Colleagues,  

America is truly the land of the free because we are the home of the brave. That is reason enough this Veterans Day to salute the service of those among us who have honorably served in the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force and Coast Guard and in the military’s reserve components.

We at the FAA owe special gratitude to those veterans who answered an additional call to serve with our agency. Their leadership skills, expertise and dedication to mission are invaluable in supporting the FAA’s efforts to maintain safety in the world’s most complex aviation system.

More than 20,000 veterans, an impressive 40% of the FAA’s workforce, contribute every day to advancing safety outcomes in aviation and spurring the critical work of safely integrating new entrants into our modern aerospace environment.

Among them are the Gardner brothers: Andrew and Alex, both Air Force veterans and now working in Technical Operations for the Air Traffic Organization. There’s Nathan McCoy, a veteran of the Marine Corps and the Oklahoma Air and Army National Guard, serving now in the Office of Finance and Management’s Information & Technology Service, as well as being president of the National Coalition of Federal Aviation Employees with Disabilities. We are fortunate to have air traffic controller veterans like Elizabeth Barcus (Navy) and Oralia Martinez (Air Force) serving today in Air Traffic Services. You can read more about FAA veterans on the MyFAA Veterans Day page.

While the FAA builds its workforce for the future, we will continue to aggressively recruit outstanding veterans to join our team. And we will support their transition with specialized training and development programs designed to assist veterans in pursuing new careers with the FAA. A wide range of job opportunities await veterans eager to continue their service to the nation. Please help me get the word out to your friends and relatives thinking about post-service careers that the FAA wants them!

As the son of a veteran, I always greet this holiday’s arrival with strong feelings of appreciation and respect for all those who have proudly represented our country in uniform, and for the family members who have supported them along the way. And no matter the changes in our great nation, we all represent our country as public servants whose commitment to aviation safety remains steadfast.

I hope everyone has a meaningful Veterans Day holiday.

-Mike

“Use or lose” annual leave refers to accrued annual leave that exceeds the maximum amount that can be carried over. Employees must use any excess annual leave by the end of the leave year or they will lose it. However, there are some circumstances where lost leave may be restored, such as: An exigency of the public business, Sickness, and An administrative error. 

Federal employees receive a lump-sum payment for all unused annual leave when they leave the government, regardless of whether they resign, retire, or go on active military duty.

Lakesha Bing swore in as the new Secretary