H.R. 3560 — Veteran Wildland Firefighter Employment Act of 2025

This section establishes a pilot program, administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs in coordination with the Secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior, to employ veterans in federal wildland firefighting activities (i.e., temporary, seasonal, or permanent positions at the Department of Agriculture or Interior, including Tribal firefighters, that engage in or support wildland fire management). Under the program, the Secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior must identify vacant positions and employ selected veterans to the extent practicable, treating such veterans as federal employees under civil service laws (5 U.S.C. 2105); the Secretary of Veterans Affairs must develop best practices guidelines for federal veteran employment programs, incorporating lessons from the Warrior Training Advancement Course; and the Secretaries of Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, the Interior, and Defense may partner to integrate the pilot into the DoD SkillBridge program (10 U.S.C. 1143). The Secretaries of Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, and the Interior must submit to specified congressional committees (1) an initial report within 60 days of enactment describing the program's design to reduce veteran unemployment and legislative recommendations; (2) an implementation report one year after commencement; and (3) a final report within 30 days of termination assessing veteran applications, employment, transitions to full-time federal positions, and program effectiveness. The program terminates two years after commencement by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.