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Military Exercise Planner Jobs in Virginia (NOW HIRING)

Joint Exercise Planner Arlington, VA DEFTEC delivers mission critical solutions through skillfully ... Ten (10) years of military experience. * Extensive experience with National Level and Combatant ...

Familiarity with Joint Exercise Life Cycle (JELC) processes and military exercise planning frameworks. Experience with modeling and simulation tools used for mission planning, system performance ...

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Military Exercise Planner information

See Virginia salary details

$34.2K

$65.1K

$94.7K

How much do military exercise planner jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 9, 2026, the average yearly pay for military exercise planner in Virginia is $65,138.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $53,500.00 and $73,400.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a military exercise planner?

To thrive as a Military Exercise Planner, you need a solid background in military operations, logistics, and strategic planning, often supported by a relevant degree and operational experience. Familiarity with military simulation software, joint planning systems, and certifications such as JPAS or Joint Exercise Life Cycle (JELC) training are valuable. Excellent organizational skills, attention to detail, and effective communication are crucial for coordinating complex exercises and collaborating across diverse teams. These skills ensure exercises are realistic, safely executed, and aligned with mission objectives, supporting overall force readiness.

What is a military exercise planner?

A Military Exercise Planner is responsible for designing, coordinating, and executing training exercises for military units. They ensure that exercises meet strategic objectives, incorporate realistic scenarios, and enhance operational readiness. Their role involves collaborating with various military branches, analyzing past exercises, and integrating lessons learned to improve future training. They also manage logistics, timelines, and resources to ensure exercises run smoothly and effectively.

What does a military exercise planner do?

A typical day for a Military Exercise Planner involves coordinating with various military units and agencies to develop exercise scenarios, logistical plans, and training objectives. You might spend time in meetings, reviewing plans, updating schedules, and ensuring that all participants understand their roles. The role also includes monitoring exercise progress, addressing real-time issues, and conducting after-action reviews to identify lessons learned. Collaboration is frequent, requiring clear communication with leadership, support staff, and key stakeholders. This dynamic environment offers both routine planning activities and unique problem-solving challenges.

What are the most commonly searched types of Military Exercise Planner jobs in Virginia? The most popular types of Military Exercise Planner jobs in Virginia are:
What are popular job titles related to Military Exercise Planner jobs in Virginia? For Military Exercise Planner jobs in Virginia, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Military Exercise Planner jobs in Virginia look for? The top searched job categories for Military Exercise Planner jobs in Virginia are:
What cities in Virginia are hiring for Military Exercise Planner jobs? Cities in Virginia with the most Military Exercise Planner job openings:
Infographic showing various Military Exercise Planner job openings in Virginia as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 100% Full Time. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $65,138 per year, or $31.3 per hour.

Joint Exercise Planner

Deftec Corporation

Arlington, VA • On-site

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 19 days ago


Job description

Joint Exercise Planner

Arlington, VA


DEFTEC delivers mission critical solutions through skillfully delivered services and innovative products. We are inspired by the critical missions of our clients, and we are driven to provide the most effective solutions to execute their missions, operational challenges, and requirements. Our dedicated, experienced, and talented employees work closely with our clients to ensure the delivery of exceptional services and products.


POSITION OVERVIEW

As an on-site exercise planner, provides expertise in Joint Exercise Program (JEP), Chairman's Exercise Program (CEP), and National Exercise Program (NEP), provide assistance to exercise design by drawing objectives from its customers in the form of "Trusted Agent" planning. Develops and supports strategic national exercises aimed at enhancing domestic contingency readiness with subject matter expertise on joint doctrine, training, education, and exercises to ensure strategic readiness for the States, Territories, and District of Columbia, Combatant Commanders, Chief, National Guard Bureau (CNGB). Stakeholder influence includes the Department of Defense, Army, Army National Guard, U.S. Air Force and Air National Guard Directives relating to training standards and policy.


JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:

  • The NGB JEP Joint Exercise Planner will be operating at the AO (O3-O4) level and will have responsibilities including supporting the standard Joint Event Life Cycle (JELC) of designing, planning, preparing, and executing exercises and events.

  • Provides functional knowledge of National Guard Bureau (NGB) and Joint Force Headquarters- State (JFHQ-S) training and exercise programs.
  • Delivers expertise in planning with Joint Staff J3/4/7, NG Adaptive Battle Staff, Offices of Secretary and Assistant Secretaries of Defense, Homeland Defense, Homeland Security, FEMA and other Interagency Partners with independent and in conjunction with Joint Exercise Program (JEP), Chairman's Exercise Program (CEP), and National Exercise Program (NEP).
  • Attend local and offsite planning events as well as supporting preparatory briefings up to and including preparatory briefings to CNGB.
  • Organizes and coordinates event facilitation, training, and exercise event design, Master Scenario Events Listing (MSEL) development, exercise control cell development, exercise and training event assessments and written documentation.
  • Develops and manages strategic emergency management procedures for the Chief of the National Guard Bureau (CNGB), Combatant Command (CCMD) emergency managers and their staffs regarding their emergency preparedness and response planning. Procedures and training include development and maintenance of "all-hazard" emergency plans and annexes.
  • Assists Joint Staff planning groups that develop, document, assess, and execute scenario-driven exercises in accordance with customer defined requirements and recommend actions to improve capabilities in written documentation.
  • Develops and maintains effective work relationships across organizational and professional boundaries as a contractor.
  • Develops and administers briefings, talking points, memos and position or policy papers for senior officials, dealing with emergency management programs and issues.
  • Maintain situational awareness of federal, state and local regulations affecting NGB's emergency plans and informs office leaders when plans deviate from these regulations.
  • Performs all other tasks and duties as ordered by NGB.
  • Requires 15% - 25% travel

QUALIFICATIONS:

Required Qualifications:

  • Must be a US citizen.
  • Have a Top Secret / Special Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) clearance
  • Associate's Degree (Joint Professional Military Education and experience with joint operations will add value.)
  • Ten (10) years of military experience.
  • Extensive experience with National Level and Combatant Command exercises with particular awareness of the current construct of globally integrated exercises and campaigns a must.
  • Ability to understand and incorporate National Guard strategic planning and processes into National Level, CJCS, and Combatant Command Tier 0 and Tier 1 exercises and events in support of CNGB and the NGB Joint Staff
  • Military Brigade level operations/training experience.
  • Current operational experience - Office of the Secretary of Defense, Combatant Command, The Joint Staff, or National Guard Bureau Joint Staff; Program and Policy Development, Exercise Development
  • Proven experience communicating and coordinating with Strategic level leadership or higher.
  • Confidential data and information management experience required.
  • Displays the ability to plan and facilitate meetings and conferences toward cooperative activities, devising concerted approaches to exercises and readiness.
  • Familiarity with staff action process and joint/service staff operations; briefings and products in support of senior leaders
  • Strong communication and presentation skills. Able to read, write, and communicate effectively in English. Able to design and write clear communications and present training programs.
  • Proficient in computer applications such as Windows and MS Office
  • Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
  • Excellent organizational, planning and prioritization skills
  • Excellent interpersonal skills

Preferred Qualifications:

  • 5+ years of experience with NGB/NG including NGB Joint Staff experience highly desired.
  • Bachelor's Degree

Working Conditions to note:

  • Required to sit for extended periods of time and maintain focus.
  • Daily travel in local area as well as the National Capital Region (NCR) during workday (including use of personal vehicle).
  • Must have the ability to work away from primary location including home and temporary duty locations.

DEFTEC offers a comprehensive whole-life benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, holiday, paid time off, 401K with a match, life insurance, short/long-term disability, and educational reimbursement.

DEFTEC is a Drug-Free Workplace where post-offer applicants and employees are subject to testing for marijuana, cocaine, opioids, amphetamines, PCP, and alcohol when criteria are met as outlined in our policies.


AAP/EEO Statement

DEFTEC Corp is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any typebased on actual or perceived race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, and medical conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding),gender, gender identity, and gender expression, religious creed,disability (mental and physical) including HIV and AIDS, medical condition (cancer and genetic characteristics ), genetic information, age, marital status, civil union status, sexual orientation, military and veteran status, denial of family and medical care leave, arrest record and/or any other characteristic(s) protected by federal, state or local law.