1) Honorably discharged disabled Veteran who has a service connected, compensable disability.

2) The spouse of a totally disabled Veteran, who because of this disability cannot qualify for employment.

3) The spouse of any person missing in  action, captured in the line of duty or forcibly detained.

4) A Veteran of any war who served during a wartime era. "Wartime era" includes:

a) World War II: December 7, 1941 to December 31, 1946;

b) Korean Conflict: June 27, 1950 to January 31, 1955;

c) Vietnam Era: February 28, 1961 to May 7, 1975;

d) Persian Gulf War: August 2, 1990 to January 1, 1992;

5) The un-remarried widow or widower of a Veteran who died of a service connected disability;

6) A Veteran of U.S. Combat Campaigns or Expeditions that qualify for preference as defined by law (possesses Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal - AFEM).

Should you qualify for the preference under any category and wish to assert it, please state the status of your preference (one of the above listed categories) on the application for employment in the military section. documentation (DD214 or comparable documentation substantiating your claim) MUST BE FURNISHED AT THE TIME OF APPLICATION TO BE ELIGIBLE. Please mail, fax, or bring in the documentation immediately after submitting your application for employment. If claiming preference due to disability, a letter that is less than one year old from the Veteran's Administration stating disability percentage must be submitted in addition to the DD214.

If you qualify for the Veteran's Preference, the county will give you special consideration at each step of the employment selection process. For positions where a score exam is the sole employment criteria, applicants qualifying under categories 1, 2, or 3 and passing the exam shall be given a 10% increase in their score. If the applicant qualifies under categories 4, 5, or 6 and passes the exam, 5% will be added to his or her passing score.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON VETERANS' PREFERENCE, THE FOLLOWING LINK IS PROVIDED AS A PUBLIC SERVICE: http://www.floridavets.org/benefits/veteranspref.htm.

The Washington county Board of County Commissioners also provides assistance to Veterans through their Veterans Service Office. Contact, Amy Simmons, VSO at 850-638-6140, for further information.