Mercury News

When military veterans search for jobs, they often want more than a paycheck. Many say they look for rewarding work and a team of dedicated people focused on a common mission.

With the war in Iraq officially over and the American presence in Afghanistan winding down, many veterans are finding new careers and that strong sense of purpose in the growing cleantech economy.

Some are helping build the massive solar farms sprouting up in California's deserts. A black POW-MIA flag flies every day at BrightSource Energy's Ivanpah solar plant under construction in the Mojave Desert, courtesy of a project superintendent who was a Marine in Vietnam.