The armed forces have a lot of different opportunities for employment. There can be a misconception that everyone in the military is on the front lines fighting to defend their country. In fact, there are a lot of other opportunities that people can find here. It provides a great opportunity for anyone who is interested, and comes with a lot of other benefits as well.
The biggest benefit of making what some call “the ultimate sacrifice” when joining the military, is that in any position you can gain valuable work experience in whatever field that you feel that you would excel at and have a passion for. The G.I Bill will often pay for any additional education you would seek in that field, even paying your college tuition for certain people.
The armed services have doctors and lawyers, while they also have infantry and even retail positions on their bases. There is such an incredible variety of positions, which means that pretty much anyone who can pass the basic training can find something for themselves in this field. A great thing is that all the training and education you received while serving your country can be used to find you a career after your service has ended.
It can be a dangerous and thankless job in an industry like this, but you can go in knowing that you are doing a good deed for your country and that the majority does support you.
Job Opportunities
Here are just some of the employment opportunities that you can find within this industry:
Combat Control (Air Force): This position is generally only open to males. This specific job category is found within the Air Force’s special operations crew. They are essentially air-traffic controller while hiding in or near a combat zone. The combat control specialist should be ready to join the fight when and if it is necessary for them to. They need to be able to work in both secret and hostile areas to control the air traffic to ensure the missions are accomplished as well as ensuring the safety of everyone in the air. They will need to be able to direct their teammates to where the enemies are on the battlefield. They have to possess the ability of parachute jumping into potentially dangerous but always hostile areas. The specialist must be able to maneuver underwater, using all techniques they were trained in. They must be proficient in all modes of transportation, in all types of weather. The specialist must understand where to draw the combat zones so that they can properly direct their forces where they should go. They possess skills in weaponry, as well as intelligence and special operations. They must complete the standard basic training that all service members must complete. After that, they will go onto a school to get the proper training for this field. They will become FAA-certified traffic controllers. To gain this type of employment, they must be at least 18 years of age and have a high school diploma or equivalent. The annual salary is around $54,000.
Emergency Physician: An emergency physician will treat patients that need immediate medical attention. They must have the ability of examining, diagnosing and treating injuries or illnesses. The physician needs to research a variety of combat related injuries so they can properly treat them. They should also be familiar of any illnesses that are common in the area that they are working in so they can do the appropriate treatments. To gain this type of employment, they must have a doctor of medicine and be board-eligible to gain certifications. The physician must have a degree in medicine. The physician must be 21 years or older. The military will often pay for people to gain training and education in this field, so they can serve the troops. They will need to complete the typical boot camp training other members of their service must complete. They can earn a yearly salary of between $18,000 and $60,000 a year, depending on training and experience.
JAG: Members of the JAG corps, otherwise known as Judge Advocates General corps, are the lawyers of the armed services world. They offer legal support for people within the military field. They focus on topics like criminal law, civil/administrative law, contract law, intelligence law, labor laws, and international law. The lawyer will provide any legal assistance that is necessary of them. They prosecute laws in accordance with the Uniform Code of Military Justice. They provide legal advice for soldiers, officers and their families as required of them. They will review legalities and give opinions on topics of ethics to commanders and any staff that asks them to. They represent fellow soldiers at courts-marshal, as well as in front of administrative separation boards. After completing boot camp and any other requirements, you can receive tuition reimbursement to study law to gain employment in this field. They will need their J.D from an accredited school and to have passed the bar exam to practice law. A JAG can earn around $44,000 to $72,000 a year, based on experience and education.
Artillery Mechanic: An artillery mechanic is mostly responsible for supervising and performing maintenance on self-propelled field artillery cannon weapon systems. This includes turret, automotive, fire control and chemical protections sub systems to ensure everything is in working condition. The mechanic must be able to do any repairs that are necessary to get the equipment to working condition and so it can be used safely. They maintain all parts of their artillery, to keep them functioning properly. The mechanic needs to have the ability of properly diagnosing the problems so they can be fixed quickly and up to code. After completing the necessary basic training, they must pass an aptitude test showing strength in this field. They then will move onto a 15 week training program in a field like this. An artillery mechanic can earn around $44,000 a year.
Job Outlook
The growth in this industry is expected to be around the same as it has been, showing no extra growth. This is vastly different from the 11% average of growth seen in other industries across the nation. This is as a result of the budget of the military as well as a withdrawal of troops in certain areas. After leaving the military, most can use any training and education to gain civilian employment.