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Career Opportunities In The U.S. Military

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The Department of Defense is the largest employer in the world with over 1.4 million active-duty soldiers, airmen, sailors, marine and civilian workers, and another 826 thousand national guardsmen and members of the navy, marine reserves, army, and 732 thousand civilians. In other words, there are myriad education, legal, and support profession, among others. Here are some of the high-level business career opportunities in the U.S. military.

Administrative Support Specialist

Similar to a well-run organization, the military must keep accurate records of both its personnel and operations. According to the US Department of Labor, the military has over 23,000 administrative support specialists and requires more each year due to changes in personnel and demand fields. To work for the U.S. Military as an administrative support specialist, you would have to undergo both classroom and practical training that typically lasts between 6 and 10 weeks to learn the various office functions. Upon completing the training, you would start working under close supervision as you develop core skills that would allow you to handle difficult tasks and potentially rise to become office manager.

Finance and Accounting Manager

The department of defense receives the highest level of budgetary resources among all federal agencies.  As such, it requires qualified managers to manage all the billions it receives from the federal government. Currently, there are about 2,800 military finance and accounting managers who perform typical accounting tasks such as bookkeeping, payroll, audit, and budgeting.

Management Analysts and Planners

Management analysts and planners assist the military to make the best use of its material and human resources. In addition to a 4-year college degree, you would need to undergo on-the-job training that normally involves about 10 weeks of classroom training, but the exact duration of such training may vary depending on the field of specialty. As a newly commissioned officer, your earnings would be well above the median US annual median salary, as you will start at pay grade O-1, which could potentially rise to grade O-3 after four years of good job performance.

There are many career opportunities in the branches of the U.S. Armed Forces including business, health care, engineering, education, legal, and support, among others. Here are some of the high-level business career opportunities in the U.S. military.Click To Tweet

Personnel Manager

Of course, the U.S. Armed Forces aim to hire the best personnel and constantly encourages its employees to attain their full potential. To join the U.S. Military as a personnel manager, you need to have a 4-year college degree and be willing to attend on-the-job training that could last anywhere from five to 16 weeks. In general, a successful trainee starts working under experienced personnel managers before advancing to command positions or senior management. Purchasing and Contracting Managers

The DoD currently employs about 4,000 purchasing and contracting managers, and requires more each year due to changes in both personnel and demands on the field. To join this occupation, you would need to attend about 10 weeks of classroom training on the use of computers in supply and financial management, contract administration, and purchasing and accounting procedures. Your main task would be to make sure the military purchases are within budget requirements and meet military specifications.

The aforementioned jobs are just some of the many career opportunities in the U.S. Military. In comparison to the annual average pay offered in the private sector for the same careers, the military pay is on the lower side. However, the U.S. Military caters to all its active employees’ basic needs including clothing, food, health care, housing, education, and legal assistance and vacation.

Opportunities in Military Careers, revised edition
$18.00 $11.72

Are you looking for the latest information to open the door to the career of your dreams? Opportunities in Military Careers covers a range of jobs in this sector, from those that require high school and trade school to associate, four-year, and graduate degrees. 

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03/28/2024 08:00 am GMT

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