New Mexico’s Military Presence
New Mexico has a significant military presence, with several key installations and a long and rich military history, playing a crucial role in nuclear weapons development, aerospace testing, and special operations. The state was home to key facilities of the Manhattan Project, where the world's first atomic bomb was developed, and was the site of the Trinity nuclear test in 1945..
Today, The state continues to plays a crucial role in national defense and has been involved in various military engagements throughout its history. New Mexico is home to four major military installations, each with a unique mission supporting national defense. Each base has a unique mission, including special operations, pilot training, nuclear research, and missile testing.
- Cannon Air Force Base
- Holloman Air Force Base
- Kirtland Air Force Base
- White Sands Missile Range
New Mexico is home to Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) and Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), primarily operating under the Department of Energy (DOE).
New Mexico has a significant population of military retirees. The state is home to approximately 6,874 veterans per 100,000 people or 150,000 people, indicating a robust veteran community.
What We Offer:
The PMI Rio Grande (PMIRGC) Chapter provides resources and mentorship for transitioning service members, active-duty military, veterans and their spouses towards careers related to the project management field. The PMIRGC Chapter also hosts many professional events that offer networking and mentoring opportunities to strengthen your career. As a member, you can take advantage of these events, volunteer, and help other fellow military both active and retired, learn the benefits of project management and give back to the community.
Is my military experience Project Management?
Yes. Many of your experiences during your service can be applied to prerequisites of the CAPM or the PMP. One of the roles of a project manager is the management of the three constraints: budget, time, and scope. A budget reflects the amount of money that the customer is willing to spend, time refers to the deadline of project deliverables, and scope represents the customer's goals and expectations. If you have managed and led work including these three constraints, then they qualify.
The PMIRGC Chapter can help translate your military experience into required project management hours.
How does my military experience translate to PMI?
Let’s say you were preparing for deployment and in charge acquiring gear for your platoon a month before you depart. Your scope or deliverable as a project manager is to ensure that all your personnel have the necessary gear. In this case your time constraint is one month before your deployment date. The budget is ensuring that all the gear is accounted for since military equipment represents a monetary value. A small project like this from your military experience can easily fulfill requirements for a project management certification!
