Veterans make excellent firefighter recruit candidates. For this reason, the Virginia Beach Fire Department actively recruits transitioning members of the military. In fact, nearly one-third of the 2013 Recruit Academy hires were veterans! The City of Virginia Beach honors both Veterans’ Preference Points and Disabled Veterans’ Preference Points. By attending the Tidewater Regional Fire Academy, you can also benefit from the GI Bill. Our Academy staff will even assist you with the paperwork. The Virginia Beach Fire Department is also V3 Certified. This means that we are committed to the recruitment and retention of veterans.