While teaching may not be the easiest career for military members to transition to after serving their country, it can be very rewarding to help students find success in the classroom. Veterans have learned leadership and communication skills, initiative and discipline while in the military and teachers need to have those same qualities. School administrations have found veterans are able to effectively interact with parents, community members and other teachers which is why they want to hire veterans in the classroom. There are several organizations that can help transitioning veterans get their teaching certification and find school placements. Veterans have an opportunity to serve again only this time on the home front.

Certification
The first thing veterans should look at is which area they want to teach in because certification requirements vary depending on the state. Most veterans already have the qualifications to become a vocational or technical teacher. Military members need the equivalent of one year of college and six years of experience in the technical field to start the certification for this type of teaching. To become an academic subject teacher, military members have to have a bachelor's or higher before they can start the certification process. To complete the process, veterans can use an Alternative Certification Program or a University Teacher Preparation Program.

Organizations
Teach for America (TFA) has a military initiative to help veterans get certified to teach in the classroom. TFA specializes in placing teachers in low-income schools, because of the education inequality many lower income children face. To be accepted for this program you have to commit to teaching two years where you are needed most and you will receive a small stipend beyond your teacher salary. However, you can start teaching those years without your certification and work towards it during your commitment time. After the two years, many of the members stay in the classroom, but some take the lessons learned and move on to school leadership, nonprofits, and advocacy positions.

Troops to Teachers (TTT) is a DANTES managed DoD program that assists transitioning military members with a new career in the classroom. The program provides counseling and referral services to help veterans meet certification requirements and subsequently secure a teaching position. Veterans who meet certain education, service and application requirements may receive stipends for financial assistance. TTT will also pay for the Praxis exam which is required for teacher licensing and can be specialized for a particular subject. Stipend recipients are required to teach three years in a high need school.

Substituting
If you don’t want to commit to a full year of teaching or are unsure if this is the right path for you, administrators are often looking for qualified substitutes throughout the school year. In most locations, you only need a four-year degree and not the additional teaching certification to substitute. However, if you take a long term position such as subbing for a teacher going on maternity leave you may need to complete additional coursework. Substituting gives veterans the opportunity to explore different age groups as well as subjects before they commit to an official teaching position. Each state is unique so it is important to research qualifications before committing to a job.

Many states have a higher demand for science, math and special education teachers, but jobs vary from elementary, middle and high school locations. Veterans have an opportunity to serve their community by being a role model, keeping students safe at school and creating a positive learning environment.