Your last 60 to 180 days of service, on salary, training for the job you’ll actually take.
DoD SkillBridge lets you spend the final months of active duty training for your civilian career, at no cost to you or your unit, with your pay and benefits continuing the whole time.
Four steps from your last orders to your first day.
SkillBridge runs inside your final months of service. Here is the path from application to a civilian offer.
- Up to 1 year out
Apply
Create your account and apply. Pick a career track aligned to the civilian job you actually want.
- Before you start
Command approval
Your chain of command signs off. We help you prepare the paperwork; the approval stays with your command.
- 60 to 180 days
Train in role
Spend your authorized SkillBridge window in structured, employer-aligned training, on full military pay and benefits.
- By separation
Offer
Finish as a known candidate, not a cold resume, and step into a civilian role.
How long you get depends on your branch and rank.
Navy
90 to 180 days
180 for E5 and below; 90 for O5 and above
Coast Guard
Up to 180 days
No formal rank tiers
Army
60 to 120 days
120 for junior enlisted; 60 for senior ranks
Marine Corps
90 to 120 days
120 for E1 to E5
Air Force
60 to 120 days
120 for junior ranks; O6 not eligible
Space Force
90 to 120 days
120 through O4
| Branch | SkillBridge window | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Navy | 90 to 180 days | 180 for E5 and below; 90 for O5 and above |
| Coast Guard | Up to 180 days | No formal rank tiers |
| Army | 60 to 120 days | 120 for junior enlisted; 60 for senior ranks |
| Marine Corps | 90 to 120 days | 120 for E1 to E5 |
| Air Force | 60 to 120 days | 120 for junior ranks; O6 not eligible |
| Space Force | 90 to 120 days | 120 through O4 |
Windows reflect current service guidance as of 2026. Command approval is required in every case.
What your SkillBridge window actually looks like.
Hiring-manager panel
0900
Coursework block
1300
Resume teardown
1000
Coursework block
1300
Employer networking
1400
A structured week, not a loose internship.
Live, instructor-led sessions with hiring managers and recruiters, alongside tracked coursework. Scheduled like a duty day.
- Live Q&A with hiring panels, resume teardowns, and negotiation walk-throughs.
- Self-paced coursework that builds real, verifiable certifications.
- A rotating lineup of employers and subject-matter experts across your window.
- Foundations complete
- Core certification earned
- Capstone in progress
Training that ends in an offer.
Every track maps to a real hiring need, so your time compounds into a role instead of a certificate that sits idle.
- Certifications are logged and verifiable, not self-reported.
- Employers spend the whole program with you, so a req opens to a known candidate.
- Warm introductions and interview prep carry you into the role.
Pick the civilian job first, then train for it.
Every track maps to a real hiring need and carries the coursework and certifications that get you hired into it. You choose yours when you apply.
Live from the program.
- 1,000+
- In a SkillBridge program now
- 20,000+
- Veterans on the platform
- 20+
- Hiring organizations
Live from the platform
AllegiantVETS is an authorized DoD SkillBridge program provider. Your command approves your participation. We handle the training, the paperwork support, and the employer connections.
See the program for yourself.
Ready to launch your civilian career?
Create your account to check eligibility, pick a track, and align with an employer before your transition date.