Here at the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the mission is to
protect intellectual property for the United States and for the world. Think of
being surrounded by innovation - the latest inventions. They come through
our doors. Trademarks are the most famous brands in the world, here to be protected.
Patents and trademarks provide critical protection of intellectual property, so
that innovators and businesses can then commercialize the products and services,
and generate economic advantage. If you look around you today you will see
thousands and thousands of patents and trademarks that you interact with every
second and you don't even realize.
In 2012, the USPTO initiated their veteran hiring program to answer the
president's call to make sure that veterans leaving the service had a route
to take in the civilian government. We'd like to say that our veterans here
at the PTO continue to serve. The work that they are doing here is incredibly
important to our nation. So our veterans really just continue their service. Once
they're out of uniform they come right here. Our veterans have a lot of
responsibility. They're exposed to a lot of great leadership. They themselves
become great leaders. Those characteristics translate very well into
a civilian job setting, whether it's in the private sector or the public sector.
Now we have hiring managers coming to us saying, "I need a veteran for this
position." Since 2012 the USPTO has hired over 800 military veterans. The army was
looking for linguists, people in medical background, people with engineering
background, that would help the military meet its needs all around the world. Even
though I have such an international background, I'd grown up in different
parts of the world, the military really expanded that skill. So because I was
in a civil affairs unit, one of the main skills that I have to learn was actually
how to deal with people from very different backgrounds. When I
transitioned from the Army to the USPTO, the experience was the first where I
would actually grow roots in the city. We live in Arlington and we just loved the
DC area. It's been the first place that I've grown roots and the USPTO is smooth
transition from the army really helped me do that. I joined the United States
Air Force in 1990. I was enlisted initially and I worked tactical
communications. I did that for a little under seven years and it was there that
I met my husband. I grew up in the Air Force first, it was
my first job, and within the Air Force, there's just a sense of camaraderie,
fellowship, and just, really really good people. That was a challenge for me - the
transition from being a military member to civilian life wasn't easy for for me.
Like veterans Raj and Tyeshia, the USPTO looks to hire dedicated military
shaped leaders from all walks of life. We've also had great success working
with some of the programs sponsored by DoD and the Department of Veterans
Affairs, the Wounded Warrior Program, and Operation Warfighter. We also hire a
number of veterans with disabilities and veterans who are being medically
released from the service. A lot of the jobs here at the PTO are very very
friendly environments for people who are dealing with disabilities and service
related disabilities. We've hired approximately 800 veterans since 2012.
When we started, veterans weren't on anyone's top of mind when it came to
hiring. Within a very short period of time, thanks to the veterans that we had
already, that were already here at the PTO, and thanks to the veterans that we
brought aboard, those mindsets changed.
Coming to the US Patent and Trademark Office was a blessing because I found
that same sense of camaraderie among my peers and even among the leadership.
Leadership is very accessible and nurturing and supportive. The transition
was very very smooth. A lot of support from within the military community here.
Very deep understanding from the people who've not served in the military about
your experiences just gained from working with other veterans in the past
and also from being actively trying to learn from you about your experiences in
the military. A lot of organizations talked about taking care of people but
it's institutionalized at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. There are
real programs, real people, real resources available for us to use. The Patent and
Trademark Office offers unlimited career advancement opportunities for our
veterans. Whether it's examining patents, registering trademarks, serving in the
information technology teams, or the human resource teams - this is a great
place to be. We would love to have you join us. What differentiates the USPTO
from a lot of other places that are probably good places to work in, is the
unparalleled work/life balance, the ability to pursue your educational goals;
it's an agency that really gives you a lot of responsibility very early on and
gives you the opportunity to grow at your own pace. The USPTO really lets you
be you. It lets you do what you have always wanted to do and pursue your
dreams. The best opportunity I had career-wise was joining the US Patent
and Trademark Office. If you're a vet out there and you're looking to work for an
organization that aligns with your core beliefs, that you can build on what
you've experienced all over the world, the US Patent and Trademark Office is
the place for you. For more information on patents and trademarks or potential
employment opportunities, please visit their website at uspto.gov/jobs.