Some people who join the military choose to make a career out of it, while others eventually decide they want to do something else for a living.

And sometimes people do both — they retire after a military career and begin a new occupation as a civilian. And for those who are transitioning out of the military or retiring from it, there are options. Among them is a U.S. Chamber of Commerce program called Hiring Our Heroes.

The program out of Fort Campbell has helped many former soldiers become leaders at industries in Tennessee cities such as Clarksville, Murfreesboro and Portland. Now, those involved with Hiring Our Heroes want to bring the program to veterans in Bowling Green. The program, intended for soldiers who are within six months of transitioning out of the military, could allow local employers to add transitioning veterans to their staffs for 11 weeks at no cost to the company.

Not only is this program a win for the veterans, it’s also a win for employers. Transitioning veterans who participate are still being paid by the military until they retire, so the employer is out nothing. It also allows employers to see if the veterans will be a good fit at their companies. Soon-to-be-retiring veterans will receive on-site training in jobs they will be potentially hold after their retirement from the military. The goal is for them to receive a job offer, and while that won’t always happen, it is certainly worth a shot.

This sounds like a good program that has a real chance to help veterans through the process of transitioning from the military into the business world. We should always do all we can to take care of our veterans, and this program does exactly that.

Daily News of Bowling Green