Georgia to Veterans: We Got Your Back!

Choosing the next steps after separation may not be easy, but the Peach State is prepared to help servicemembers be set up for success in the country that they served.  

Georgia is continuing its legacy of supporting active and retired military personnel. Leaders have enacted smart policy measures to make the transition from service to the private sector easier, leveraging veterans’ skills and talents that distinguish them as much as their service.  

Accessible Resources & Programming 

In May 2025, Governor Brian Kemp signed a law eliminating the state income tax on military retirement pay, keeping more hard-earned money in veterans’ pockets. This law not only rewards veterans financially but also recognizes their unique contributions to Georgia’s workforce. Using skills developed through service, such as IT, logistics, and engineering, veterans fill roles at Fortune 500 companies like The Home Depot and Delta Air Lines, teach in our classrooms, advance the cybersecurity and tech sectors, and manufacture next-generation hybrid and electric vehicles.  

The Georgia Department of Veterans Service also compiles and distributes a comprehensive guide of the benefits veterans can leverage at both state and federal levels, ensuring they have access to the information, programs, and support they deserve. For example, military families can expedite licensing for military spouses. Veterans can also use their Veterans Health Identification Card when seeking public notary services. 

These policy efforts and services are part of a broader ecosystem designed to elevate the value of veterans’ skills, dedication, and talent in Georgia’s workforce.  

The state boasts the sixth-largest active duty military population in the country, according to the U.S. Department of Defense. In addition, more than 600,000 former servicemembers and 249,000 veterans 65 and older currently live in Georgia, according to the U.S. Census. These individuals bring valuable experience to the state’s workforce and are welcomed and celebrated in their communities. 

When it comes to veterans, this only scratches the surface of what assets Georgia offers them. With so many resources and programs dedicated to retraining former servicemembers, providing them with health and support services, and beneficial tax programs to keep their hard-earned money, it’s clear that Georgia values its veterans and recognizes they are an integral part of the state. 

Stars, Stripes, & Skills 

With more than 6,000 servicemembers separating from Georgia’s nine military bases each year, Georgia businesses can draw from an impressive pool of talent, directly strengthening the workforce with veterans’ real-life experience and practical knowledge as they begin a second career. The state stands ready to make the transition as easy as possible. 

Georgia provides resources to retrain veterans and place them in high-paying jobs in fast-growing industries. Veterans are highly sought in logistics, electric vehicle manufacturing, advanced manufacturing, cybersecurity, technology, and defense, all of which are robust in Georgia. Training programs include: 

• Georgia VECTR Center: To help meet the growing workforce demand, the Georgia VECTR Center in Warner Robins provides veterans with career training and educational resources to help guide their transition to the civilian workforce. 
• Technical College System of Georgia: Works with veterans to help them gain in-demand technical skills for jobs. It has 22 colleges at 88 campuses across the state. Many campuses have full-time veterans’ assistance programs and veterans’ coordinators. The Georgia Tech-Savannah campus also offers military programs for servicemembers, veterans, and their spouses. 
• Georgia Quick Start: Georgia’s leading training and upskilling program connects participants directly with companies that are hiring and provides on-the-job training to help them get to work as soon as possible. 
• Work For Warriors Georgia: This program by the Georgia Department of Veterans Service specializes in military career transitions by connecting service members and their spouses with veteran-friendly employers across the state. 

These highly skilled workers enable Georgia to maintain its position as the No. 1 state for business and enhance the competitiveness of businesses throughout the state. From the mountains to the coast, no matter which of Georgia’s nine military bases they may be near, companies in every region are seeking veterans’ experience and work ethic to take their operations to the next level. 

Learn more about Georgia’s aerospace and defense industries, or explore the state’s workforce pipeline built on a steady, well-prepared labor pool.