Veterans Day 2026: Thank You, and an Open Door

Today is Veterans Day. To everyone who has served, and to the families who served alongside them: thank you.

For CDT, this day is personal. We are a veteran-owned company, and more than 65 percent of our team are veterans. The mission focus, discipline and teamwork they bring shape how we work for every customer.

Why veterans fit cybersecurity

Cybersecurity is adversarial and high-stakes. It rewards people who stay calm under pressure, follow procedure when it matters, think like an opponent and work as a team. Military service builds all of that. Many veterans also bring security clearances and hands-on experience with mission-critical and classified systems, which are hard to find and slow to develop.

We wrote about this in depth in Veterans in Cybersecurity: Why Mission Experience Translates. This year, we want to focus on the practical question we hear most from transitioning service members: where do I start?

A path from service to a cyber career

1. Translate your experience

Hiring managers outside the military may not know what your specialty code means. Describe what you did in civilian terms: the systems you operated or defended, the size of the teams you led, the incidents you handled and the results. "Monitored and defended a network of 3,000 endpoints" lands better than a job title.

2. Keep your clearance active

An active clearance is one of the most valuable things a veteran brings to a defense contractor. Clearances that lapse can be expensive and slow to reinstate, so plan your transition with that in mind and ask prospective employers about sponsorship.

3. Earn the certifications employers look for

Many DoD cyber roles require certifications under the DoD Cyber Workforce Qualification Program (DoD 8140). Find out which ones apply to the roles you want and use your education benefits to earn them.

4. Build hands-on skills

Certifications open doors; practical skill keeps them open. Labs, capture-the-flag competitions and cyber ranges let you practice offense and defense in safe environments. Programs such as DoD SkillBridge can also let you train with an employer during your final months of service.

5. Use the network

Veterans help veterans. Reach out to people who made the same move, join veteran groups in the security community, and ask for introductions. Most will gladly help.

Where veterans work at CDT

Our team includes veterans in penetration testing, red teaming, classified network engineering, compliance and authorization, and training. Many of our roles require a clearance, and many of our people found that their military experience was the foundation, not a footnote.

An open door

If you are a veteran, or transitioning soon, and want to work on missions that matter, look at our open positions or learn more about veterans at CDT. Even if nothing fits today, reach out. We are always glad to talk with people who have served.

To every veteran: thank you for your service.