Veteran Spotlight: Meet U.S. Air Force Veteran Ashley

Ashley is an Associate Industrial Security Analyst with Northrop Grumman who graduated from the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee with a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminology and a minor in Sociology. After graduating, Ashley was a Classification Specialist at the local county jail and worked in the corrections system for about two years before deciding to pursue a career in the Air force Reserves as an All-Source Intelligence Analyst. Ashley is currently part of the 308th Rescue Squadron at Patrick Space Force Base and served on active orders for over two years (2019-2022) before working at Northrop Grumman.

How long have you been with Northrop Grumman? How did you hear about us?

I am currently an Associate Industrial Security Analyst at Northrop Grumman and joined the company over four months ago. As orders were coming to an end, I reached out to fellow military friends for advice on employment. Being new to Melbourne, I wasn’t sure where to start, but I had heard many great things about Northrop Grumman and even knew a few fellow reservists who worked here.

How did your military background set you up for the role you are in now?

My intel background provided me with knowledge on Department of Defense (DoD) security manuals, proper classified document storage, and how secure environments operate so I felt working at Northrop Grumman in my current role is a perfect fit.

What was your experience transitioning into Northrop Grumman as a Veteran?

I applied with other DoD contractors in the area, but Northrop Grumman had the best hospitality and communication when it came to the application process. I knew right away that this company was going to be a good fit for me. I have only been employed for about four months, but I see so many opportunities for growth.

What do you hope to gain from your (new or current) role?

I’m still trying to decipher what my end goal is and what path I want to take to get there, but I have already made so many friends and learned so much. I think one of the hard things transitioning from the military to the civilian world is the work culture. In the military, you have such a strong bond with the people you work with because you quite literally live and die for them. It’s hard to find that same bond in the civilian world. Luckily, being a DoD contractor, the culture at Northrop Grumman was a seamless transition and I feel that I have found another family working for this company.

What advice would you give to other Veterans interested in a career at Northrop Grumman?

I would highly recommend Northrop Grumman as an employer to veterans because it allows one to still make a meaningful contribution to protecting our nation after serving in the armed forces.