joining the program in 2021, HX5 has hosted eight fellows over four years, accepting two participants annually. While modest in absolute numbers, this participation rate positions the 1,000-employee company alongside major defense contractors in proportional commitment to veteran transition support.

The Corporate Fellowship Program operates as a Department of Defense SkillBridge initiative. Transitioning service members within 180 days of separation participate in 12-week fellowships, spending four days weekly at host companies and one day in professional development sessions. Companies including Amazon, Lockheed Martin, Booz Allen Hamilton, and Microsoft participate in the program, which has graduated more than 500 fellows since its 2015 inception.

HX5’s work requires what CEO Margarita Howard describes as “purple unicorns”—professionals combining technical expertise, security clearances, and government agency experience. The fellowship program provides a mechanism to identify potential candidates possessing these attributes before they complete military service.

Matching Mission Requirements to Military Experience

HX5’s contract portfolio spans research and development, test and evaluation, software and hardware engineering, information technology, mission operations support, and logistics. The company operates across over 20 states and over 70 government locations, supporting advanced weapons research, conducting feasibility studies, and performing modeling and simulation tasks.

These specialized roles demand professionals familiar with defense and aerospace operational environments. Military members transitioning from technical specialties often possess baseline knowledge that commercial sector candidates might lack, reducing training time and integration friction.

The 12-week fellowship structure allows companies like HX5 to evaluate potential hires in actual work settings rather than relying solely on interviews and credentials. Fellows can work on active contracts under supervision to gain firsthand experience.

Data from Hiring Our Heroes indicates most service members participating in fellowship programs receive job offers. The program has achieved an 80% hire rate nationwide, with fellows landing positions averaging $70,000 in starting salary.

Margarita Howard’s Strategy in Veteran Recruitment

Major defense contractors maintain dedicated military recruiting teams and multi-hundred-person veteran hiring commitments. Booz Allen Hamilton, for example, employs more than 30% military-affiliated personnel and nearly 1,000 military spouses across its workforce. Leidos operates Operation MVP, a formal military veteran program coordinating with transition centers and veteran organizations.

HX5’s smaller scale requires a different approach. Rather than maintaining a permanent military recruiting infrastructure, the company uses the fellowship program as a structured, predictable channel both to fulfill the mission of supporting veterans and for talent recruitment. Two fellows annually provide a manageable integration process for a company of HX5’s size while maintaining consistent veteran hiring activity.

This approach aligns with HX5’s broader hiring strategy. Howard emphasizes the company prefers hiring experienced professionals familiar with DoD or NASA operations. 

“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 says.

Security Clearances and Technical Qualifications

Many HX5 positions require active security clearances—credentials that can take months or years to obtain for civilian candidates without prior government work history. Military members often hold clearances before separation, providing immediate value to contractors working on classified programs.

This timing advantage can prove particularly valuable for positions requiring immediate placement on classified contracts where clearance delays would prevent hiring civilian candidates.

Technical qualifications present another screening function. The Hiring Our Heroes program requires fellows to meet education and leadership experience requirements. This pre-screening reduces HX5’s candidate evaluation burden, as fellowship applicants have already demonstrated baseline qualifications before entering the matching process.

Long-Term Workforce Development

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. veteran unemployment stood at 3.0 percent in 2024, creating sustained competition among employers for military talent. While ultimately the goal of Hire Our Heroes is to support veterans, the program can benefit participating companies as well, providing them with visibility with candidates before they enter the broader job market and establishing relationships during the critical transition period when well-qualified service members evaluate civilian employment options.

This early engagement carries particular weight for specialized government contracting roles. Transitioning service members often target large employers with established military recruitment programs or pursue commercial sector technology positions. Small and mid-sized contractors must work harder to attract qualified candidates.

Regular fellowship participation gives HX5 recurring access to this talent pool. Two fellows annually over four years demonstrates sustained commitment rather than sporadic hiring bursts, building program credibility with both military transition offices and potential candidates.

The company’s service-disabled veteran-owned and women-owned small business certifications add another dimension to its veteran support. These designations signal cultural alignment with military values while providing practical advantages in federal contracting.

HX5’s fellowship participation reflects both a commitment to providing opportunities for veterans, and a pragmatic approach to talent acquisition in the specialized government services market. The program provides structured access to pre-qualified candidates with relevant experience, addressing the company’s ongoing need for professionals who can integrate quickly into sensitive government work environments and creating opportunities for veterans to transition to meaningful, engaging work.