Careers

Military Careers, Civilian Careers, and Career Transition

Careers: Overview

A career in the United States Armed Forces is not only rewarding, but it is also extremely beneficial to service members. The training conducted by the military prepares our troops to not only succeed in their military careers, but it also provides them with the skill-set that will benefit them if and when they decide to transition from the military to a civilian career. In fact, through a study conducted by Mangum and Ball (1989), the results indicated that “within two years of their return to civilian life, those who served in the armed forces enjoyed higher earnings than those who received training in the civilian sector” (p. 244). In addition, the hands-on experience that our service members gain during their military careers is certain to be an asset to civilian organizations.

The occupations that exist in the Armed Forces are really no different than the occupations available in the civilian sector. The military needs doctors, lawyers, police officers, accountants, etc. in order to properly function as an organization. Each military installation is really no different than any other municipality, and the needs of these municipalities require well-trained employees.

Careers: Section Description

This section discusses career fields in terms of how they are related in both the armed forces and the civilian sector. Also, it provides direction for service members in the form of listing and describing the programs, websites, and other beneficial resources available for those transitioning from military to civilian life.

We will discuss the barriers that exist when going through the transition from military to civilian life and how those barriers can be removed. Basically, when serving in the military for an extended period of time, service members become acclimated to a certain professional atmosphere that is unique to the military. Another consideration is the fact that being removed from the civilian workforce makes it difficult for military members to establish professional contacts. In addition, Clemens and Milsom (2008) explained that “Frequent relocation while serving in the U.S. military might make it difficult for military personnel to establish or to maintain civilian professional and social networks” (p. 248). Ultimately, our goal is to reacquaint military personnel with and to establish a foothold in the civilian sector.

Careers: References

Clemens, E., & Milsom, A. (2008). Enlisted Service Members' Transition Into the Civilian World of Work: A Cognitive Information Processing Approach. The Career Development Quarterly, 56(3), 246-256.

Mangum, S. L., & Ball, D. E. (1989). The Transferability Of Military-Provided Occupational Training in the Post-Draft Era. Industrial & Labor Relations Review, 42(2), 230.