Best Companies for 13F Fire Support Specialists: Top Employers (2025)
Top 15+ companies actively hiring 13F Fire Support veterans with salaries $75K-$160K+. Includes defense contractors, operations, and government agencies.
Bottom Line Up Front
13F Fire Support Specialists are actively recruited by 15+ major defense contractors and government agencies offering salaries from $75,000-$160,000+. Best employers provide: veteran hiring programs, security clearance continuation, tuition assistance, sign-on bonuses ($5K-$20K), advancement to senior analyst and manager roles. Top sectors: Defense Contractors ($85K-$155K), Government Agencies ($80K-$150K), Intelligence ($90K-$180K), Operations ($85K-$165K). Companies like Booz Allen, General Dynamics, Palantir, and government intelligence agencies actively recruit 13F veterans for operations and analysis roles.
Why Companies Recruit 13F Veterans
Major defense and government organizations understand: 13F Fire Support Specialists bring advanced operations knowledge, decision-making, and tactical expertise.
You've coordinated operations, analyzed tactical situations, made targeting decisions, understood command structure, and communicated critical information. Companies recruiting 13F veterans get:
- Tactical operations knowledge and thinking
- Decision-making capability under pressure
- Advanced analysis and assessment skills
- Leadership from supervisory roles
- Security clearance status (TS/SCI often)
- Command coordination understanding
- Operations management expertise
The companies below actively recruit 13F veterans and provide advancement to senior analyst and management roles.
Top Defense Contractors
1. Booz Allen Hamilton
- Analyst: $85K-$125K
- Senior Analyst: $125K-$165K
- Manager: $165K-$240K+
- Leading government contractor
- Clearance continuation valued
- Career advancement opportunities
- Veteran program
2. General Dynamics
- Operations Analyst: $80K-$120K
- Senior Analyst: $120K-$160K
- Manager: $160K-$230K+
- Defense contractor
- Government contracts
- Veteran hiring
- Leadership track
3. Lockheed Martin
- Analyst: $85K-$125K
- Senior Analyst: $125K-$165K
- Manager: $165K-$240K+
- Major defense contractor
- Tactical operations focus
- Clearance premium significant
- Advancement path
4. Raytheon Technologies
- Operations Specialist: $85K-$125K
- Senior Specialist: $125K-$165K
- Manager: $165K-$240K+
- Defense and intelligence focus
- Veteran recruitment
- Career development
5. L3Harris Technologies
- Analyst: $85K-$125K
- Senior Analyst: $125K-$165K
- Manager: $165K-$240K+
- Communications and intelligence
- Veteran program
- Government focus
Government Intelligence Agencies
6. Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA)
- Analyst (GS-9-11): $75K-$125K
- Senior Analyst (GS-12-13): $125K-$180K+
- Manager: $160K-$240K+
- Military intelligence focus
- Federal career
- Federal benefits and pension
- Veterans preference
7. National Ground Intelligence Center (NGIC)
- Analyst: $75K-$120K
- Senior Analyst: $120K-$165K+
- Ground intelligence focus
- Federal position
- Excellent benefits
- Pension and security
8. Joint Staff Intelligence
- Operations Analyst: $80K-$130K
- Senior Analyst: $130K-$180K+
- Pentagon-based positions
- Top Secret clearance
- Federal career
- Advancement opportunities
Operations and Command
9. RAND Corporation
- Analyst: $90K-$130K
- Senior Analyst: $130K-$180K
- Manager: $180K-$250K+
- Think tank research
- Operations and strategy focus
- Veteran recruitment
- Career development
10. Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)
- Fellow/Analyst: $85K-$125K
- Senior Fellow: $125K-$180K+
- Think tank research
- Strategic analysis focus
- Veteran program
- Intellectual leadership
Military Support and Consulting
11. McKinsey & Company (Defense Practice)
- Associate: $120K-$150K
- Project Leader: $200K-$300K+
- Partner: $300K-$500K+
- Management consulting
- Defense and operations focus
- Veteran recruitment
- Executive advancement
12. Deloitte (Defense and Intelligence)
- Analyst: $95K-$130K
- Senior Consultant: $150K-$200K
- Manager: $200K-$300K+
- Consulting for government
- Operations and strategy
- Veteran program
- Partnership track
Technology and Operations
13. Palantir Technologies
- Analyst: $110K-$160K
- Senior Analyst: $160K-$220K
- Manager: $220K-$350K+
- Intelligence software leader
- Operations focus
- High growth company
- Stock options
14. Anduril Industries
- Analyst: $100K-$150K
- Senior Analyst: $150K-$210K+
- Defense technology
- Operations software
- Fast-growing startup
- Equity compensation
Federal Agencies (Operations/Planning)
15. Joint Task Force (JTF) and CENTCOM Personnel
- Federal positions
- Operations analyst roles
- GS-11+: $95K-$165K+
- Federal career
- Federal benefits
- Pension and security
- Leadership development
How to Maximize Your Chances
1. Emphasize Operations and Analysis
Don't write: "13F Fire Support Specialist, coordinated fires"
Do write: "Operations and tactical analyst professional with expertise in tactical planning, operational analysis, decision support, and command coordination"
2. Highlight Key Skills
- Tactical analysis and planning
- Operations management and coordination
- Decision-making under pressure
- Command structure understanding
- Communication and briefing skills
- Targeting and prioritization
- Intelligence integration
- Numbers: "Coordinated 500+ operations," "Supported command decisions," "Analyzed tactical situations for 100+ targets"
3. Consider Certifications
- Operations Research Analyst certification: Career advancement
- Project Management Professional (PMP): Leadership track
- Strategic studies: Advanced education
4. Target Federal Agencies
- Higher pay than contractors (often)
- Better job security
- Federal pension benefits
- Veterans preference significant
- Clearance continuation valued
5. Strategic Application
- Apply to 15-20+ defense contractors and agencies
- Target analyst positions emphasizing operations
- Look for advancement to manager/director roles
- Build toward executive leadership
- Emphasize decision-making and leadership
Salary Progression Summary
Entry-Level:
- Operations Analyst: $75,000-$110,000
- Government Analyst (GS-9): $75,000-$100,000
Mid-Level (3-5 years):
- Senior Analyst: $110,000-$160,000
- Manager: $140,000-$190,000
- Federal Senior Analyst (GS-12): $120,000-$160,000
Senior-Level (5-10 years):
- Senior Manager: $160,000-$240,000
- Director: $200K-$300K+
- Federal Manager (GS-13+): $160K-$240K+
Executive (10+ years):
- VP Operations: $250K-$400K+
- C-Level: $300K-$500K+
Consulting Partners: $300K-$500K+
Bottom Line for 13F Fire Support Specialists
Your tactical operations and analysis expertise is highly valued by defense contractors and government agencies.
Immediate opportunities (30-90 days): Operations analyst roles ($80K-$120K), federal analyst positions
Medium-term (1-3 years): Senior analyst ($120K-$165K), manager positions ($140K-$190K)
Long-term (3-10+ years): Director/manager roles ($200K-$300K+), executive positions ($300K-$500K+)
Your 13F operations expertise opens doors at major defense companies and government intelligence agencies.
Ready to apply? Use the career planning tools at Military Transition Toolkit to research employers and track applications.