Sensor system reviews, weapons research support, and modeling and simulation work for space and defense programs sit at the center of what HX5 does day to day, and CEO Margarita Howard sees that mission-driven work as a natural draw for veterans leaving the military. Her own Air Force background gives her a personal stake in that connection between service and civilian employment.
A fellow leaving an Air Force engineering role, for instance, might land on a project supporting similar systems, just now viewed from the contractor’s side of the table rather than the uniformed one. That continuity lets veterans carry forward specialized training while picking up how contractors work alongside government customers on shared missions.
Mission Over Paycheck
Howard has pointed to this alignment as valuable for both the company and the individual fellow. “The work we do is very exciting. Some of it is not being done anywhere else in the world,” she says, framing meaningful work as a retention tool that can matter as much as salary for many employees.
Since 2021, HX5 has welcomed eight fellows through the Hiring Our Heroes Corporate Fellowship Program, maintaining two annually even as the company operates across more than 20 states and 70 government locations. The consistency has let HX5 integrate fellows without overwhelming its roughly 1,000-person workforce or straining existing teams.
Veterans accustomed to purpose-driven military assignments often look for the same quality in civilian jobs, and Howard’s own path from service member to CEO offers evidence that a mission-focused career can continue well past the point of leaving active duty. Margarita Howard’s continued involvement with the fellowship keeps that thread active for each new class of participants joining HX5. It also gives the company a recurring reminder that its most effective recruiting pitch may simply be the work itself, rather than any standard benefits package or salary figure. Read this article for more information.
More about Margarita Howard on https://www.f6s.com/member/margarita-howard
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