Quick answer: High Desert employers who want to hire veterans and military spouses can tap a deep local talent pool around Fort Irwin, Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow and the Combat Center at Twentynine Palms. The Ayangbah Foundation helps by preparing candidates with civilian career readiness, Excel and communication training, live online, so spouses can keep learning even when orders change.
Few regions in California have as many service members, veterans and military families as the High Desert and Morongo Basin. These are people who show up on time, follow procedures, lead teams and work under pressure. For employers in Barstow, Victorville, Apple Valley, Hesperia and Twentynine Palms, they're one of the best hiring opportunities around.
Why Hire Veterans and Military Spouses in the High Desert
The installations
- Barstow: Fort Irwin National Training Center is the city's largest employer with 8,451 employees, followed by Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow with 1,935 (City of Barstow 2025 report, via Wikipedia).
- Twentynine Palms: the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center covers more than 1,100 square miles. Military OneSource lists about 12,500 active-duty service members, about 24,000 family members and about 21,000 Defense Department employees and contractors connected to the installation.
The veterans already living here
- Victorville: 5,461 veterans (U.S. Census QuickFacts, 2020–2024).
- Apple Valley: about 4,692 veterans (U.S. Census, ACS 2020–2024).
- Hesperia: 2,995 veterans (U.S. Census QuickFacts, 2020–2024).
- Barstow: 1,618 veterans (U.S. Census QuickFacts, 2020–2024).
Military spouses want to work
According to Military OneSource (January 2026), roughly 20% of the more than 621,000 active-duty military spouses are unemployed, well above the overall U.S. rate of 4.4%. In Twentynine Palms, just 38.8% of residents age 16 and older are in the civilian labor force (U.S. Census QuickFacts), partly reflecting how many working-age residents serve on active duty. Many spouses are educated, experienced and ready to work, but frequent moves make it hard to build a career. Employers who offer flexibility can stand out.
What Veterans and Spouses Bring to Your Business
- Logistics and operations experience that fits Victorville's distribution growth and Barstow's rail and freight economy.
- Leadership and accountability for supervisor and lead roles.
- Security clearances and federal know-how that help defense contractors and businesses serving the installations.
- Adaptability. Military spouses often manage households, budgets and community programs through repeated moves.
Programs Employers Can Use
DoD SkillBridge
Through the Department of Defense SkillBridge program, employers can host service members for job training during up to their final 180 days of service. The Department of Defense pays the service member's salary and benefits, and participants are not paid wages by the employer. Employers need a SkillBridge Memorandum of Understanding and the service member's commanding officer's approval first (DoD SkillBridge).
Military Spouse Employment Partnership (MSEP)
MSEP is a Defense Department partnership of employers committed to hiring military spouses. It inducted 168 new partners in January 2026 and has grown to more than 1,000 organizations since it began (Military OneSource).
A note on the Work Opportunity Tax Credit
The federal Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC), which included credits for hiring certain veterans, was authorized for workers who began work on or before December 31, 2025 (IRS; U.S. Department of Labor). A May 2026 Congressional Research Service report states that authority lapsed for wages paid after that date. As of this writing, we have not found an extension on irs.gov or dol.gov. Check with your tax advisor before counting on it, and watch for any retroactive extension.
How The Ayangbah Foundation Helps You Hire Veterans and Military Spouses
We prepare candidates so they're ready to contribute from day one:
- Career Readiness & Entrepreneurship Employment Training (40 hours, 4 weeks, $1,200): translating military experience into civilian resumes, interview practice and workplace expectations.
- Microsoft Excel & Office Essentials (12 hours, $297) and QuickBooks Bookkeeping Essentials (12 hours, $297): portable office skills that move with a spouse from base to base.
- Public Speaking & Communication Lab: helping veterans explain their experience in plain civilian language.
- Government Contracting Academy: for veterans and spouses starting businesses that serve federal buyers, covering SAM.gov, certifications and proposal writing.
Every class is offered live online and in person in downtown San Bernardino, with day, evening and Saturday sessions. A spouse in Twentynine Palms or a transitioning soldier at Fort Irwin can train without a long drive. We are also an approved work-experience worksite for the San Bernardino County Workforce Development Department, with 10 interns hosted and mentored so far. Some veterans and military spouses may qualify for WIOA training support, but eligibility varies. Learn more in our guide to veterans job training in San Bernardino.
How to Partner With Us
Tell us which roles you're hiring for and whether you're interested in veterans, military spouses or both. We'll help you build a pipeline of prepared candidates.
- Complete our employer partnership form.
- Call (909) 454-7076 or email info@ayangbahfoundation.org.
- Explore our employer solutions.
FAQ
How can employers hire veterans and military spouses in the High Desert?
Connect with programs near Fort Irwin, MCLB Barstow and the Twentynine Palms Combat Center, such as DoD SkillBridge and MSEP, and partner with training providers. The Ayangbah Foundation prepares veteran and spouse candidates with career readiness and office skills training.
Is the Work Opportunity Tax Credit available in 2026?
The WOTC was authorized for workers who began work on or before December 31, 2025, and a May 2026 CRS report says it lapsed for later wages. We have not found an extension on irs.gov or dol.gov, so check with a tax advisor.
What is DoD SkillBridge for employers?
SkillBridge lets employers host service members for training during up to their final 180 days of service. The Department of Defense pays the service member's salary and benefits.
What is the military spouse unemployment rate?
Military OneSource reported in January 2026 that roughly 20% of active-duty military spouses are unemployed, compared with 4.4% overall in the U.S.
How many veterans live in Victorville, CA?
The U.S. Census Bureau counts 5,461 veterans in Victorville (QuickFacts, 2020–2024).
Sources: City of Barstow 2025 principal employers (via Wikipedia); Military OneSource, Twentynine Palms MCAGCC installation overview; Military OneSource, "Partnership marks 15 years of supporting military spouse employment" (January 30, 2026); U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts (Victorville, Hesperia, Barstow, Apple Valley, Twentynine Palms; ACS 2020–2024); DoD SkillBridge, Industry/Employers; IRS, Work Opportunity Tax Credit (page reviewed July 20, 2026); U.S. Department of Labor, Work Opportunity Tax Credit; Congressional Research Service, "The Work Opportunity Tax Credit," R43729 (May 13, 2026).