HR3560-119

What This Bill Does

The Veteran Wildland Firefighter Employment Act of 2025 directs the VA Secretary, coordinated with the Agriculture and Interior Secretaries, to establish a pilot program employing veterans in wildland firefighting activities. VA administers the pilot. Agriculture and Interior identify vacant USDA and DOI positions appropriate for participating veterans and, to the extent practicable, employ those veterans. Veterans employed under the pilot are treated as federal employees. VA must create best-practice guidelines for federal programs employing veterans transitioning from the Armed Forces, including lessons from VA's Warrior Training Advancement Course and cost-saving methods. VA, Agriculture, Interior, and DOD may partner to include the pilot in the SkillBridge program. Within 60 days of enactment, VA and the other Secretaries must report to specified agriculture, natural resources, energy, and veterans committees on how the pilot will reduce veteran unemployment and any legislative recommendations. One year after commencement they must report on implementation, and 30 days after conclusion they must report application counts, employment counts, transitions to full-time federal positions, and other effectiveness information. Authority ends two years after the pilot starts.

Who Benefits and How

Veterans transitioning from military service benefit from a pathway into federal wildland firefighting jobs. USDA wildland fire programs benefit from a new veteran hiring pipeline for vacant positions. Interior wildland fire programs benefit from additional firefighter and support staffing capacity. Veterans using SkillBridge benefit if the pilot is connected to transition training.

Who Bears the Burden and How

VA staff must administer the pilot, issue best-practice guidelines, and file three congressional reports. USDA and Interior staff must identify vacancies and employ veterans where practicable. DOD SkillBridge staff may need to coordinate with VA and land management agencies. Federal taxpayers bear the cost of pilot administration and employee compensation.

Key Provisions

• Creates a VA-administered pilot to employ veterans in wildland firefighting activities.
• Requires Agriculture and Interior to identify appropriate vacant positions and employ selected veterans where practicable.
• Treats participating veterans as federal employees.
• Authorizes a SkillBridge partnership and requires VA best-practice guidelines.
• Requires reports within 60 days, after one year, and after pilot conclusion.
• Terminates pilot authority two years after commencement.