Executive Order 13473 – *Noncompetitive Appointment of Certain Military Spouses

Executive Order 13473 - Noncompetitive Appointing Authority for Certain Military Spouses establishes a hiring authority that permits a noncompetitive appointment to permanent, term, or temporary positions for certain military spouses into the competitive service. The purpose of this authority is to assist military spouses obtain Federal Civil Service positions. Its intent is to recognize and honor the service of members injured, disabled, or killed in connection with their service and minimize disruption when military families relocate.
Who is Eligible for this authority?

FACT SHEET
• Spouses who are married to service members at the time these service members receive their orders to relocate; or
• Spouses of service members who become 100% disabled; or
• Un-remarried widows or widowers of a service member that was killed on active duty, it does not have to be combat related.Eligibility Requirements for the Active Duty Spouse: A spouse who is married to a service member that receives Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders that authorize the spouse to accompany him or her to the new duty station is eligible for this appointing authority, provided the spouse moves with the service member to the new duty location. Employment must be within the geographic area of the new permanent duty station, it includes the duty station and the surrounding area. Until delegation is received from DOD, a waiver of the geographic restriction cannot be approved. This appointing authority may be used immediately and the spouse remains eligible for a maximum of 2 years (may not be extended) from the date of the PCS orders. The spouse will be required to present the PCS orders and proof of marriage (i.e., certificate of marriage or license) upon selection for employment. EO 13473 specifically excludes training duties and attendance at service schools from coverage under this authority. There is a limit of one permanent appointment per PCS.Eligibility Requirements for the Spouse of a 100% Disabled Veteran:

A spouse of a service member that is released or discharged with a 100% service-connected disability is eligible for this authority. The spouse will be required to present the official documentation of the disability and proof of marriage (i.e., certificate of marriage or license) upon selection for employment. There is no geographic location limitation, or limit on the number of appointments a spouse of a 100% disabled veteran may receive under this authority. This eligibility is effective immediately and limited to 2 years from the date of the disability documentation.
Eligibility Requirements for the Spouse of a Service Member Killed in Action: A spouse of a service member that is killed while on active duty is eligible for this authority. The spouse will be required to present a copy of the DD 1300 Report of Casualty; documentation verifying the individual was killed while on active duty; a certificate of marriage or license; and a statement certifying that spouse has not remarried upon selection for employment. There is no geographic location limitation, or limit on the number of appointments the widow or widower of a deceased service member may receive under this authority. This eligibility is effective immediately and limited to 2 years from the date of the DD 1300 Report of Casualty.Applying for Preference in Hiring through the Priority Placement Program (PPP):

To obtain hiring preference through PPP, spouses should contact the Civilian Personnel Advisory Center (CPAC) to inquire about their eligibility. In order to be eligible for placement, the prospective registrant must be well qualified to perform at least one specific type of position. In most cases, spouses eligible only under E.O. 13473 will not have prior Federal civilian service; therefore, the registrant is required to submit a narrative resume for evaluation of work experience, education, and training to determine if registration is warranted. If a spouse is best qualified for more than one type of position, the higher-grade experience shall be used as the "current" grade for registration purposes unless the spouse does not want to be registered for that type of position. Program S is not used in OCONUS; therefore, interested spouses must apply via vacancy announcements. For more information contact your local CPAC; to find the nearest CPAC on-line, click on the following link: http://acpol.army.mil/employment/findcpac/index.html

Applying for Federal Government positions:Eligible spouses may apply for positions advertised as being open to the “public,” “all sources,” or “status candidates.” For more information on Federal job opportunities, visit the Office of Personnel Management’s official job site of the US Federal Government at www.usajobs.gov. It is the Federal Government’s one-stop employment site that provides job information world-wide. Job seekers should check websites of agencies in which they may wish to work, such as the Army on-line website, in addition to USAJOBS.
The Army’s Resume Builder database and Vacancy Announcement Board provides specific job information and employment opportunities world-wide. This is a separate database from USAJOBS, so creation of an account is necessary to build a resume on line. To find the on-line employment webpage, go to www.cpol.army.mil. Click on "Employment," to find links to "Search for Jobs" and "Build a Resume/View Status." You will be required to complete a Supplemental Data sheet before submitting your resume. Under “Employment Categories” you will click “EO 13473 eligible,” to identify that you are eligible for this appointing authority. The Army has many jobs to choose from, many with progressive employment practices. It has a family friendly atmosphere, exceptional benefits, and a diverse workforce. When viewing the vacancy announcement board, look for the “Who May Apply” section, then for "Military Spouses eligible under EO 13473.” If identified, those military spouses mentioned above are eligible to apply for that vacancy. If you are eligible according to one of the categories above, you may visit the Army’s Vacancy Announcement Builder to search for employment using this authority. You will need to build your resume into our database and self-nominate for jobs on-line. Click on the link “Search for Jobs” and “Build a Resume/View Status” for more information.

*Note: According to the Federal Register’s final ruling (12 Aug 09), this authority is entitled, “Noncompetitive Appointment of Certain Military Spouses;” however, per 5 U.S.C. 3330(b), agencies must follow public notice requirements when using this authority to fill permanent or term positions, or temporary positions lasting more than 1-year. Army requires Military Spouses to apply for vacancies advertised on CPOL and/or USAJOBS in order to use this appointing authority. For more information, see the EO 13473 FAQs at http://www.chra.army.mil/Military_Spouse_HR_Information/MS%20FAQs.pdf