Veteran Wildland Firefighter Employment Act of 2025

This legislation directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in collaboration with the Secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior, to establish a pilot program designed to employ veterans in various wildland firefighting activities. The Department of Veterans Affairs will administer this program, while the Departments of Agriculture and the Interior will be responsible for identifying suitable vacant positions and employing participating veterans. The program aims to leverage veterans' skills in roles such as forestry technicians, aviation, heavy equipment operations, and fire management, treating them as federal employees under civil service laws. It also encourages the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to develop best practices for federal agencies employing transitioning veterans, drawing lessons from existing programs like the Warrior Training Advancement Course. Furthermore, the bill allows for a partnership with the Department of Defense to integrate this pilot program into the Skillbridge program . The Secretaries are required to submit multiple reports to Congress, including an initial plan, an implementation update, and a final assessment detailing the number of veterans involved and the program's overall effectiveness, before its scheduled termination two years after commencement.