“Why would any company actually pay a veteran six figures—or multiple six figures—to work for them?”

I get this question more than any other.

You spent 10, 15, 20 years mastering skills most civilians will never develop. You managed multi-million dollar operations, led teams in high-stakes environments, troubleshot systems worth more than most people’s homes. Then you transition out, and some 28-year-old hiring manager with a business degree looks at your resume and says, “Interesting background, but we’re really looking for someone with corporate experience.”

It’s backward. And it’s costing you a fortune.

The Unexpected Path

When I retired from the Air Force after managing over $82 billion in contracts—including serving as the first program manager for Advanced Battle Management System—I did what a lot of veterans do: I wanted nothing to do with the government for a while.

My wife and I worked together in real estate. We were actually successful at it. But real estate is a grind. Constant lead generation. Cutthroat competition. Every client felt like a fight.

Meanwhile, something strange kept happening: Companies in the government contracting space kept reaching out to me. Asking if I’d consult. Asking if I’d come work for them. Offering serious money.

That’s when it hit me.

Some industries have to claw and scrape for every lead. But in government contracting? If you actually know what you’re doing, the leads come to you. Because almost no one understands this world—and the money involved is staggering.

Six months after retiring, I started my consulting business. I had my first paid client within a week.

That first full year? I made between $300,000 and $500,000 consulting.

The second year I was offered an account executive role from a client for $320K a year plus a 10% commission on sales. This was in addition to my consulting income.

Great for me, but how does this apply to most of the veteran community— who never touched a contract and had no acquisitions experience?

The Question Veterans Ask (And Why It’s The Wrong Question)

Most transitioning service members ask the same thing: “What’s the civilian equivalent of my military job?”

If you were an electronic warfare officer in the Air Force, what’s the commercial role? Maybe something in cybersecurity? Signals intelligence?

If you were a tank driver in the Army, what civilian job uses those skills? Heavy equipment operator?

Here’s the problem: You’re asking the wrong question entirely.

The right question isn’t “Where can I do my same job commercially?”

The right question is: “What companies are selling to my branch of service—and how much can they make with those federal contracts?”

A quick note: I’m focusing on military veterans here because they make up a significant portion of our audience, but this same principle applies to federal professionals. If you spent years working at NASA, the VA, DHS, or any federal agency, you have the exact same advantage—you understand how that agency operates, thinks, and buys.

And honestly? You don’t need military or federal experience to become a successful account executive in government contracting. But if you have it, it’s an unfair advantage. It’s the difference between learning a foreign language from a textbook and growing up speaking it at home.

Why One Veteran Is Worth Millions to the Right Company

Let me be direct about the economics here.

A single federal account executive can bring in millions of dollars in government contracts. That’s not theoretical—I’ve done it, and I’ve trained others who are doing it right now.

When a company pays you $200,000 to $300,000 as an account executive, they’re not being generous. They’re making an investment that can return 5x to 20x that amount in revenue. You’re not an expense. You’re a profit center.

But here’s what makes veterans uniquely valuable in these roles—and why companies actively seek them out:

You Speak the Language (Literally)

You know the acronyms. You understand the mission. You’ve been through the same training as your customer. When you walk into a meeting with a program office, you’re not guessing at the culture—you lived it.

A civilian sales rep can study all they want. They’ll never have what you have instinctively.

You Have the Clearance

Most veterans still hold security clearances (active or dormant). For companies selling to DoD, this isn’t just convenient—it’s often required to even have certain conversations.

You Understand How Your Service Actually Works

You don’t need someone to explain the chain of command, base access procedures, or why procurement cycles matter.

You know the mission.

This isn’t book knowledge. It’s earned experience.

But Here’s the Real Advantage: The Bond

Let me paint you a picture.

You’re a former USAF captain. You walk into a meeting at a Air Force base—even if you’re in a suit and tie now—and you’re sitting across from a Major who’s the program manager for the system your company sells.

Something happens in that room that no civilian will ever replicate.

There’s an instant recognition. A shared language that goes beyond words. You’ve both been through the training, deployed to the same bases. You understand the mission in a way that transcends the conversation.

It’s not networking. It’s not salesmanship. It’s a fraternal bond.

That Major knows you understand what his airman need because you were one of his airman. You’re not trying to sell him something—you’re trying to help him accomplish the mission with better tools.

This isn’t about giving veterans an unfair advantage. This is about recognizing that veterans already have an advantage that’s impossible to teach.

The Money Question

Here’s how most veterans approach their job search:

“What civilian jobs match my skills?”
“What industries value leadership and discipline?”
“Should I go back to school for an MBA?”

These aren’t bad questions. But they’re not asking the highest-value question.

The highest-value question is: “What do I know that can make a company the most money?”

And when you frame it that way, the answer becomes obvious.

The U.S. government is the single largest purchaser of goods and services in the world. The Department of Defense sits at the very top of that list, buying everything from software to aircraft to training services to construction. We’re talking about $800+ billion annually.

Companies are fighting desperately to win a piece of that. And they’re willing to pay top dollar for people that can help them do it.

So if you’re a veteran asking “What do I know that makes me most valuable?”—the answer is crystal clear: Selling to the service you came from.

This might be one of the only career paths where you can realistically out-earn what’s traditionally considered the “golden ticket” military-to-civilian transition: becoming an airline pilot.

Airline pilots make good money—$200K to $300K+ at major carriers after years of building seniority (I know some that make around $500K). It’s a respected profession with a clear path.

But as an account executive selling to the federal government? You can hit those same numbers in your first year. And if you have the right job that includes a commission. —or if you go the consulting route—you can push well past $500K. I know many account executives who have made millions in commissions in a single year.

Let me give you a concrete example.

Let’s say you were a tank driver in the Army for 10 years.

Traditional career counselor advice: “Look into heavy equipment operation. Maybe commercial trucking or construction equipment. Go get your MBA or a PMP certification.”

Nothing wrong with those jobs. But let’s ask the money question instead:

“What companies are selling tanks, tank maintenance systems, training simulators, or support services to the Army—and what would they pay someone who actually knows how tanks work in combat?”

Now we’re talking about defense contractors bidding on multi-million dollar contracts—If not more. And if you’re their account executive:

• You know exactly how those systems are used in the field

• You understand the problems maintenance crews face

• You can speak credibly with program managers about what works and what doesn’t

• You probably still have contacts in armor units

No one—and I mean no one—will have more credibility walking into that program office than you.

And here’s the beautiful part: you don’t have to limit yourself to tanks. You’re from the Army. Any company selling to the Army would value your experience, your network, and your understanding of Army culture.

The same applies to every specialty:

• Former Air Force electronic warfare officer? Companies selling EW systems, training, or support services need you.

• Former Navy hull technician? Defense contractors in shipbuilding and maintenance will pay a premium for your expertise.

• Former Marine Corps logistics officer? Supply chain companies selling to DoD want exactly what you know.

• Former federal IT specialist at DHS? Cybersecurity and IT services companies selling to homeland security agencies will compete for you.

Two Paths to Six Figures (or More)

There are two practical ways to capitalize on this combination of skills:

Path #1: High-Paying Account Executive Roles

Account executives who sell to the government regularly earn $200,000 to $300,000 a year—sometimes significantly more.

These aren’t entry-level positions. They’re reserved for people who can navigate complex buying processes, speak the language of procurement, and build trust with government decision-makers.

Your military background gives you instant credibility. Add some targeted training on federal acquisition strategy, and you become indispensable.

Also worth noting, unlike B2B and B2C sales, companies selling to the government are prohibited by law from only paying sales executives commissions on contracts they close. The Federal Acquisition Regulations are very specific about the penalties involved with contingent fees. The exception is if a company pays a salary to a salesperson, they can also incentivize with a commission.

Real example: A 27-year-old National Guard member with zero government contracting experience, went through our training program. Right after graduating, he had three consulting clients. Then he landed a six-figure Account Executive role at a large defense company. Within six months, he closed his first $1 million contract with the Air Force.

Another example: A young man in his 20s with no military background whatsoever, went through the same program. He walked into an interview at a satellite company competing against 40+ candidates with more experience. He beat all of them. Why? Because he could clearly articulate the step-by-step process for how the government buys what that company sold—and what they needed to do to win.

What separated Jacob from those 40+ experienced candidates? He could explain how the government actually buys satellites—not just the public-facing RFP process, but how to identify opportunities early, who the real decision-makers are, and how to position the company before the competition even knows there’s a deal on the table.

That’s what training gets you. Not just knowledge—credibility.

A National Guard colonel running sales for a tech startup put one of his executives through our program. That executive could suddenly speak the language of acquisitions—not in a vague way, but precisely. They knew exactly how their customer’s procurement process worked, when funding decisions were made, and who the real stakeholders were. They landed a $750,000 contract with the National Guard.

Not because they had connections. Because they had clarity.

Path #2: Independent Consulting

For those seeking more autonomy, consulting can be even more rewarding.

Advisors who help companies win federal contracts typically charge $5,000 to $10,000 per month per client, and some make a lot more. A modest roster of five clients translates to $300,000–$500,000 annually.

The work varies widely: capture strategy, compliance support, market analysis, relationship development, program management. The key is positioning yourself at the intersection of your expertise and the federal market’s needs.

Many veterans find this path liberating. After years of rigid schedules and long commutes, running your own practice—and getting paid serious money for strategic insight—is transformative.

FYI: I’ve run my consulting business this year from my man cave in New England, a beach hotel in Puerto Rico, a log cabin in the Smokey mountains and a cafe in Quebec.

As I mentioned earlier, I had my first paid consulting client within a week of launching my business. Companies weren’t just willing to pay—they were actively seeking me out.

The Missing Piece: Government Contracting Knowledge

Your military or federal background is the foundation—and it’s 80% of what you need. But to command those six-figure salaries, you need one more piece: understanding how the government buying process actually works from the sales side.

This is where most veterans and federal professionals hit a wall. You understand operations. You understand the mission. But unless you were an acquisitions officer or contracting professional, you probably don’t understand:

• How to analyze federal spending data to identify opportunities

• When and how funding gets allocated to specific programs

• The difference between the end user and the acquisitions shop

• How to position a company before the RFP drops (not after)

• Which procurement vehicles matter for a specific product and which are just noise

You can absolutely learn this. There are free resources available—we put out content on YouTube regularly covering federal spending analysis, capture strategy, and the acquisition process. You can piece it together over time.

But if you want to become expert-level quickly—the kind of expertise that makes you undeniably hireable or allows you to command premium consulting fees—that’s where structured training makes the difference.

That’s what we built GovClose for. It’s a one-year implementation program that combines government contracting training with business development strategy and career positioning.

Some of my earliest consulting wins came from helping small tech startups win innovation and prototyping contracts. Shortly after, I helped a woman-owned small business in cybersecurity land a spot on a major contract vehicle. These companies were incredibly grateful—most had never even been on a military base, let alone knew where to start.

That dual-perspective expertise—having worked on both the government side and the sales side—is what allows you to cut through the confusion and deliver real results.

The Bottom Line

You’ve already done the hard part. Whether you served in the military or spent years in a federal agency, you’ve earned expertise that most people will never have.

The only question is whether you’ll continue accepting compensation that doesn’t reflect its true value.

The opportunity isn’t going anywhere. But another year at your current salary? That’s $100,000 to $200,000 in potential income you’ll never get back.

You can start learning government contracting today—dig into federal spending databases, study the acquisition process, watch free training content. Or you can accelerate the process with structured implementation training at GovClose.com.

Either way, the path is there. You just have to decide to walk it.

Watch the full video breakdown | Explore resources at GovClose.com

About the Author

Richard C. Howard, Lt. Col. (Ret.) managed $82 billion in Air Force contracts before founding Federalytics and GovClose. Recognized as Air Force Analyst of the Year, he’s produced hundreds of Federal Market Blueprints guiding companies from Silicon Valley startups to Wall Street investors in scaling federal revenue. His market intelligence reaches audiences across the GovClose YouTube channel and podcast.

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