It helped, but no more than any one else's veteran's preference. My military jobs didn't consist of anything to do with weather when I applied for the NWS.
I think my GPA (3.54) and the fact that I worked three jobs in weather, while in school, helped more. I was a paid research aide for Iowa State University, I had a year-long internship as an air quality meteorologist for the State of Iowa, and I volunteered at NWS DMX.
Hi....
I went to Iowa State too, graduated in 1988. I also volunteered at the WFO Des Moines office, when it was the state forecast office, during the summer of 87. I got into the NWS in 1990, after working at Accu Weather for 1 1/2 yrs after college. The then OIC personally phoned me up and told me to get my applications in as the NWS was hiring big time in preparation for the modernization wave that hit in the 90s. I was very fortunate to ride that modernization hiring wave up to my current GS-13 grade. But I was willing to move anywhere in the country, as I was single. I encourage all folks to bid on NWS positions wide and far, if possible.
Reconsider majoring in meteorology!
in Weather Forecasting and Discussion
Posted
Hi....
I went to Iowa State too, graduated in 1988. I also volunteered at the WFO Des Moines office, when it was the state forecast office, during the summer of 87. I got into the NWS in 1990, after working at Accu Weather for 1 1/2 yrs after college. The then OIC personally phoned me up and told me to get my applications in as the NWS was hiring big time in preparation for the modernization wave that hit in the 90s. I was very fortunate to ride that modernization hiring wave up to my current GS-13 grade. But I was willing to move anywhere in the country, as I was single. I encourage all folks to bid on NWS positions wide and far, if possible.