Job Opportunities in the Armed Forces

Significant Points
• Opportunities should be good in all branches of the Armed Forces for applicants who meet designated standards.
• Most enlisted personnel need at least a high school diploma, while officers need a bachelor’s or ad- vanced degree.
• Hours and working conditions can be arduous and vary substantially.
• Some training and duty assign- ments are hazardous, even in peace-time.

Nature of the Work
Maintaining a strong national defense encompasses such diverse activities as running a hospital, commanding a tank, programming computers, operating a nuclear reactor, or repairing and maintaining a helicopter. The military provides training and work experience in these fields and many others for more than 1.5 million people who serve in the active Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard, their Reserve components, and the Air and Army National Guard.

The military distinguishes between enlisted and officer careers. Enlisted personnel, who make up about 85 percent of the Armed Forces, carry out the fundamental operations of the military in areas such as combat, administration, construction, engineering, healthcare, and human services. Officers, who make up the remaining 15 percent of the Armed Forces, are the leaders of the military. They supervise and manage activities in every occupational specialty in the military.

The following sections discuss the major occupational groups for enlisted personnel and officers.

Enlisted occupational groups:

• Administrative careers
• Combat specialty occupations
• Construction occupations
• Electronic and electrical equipment repair personnel
• The military has many engineering, science, and technical occupations
• Healthcare personnel
• Human services specialists
• Machine operator and production
• Media and public affairs
• Service personnel
• Transportation and material handling specialists
• Vehicle and machinery mechanics

Officer occupational groups:

• Combat specialty officers
• Engineering, science, and technical officers
• Executive, administrative, and manage- rial officers
• Healthcare officers
• Health diagnosing and treating practitio- ner officers
• Human services officers
• Media and public affairs officers
• Officers in transportation occupations

Employment
In 2000, more than 1.5 million individuals were on active duty in the Armed Forces-about 530,500 in the Army, 400,000 in the Navy, 385,000 in the Air Force, 174,000 in the Marine Corps, and 37,000 in the Coast Guard.

Qualifications, Training, and Advancement
Enlisted personnel. In order to join the services, enlisted personnel must sign a legal agreement called an enlistment contract, which usually involves a commitment to 8 years of service. Depending on the terms of the contract, 2 to 6 years are spent on active duty and the balance is spent in the reserves. The enlistment contract obligates the service to provide the agreed-upon job, rating, pay, cash bonuses for enlistment in certain occupations, medical and other benefits, occupational training, and continuing education. In return, enlisted personnel must serve satisfactorily for the period specified.

Requirements for each service vary, but certain qualifications for enlistment are common to all branches. In order to enlist, one must be between 17 and 35 years old, be a U.S. citizen or immigrant alien holding permanent resident status, not have a felony record, and possess a birth certificate. Applicants who are aged 17 must have the consent of a parent or legal guardian before entering the service. Coast Guard enlisted personnel must enter active duty before their 28th birthday, while Marine Corps enlisted personnel must not be over the age of 29. Applicants must both pass a written examination-the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery-and meet certain minimum physical standards such as height, weight, vision, and overall health. All branches of the Armed Forces require high school graduation or its equivalent for certain enlistment options. In 2000, more than 9 out of 10 recruits were high school graduates.

People thinking about enlisting in the military should learn as much as they can about military life before making a decision. This is especially important if you are thinking about making the military a career.

Speaking to friends and relatives with military experience is a good idea. Determine what the military can offer you and what it will expect in return. Then, talk to a recruiter, who can determine if you qualify for enlistment, explain the various enlistment options, and tell you which military occupational specialties currently have openings.

Ask the recruiter for the branch you have chosen to assess your chances of being accepted for training in the occupation of your choice, or, better still, take the aptitude exam to see how well you score. The military uses the aptitude exam as a placement exam, and test scores largely determine an individual’s chances of being accepted into a particular training program.

Selection for a particular type of training depends on the needs of the service, your general and technical aptitudes, and your personal preference. Because all prospective recruits are required to take the exam, those who do so before committing themselves to enlist have the advantage of knowing in advance whether they stand a good chance of being accepted for training in a particular specialty. The recruiter can schedule you for the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery without any obligation. Many high schools offer the exam as an easy way for students to explore the possibility of a military career, and the test also provides insight into career areas in which the student has demonstrated aptitudes and interests.

If you decide to join the military, the next step is to pass the physical examination and sign an enlistment contract. Negotiating the contract involves choosing, qualifying, and agreeing on a number of enlistment options such as length of active duty time, which may vary according to the enlistment option.

All services offer a “delayed entry program” by which an individual can delay entry into active duty for up to one year after enlisting. High school students can enlist during their senior year and enter a service after graduation. Others choose this program because the job training they desire is not currently available but will be within the coming year, or because they need time to arrange personal affairs.

Women are eligible to enter most military specialties (for example, mechanics, missile maintenance technicians, heavy equipment operators, and fighter pilots, as well as medical care, administrative support, and intelligence specialties). Generally, only occupations involving direct exposure to combat are excluded.

People planning to apply the skills gained through military training to a civilian career should first determine how good the prospects are for civilian employment in jobs related to the military specialty that interests them. Second, they should know the prerequisites for the related civilian job. Because many civilian occupations require a license, certification, or minimum level of education, it is important to determine whether military training is sufficient to enter the civilian equivalent or, if not, what additional training will be required.

Following enlistment, new members of the Armed Forces undergo recruit training, which is better known as “basic” training. Recruit training provides a 6 to 12-week introduction to military life with courses in military skills and protocol. Days and nights are carefully structured, and include rigorous physical exercise designed to improve strength and endurance and build unit cohesion.

Following basic training, most recruits take additional training at technical schools that prepare them for a particular military occupational specialty. The formal training period generally lasts from 10 to 20 weeks, although training for certain occupations-nuclear power plant operator, for example-may take as long as a year. Recruits not assigned to classroom instruction receive on-the-job training at their first duty assignment.

Many service people get college credit for the technical training they receive on duty, which, combined with off-duty courses, can lead to an associate degree through community college programs such as the Community College of the Air Force. In addition to on-duty training, military personnel may choose from a variety of educational programs. Most military installations have tuition assistance programs for people wishing to take courses during off-duty hours.

In addition to basic pay, military personnel receive free room and board (or a tax-free housing and subsistence allowance), medical and dental care, a military clothing allowance, military supermarket and department store shopping privileges, 30 days of paid vacation a year (referred to as leave), and travel opportunities. In many duty stations, military personnel may receive a housing allowance that can be used for off-base housing. Other allowances are paid for foreign duty, hazardous duty, submarine and flight duty, and employment as a medical officer. Athletic and other facilities - such as gymnasiums, tennis courts, golf courses, bowling centers, libraries, and movie theaters - are available on many military installations. Military personnel are eligible for retirement benefits after 20 years of service.

Sources of Additional Information
Each of the military services publishes handbooks, factsheets, and pamphlets describing entrance requirements, training and advancement opportunities, and other aspects of military careers. These publications are widely available at all recruiting stations, at most State employment service offices, high schools, colleges, and public libraries. Information on educational and other veterans’ benefits is available from VA offices located throughout the country.

Bureau of Labor Statisitics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook.