Special Hiring & Testing Benefits for Military Veterans
Eligible veterans may qualify for special benefits.
The following benefits and requirements are quoted from various U.S. Postal Service publications. However, these requirements may be revised from time to time, particularly as U.S. military personnel become involved in armed conflicts. To take advantage of these benefits or for additional information, veterans should contact the nearest Postal District Office.
Rather than waiting for the next public exam, all veterans may apply for exams within 120 days (before or after) of their discharge date. Rather than waiting for the next public exam, eligible 10 point veterans may apply once at any time for any or all exams at any or all installations. In some cases, an eligible 10 point veteran must be hired before a non-veteran even if the non-veteran has a higher exam score.
Eligible veterans may qualify to have 5 or 10 preference points added to their raw test scores. It is possible for an eligible veteran to score over 100 on an exam after adding preference points. The below explanation of preference points was excerpted from a Postal Service publication.
5 Points (Tentative) - May be awarded to a veteran who was separated under honorable conditions, is not disabled, and who meets one or more of the following criteria:
- Served active duty in pre-World War II campaign or during World War II (12/7/41 - 4/28/52).
- Served active duty during the period beginning 4/28/52 and ending 7/1/55.
- Served active duty for more than 180 consecutive days, other than for training, any part of which occurred between 2/1/55 and 10/14/76.
- Began active duty after 10/14/76 and before 9/8/80 and served in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge is authorized.
- Enlisted after 9/7/80 or entered active duty through other means after 10/14/82 and completed 24 months of continuous service or the full period for which called to active duty and served in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge is authorized.
- Enlisted after 9/7/80 or entered active duty through means other after 10/14/82 and completed 24 months of continuous service or the full period for which called to active duty and served active duty during the period beginning 8/2/90 and ending 1/2/92.
- Served in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge is authorized and was discharged early under 10 U.S.C. 1171 or for hardship under 10 U.S.C. 1173.
10 Points - Compensable (Less than 30%) - May be awarded to a veteran who was separated under honorable conditions and has a service-connected disability that is at least 10% but less than 30% compensable.
10 Points - Compensable (30% or More) - May be awarded to a veteran was separated under honorable conditions and has a service-connected disability that is 30% or more compensable.
10 Points (Other) - May be awarded to:
- Veterans who were awarded the Purple Heart.
- Veterans who receive compensation or pension from the Department of Veterans Affairs or disability retired pay from the Armed Forces.
- Veterans who have a service-connected disability that is not compensable or that is less that 10% compensable.
- The unremarried widow or widower of an honorably separated veteran, provided the deceased veteran served in active duty during a war or died while in the Armed Forces.
- Spouses of certain veterans with a service-connected disability.
- Mothers of certain deceased or disabled veterans.
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