A shortage of teachers exists in many areas, and the severe under-representation of minorities in teacher preparation programs has exacerbated the problem of supplying urban schools with needed personnel. Post career military personnel represent a prospective pool of alternative teacher recruits to redress existing urban teacher shortages. Career enlisted military personnel are highly trained in skills that are directly transferable to the civilian sector such as personnel management, resource allocation, high level technologies, counseling, and training skills. Participation in postsecondary educational opportunities for enlisted service members has reached an all time high. Considered as a group, post-career military personnel possess characteristics such as the belief that all can learn, the ability to function under stressful conditions, a strong sense of dedication to community, pride and self-confidence, and a desire to excel. Because of these factors and a concern for military veterans, the formulation of a national teacher certification policy applied to veterans could prove beneficial. There has been interest in such a policy on the part of government agencies, in the public domain, and in professional circles. At the same time, there have been concerns regarding certification. Some studies have indicated that military personnel are interested in teaching as a second career. Studies have also indicated that military retirees who are second career teachers have overall satisfactory performance, experience no special problems, and possess adequate administrative and pedagogical skills. (Contains 16 references.) (JB)