Planning Your U.S. Military Career

Before you decide to take the oath and put on a uniform, you should do some research on military careers and develop what experts call a Military Career Plan. This involves being honest with yourself about your goals and aspirations. And it begins with some pretty basic questions.

Can you handle military life? The pay is low, especially at the enlisted level. And there are lots of rules, regulations and procedures not found in civilian jobs. Most importantly, you will have signed a commitment for up to four years, so you can't just leave without consequences.

You have to pack your bags and leave at a moment's notice. You may be transferred anywhere in the world—and not necessarily to a cushy duty station like Hawaii or Germany, but Afghanistan. You may be transferred often and have to live on military bases until retirement. If you have a family, that's something to consider.

Being in the military is a 24/7 responsibility. You have duties, responsibilities and a code of conduct you'll be expected to follow every day you're serving your country. Unlike civilian jobs, you can't simply tell the boss you quit if you don't like the way things are going or you want to leave to pursue something else.

Make sure your military career agrees with your long-term career goals. When you join the service, make sure you choose your career wisely from the start. Once you accept training in a specific field, you'll be expected to continue in that direction as you rise in rank. You may also want to consider if the career specialty you've chosen can be turned into a civilian career.

Enlisted or Officer? Most who join the U.S. military do so at the enlisted level, which offers a wide range of educational opportunities, including major help with college expenses. If you enter as an officer, there's higher pay and prestige, and greater federal and civilian hiring opportunities.

I entered as an enlisted, rose to the NCO rank, and had the military pay for much of my college education when I got out. I was a specialist in field communications, which helped me in my writing career.

For a quick primer on military careers and life in the service, check out US Military.com

For more information on Armed Services jobs, check out:
http://www.armedservicesjobsblog.com/

Alex A. Kecskes has written hundreds of published articles on health/fitness, "green" issues, TV/film entertainment, restaurant reviews and many other topics. As a former Andy/Belding/One Show ad agency copywriter, he also writes web content, ads, brochures, sales letters, mailers and scripts for national B2B and B2C clients.