Conservation is a tough job, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is lucky to have an incredibly dedicated team. Among our workforce, 17% are military veterans and served in the U.S. Armed Forces, including the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines Corps, Space Force, and Coast Guard and some are still active in National Guard and Military Reserve units.
Take a moment and look at this photo gallery of some of the military veterans who continue their service to the country in jobs with us. In the captions of many of the photos, you will read about what the military taught them – lessons in sacrifice, teamwork, leadership, resilience, discipline, camaraderie ... In other words, exactly what employers look for.
We are not only lucky to work alongside so many military veterans but also proud of them, and of all our employees.
The Fallen and Missing Comrade Table
A solemn display reflects our respect for those who have served in the Armed Forces, and is a reminder of the resilience, hope, and honor that binds us as a nation.
Our National Conservation Training Center, working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Veterans Employee Resources Group, has agreed to display this table each year during the months of November, May, and September to acknowledge some of the important occasions for our military-affiliated community members.
All the items hold important meaning:
- The table is round, because our concern is everlasting.
- The cloth is white, symbolizing the purity of their motives when answering the call to serve.
- The single red rose in the vase signifies the blood they may have shed to secure our freedom. The rose also reminds us of their loved ones and their pain.
- The red ribbon represents our continued determination to account for our missing.
- A slice of lemon reminds us of their bitter fate.
- A pinch of salt symbolizes the countless fallen tears of their families.
- The glass is inverted because they cannot share a toast with us.
- The lighted candle reflects our hope for their return to a grateful nation.
- The chair is empty, a seat that remains unclaimed at the table.
