America's top military careers : the official guide to occupations in the Armed Forces

452 Pages·1999·30.2 MB·English

by  United States. Department of Defense

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Popics covered include: Military
• Branch summaries of
each service
• Detailed descriptions of
Careers
military occupations
• Training requirements
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• Related civilian jobs
• Advancement
opportunities
Third
• Educational ion
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opportunities
• Typical career path The Official Guide to
outlines i*^'^^^^^ I Occupations in the Armed Forces > »v - f '>*-'^V'
• Career planning tips | Based on information provided by the
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Department ofDefense, this book
And much more!
provides solid, accurate, and important
^ »j information on all major careers in the
armed forces.
Based on Information from
the Department of Defense
Publishing
Boston Public Library
REFERENCE
MA
Boston 02116
Top
's
Military Careers,
Third Edition
The Official Guide to Occupations
in the Armed Forces
This book is a complete reprint of Military Careers: A Guide to Military Occupations and Selected Military
Career Paths as produced by the U.S. Department of Defense. It includes all the content of the original
book and is published by JIST Works, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana 46216.
Publishing
America's Top Military Careers,Third Edition
The Official Guide to Occupations in theArmed Forces
Other Books in the America's Top Jobs^ Series:
• America's TopJobs®for College Graduates, by J. Michael Farr
• America's TopJobs®forPeople Without College Degrees, by J. Michael Farr
• America's Fastest GrowingJobs, by J. Michael Farr
• America's Top White-CollarJobs®, by J. Michael Farr
• America's Top Medical, Education, & Human ServicesJobs®, by J. Michael Farr
• America's Top 300Jobs
• America's Top FederalJobs
• Career Guide toAmerica's Top Industries
Please see thebackofthis book forordering information anddetails onotherJISTtitles.
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Printed in the United States ofAmerica
03 02 01 00 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Library ofCongress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
This edition, distributed by JIST Works, Inc., is an unabridged reprint ofMilitary Careers compiledbythe United States
Department ofDefense, Washington, D.C. We have been careful toprovide accurate information throughout this book, but it is
possible thaterrors andomissions have been introduced. Please considerthis inmaking anycareerplans orotherimportant
decisions. Trustyourownjudgment above all else and in all things.
ISBN 1-56370-706-3
Foreword
The Department of Defense recruits and trains approximately 365,000 enlisted members
and officers each year, making it one of the largest employers in the U.S. Military Careers
hasbeen developed to help educators and youth learn about the many career opportunities
the military has to offer. The book is a compendium of military occupational, training, and
career information and is designed for use by students desiring to explore the military world
ofwork. The document is an important career information resource that is part of the Armed
Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) Career Exploration Program. This program
assists individuals in understanding their aptitudes, interests, and personal preferences and
matching these characteristics to civilian and military occupations.
Thissecond edition of MilitaryCareersisorganized intotwo majorsections: MilitaryOccu-
pations and Military Career Paths. The result is a single reference source foreducators and
students to use for learning about the diverse opportunities available to young people in the
military. Military Occupations contains descriptions of 152 enlisted and officer occupations.
Students who have taken the ASVAB can use their scores to estimate their chances of
qualifying forenlisted occupations based on theiraptitudes. Military Career Paths describes
thetypical duties and assignments a person might expectwhen advancing along the path of
a20-yearmilitarycareer. Whilethe MilitaryOccupations section presentsan overviewofthe
typical job duties in a military occupation, the Military Career Paths section presents a more
comprehensive description of work performed at various stages of a military career.
Many individuals contributed to the development and production of MilitaryCareers. Spe-
cifically, we wish to thank Dr. Jeff rey Worst, Ms. Dana Pao, Ms. Signe George, Mr. Jehu
Barnes, and Ms. Denise Lawson of Booz-Allen and Hamilton Inc. Their contributions are
most appreciated.
Various members of the Department of Defense have contributed to this publication. Mrs.
Elaine Seliman and Ms. Mary Quenette of the Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC) in
Rosslyn,VAconducted analysesforproducingthe graphs associated with the enlisted occu-
pational titles. In addition, members of DMDC in Seaside, CA contributed to the production
of the document. Mr. Reynold Wong designed the cover, Mrs. Gretchen Glick assisted with
the editing and proofing, Mr. Randy Marks assisted in designing the document, and Mr, Les
Willisprovidedcurrentmilitaryopportunitiesinformation. MembersoftheManpowerAccession
PolicyWorking Group helped to gatherservice-specific information and reviewed the con-
tentsforaccuracy and currency. The DirectorateforAccession Policy, Office ofthe Assistant
Secretary of Defense (Force Management Policy), headed by Dr. W. S. Seliman, provided
policy oversight for the program.
Finally, the project was directed by Dr. Janet Wall, DMDC, Testing Division, Seaside, CA.
Herguidance and leadershipwere instrumental in the quality, accuracy and utilityofthis book.
/Frederick Pang (y
Assistant Secretary of Defense
(Force Management Policy)
MilitaryCareers Hi

Contents
Job Opportunities in the Physical and Occupational Therapy Specialists 75
Armed Forces Radiologic (X-Ray) Technicians 76
ix
After the Service: Veterans in the Engineering, Science, and Technical Occupations
Workforce
xili
Air Traffic Controllers 79
Introduction to Military Careers ix Chemical Laboratory Technicians 80
Communications Equipment Operators 81
MILITARY OCCUPATIONS Computer Programmers 82
I. Emergency Management Specialists 83
Environmental Health and Safety Specialists 84
Introduction 3 Intelligence Specialists 85
Meteorological Specialists 86
Military Enlisted Occupations Non-Destructive Testers 87
Ordnance Specialists 88
How to Read the Enlisted Occupational Radar and Sonar Operators 89
Descriptions 6 Radio Intelligence Operators 90
Space Operations Specialists 91
How to Use the ASVAB Graph 8 Surveying, Mapping, and Drafting Technicians 92
Administrative Occupations
General Information on Enlisted Occupations 11
Administrative Support Specialists 95
Service Information on Enlisted Occupations 31 Computer Systems Specialists 96
Finance and Accounting Specialists 97
Army 32 Flight Operations Specialists 98
Navy 36 Legal Specialists and Court Reporters 99
Air Force 40 Personnel Specialists 100
Marine Corps 44
Postal Specialists 101
Coast Guard 48 Preventive Maintenance Analysts 102
Recruiting Specialists 103
ENLISTED OCCUPATIONAL DESCRIPTIONS 53 Sales and Stock Specialists 104
Supply and Warehousing Specialists 105
Human Services Occupations Training Specialists and Instructors 106
Transportation Specialists 107
Caseworl<ers and Counselors 55
Religious Program Specialists 56 Service Occupations
Media and Public Affairs Occupations Firefighters 109
Food Service Specialists 110
Audiovisual and BroadcastTechnicians 59 Law Enforcement and Security Specialists Ill
Broadcast Journalists and Newswriters 60 Military Police 112
Graphic Designers and Illustrators 61
Interpreters and Translators 62 Vehicle and Machinery Mechanic Occupations
Musicians 63
Photographic Specialists 64 Aircraft Mechanics 115
Automotive and Heavy Equipment Mechanics 116
Health Care Occupations Divers 117
Heating and Cooling Mechanics 118
Cardiopulmonary and EEG Technicians 67 Marine Engine Mechanics 119
Dental Specialists 68 Powerhouse Mechanics 120
Medical Care Technicians 69
Medical Laboratory Technicians 70 Electronic and Electrical Equipment Repair
Medical Record Technicians 71 Occupations
Medical Service Technicians 72
Optometric Technicians 73 Aircraft Electricians 123
Pharmacy Technicians 74 Communications Equipment Repairers 124
Military Careers
Computer Equipment Repairers 125 Army 196
Electrical Products Repairers 126 Navy 200
Electronic Instrument Repairers 127 Air Force 204
Photographic Equipment Repairers 128 Marine Corps 208
Power Plant Electricians 129 Coast Guard 212
Precision Instrument Repairers 130
Radar and Sonar Equipment Repairers 131 OFFICER OCCUPATIONAL DESCRIPTIONS 217
Ship Electricians 132
Weapons Maintenance Technicians 133 Executive, Administrative, and Managerial
Occupations
Construction Occupations
Communications Managers 219
Building Electricians 135 Emergency Management Officers 220
Construction Equipment Operators 136 Finance and Accounting Managers 221
Construction Specialists 137 Food Service Managers 222
Plumbers and Pipe Fitters 138 Health Services Administrators 223
International Relations Officers 224
Machine Operator and PrecisionWork Occupations Law Enforcement and Security Officers 225
Management Analysts 226
Compressed Gas Technicians 141 Personnel Managers 227
Dental and Optical LaboratoryTechnicians 142 Postal Directors 228
Machinists 143 Purchasing and Contracting Managers 229
Power Plant Operators 144 Recruiting Managers 230
Printing Specialists 145 Store Managers 231
Survival Equipment Specialists 146 Supply and Warehousing Managers 232
Water and Sewage Treatment Plant Operators 147 Teachers and Instructors 233
Welders and Metal Workers 148 Training and Education Directors 234
Transportation Maintenance Managers 235
Transportation and l\/laterlal Handling Occupations Transportation Managers 236
Air Crew Members 151 Human Services Occupations
Aircraft Launch and Recovery Specialists 152
Cargo Specialists 153 Chaplains 239
Flight Engineers 154 Social Workers 240
Petroleum Supply Specialists 155
Ouartermasters and Boat Operators 156 Media and Public Affairs Occupations
Seamen 157
Vehicle Drivers 158 Audiovisual and Broadcast Directors 243
Music Directors 244
Combat Specialty Occupations Public Information Officers 245
Artillery Crew Members 162 Health Diagnosing andTreating Practitioner
Combat Engineers 164 Occupations
Infantrymen 166
Special Operations Forces 168 Dentists 247
Tank Crew Members 170 Optometrists 248
Physicians and Surgeons 249
Military Officer Occupations Psychologists 250
How to Read the Officer Occupational Health Care Occupations
Descriptions 174
Dietitians 253
General Information on Officer Occupations 177 Pharmacists 254
Physical and Occupational Therapists 255
Service Information on Officer Occupations 195 Physician Assistants 256
u/ MilitaryCareers
Registered Nurses 257 Administrative Support Specialists 316
Speech Therapists 258 Air Crew Members 318
Air Traffic Controllers 320
Engineering, Science, andTechnical Occupations Aircraft Launch and Recovery Specialists 322
Aircraft Mechanics 324
Aerospace Engineers 261 Automotive and Heavy Equipment Mechanics 326
AirTraffic Control fvlanagers 262 Broadcast Journalists and Newswriters 328
Chemists 263 Computer Programmers 330
Civil Engineers 264 Construction Specialists 332
Computer Systems Officers 265 Electronic Instrument Repairers 334
Electrical and Electronics Engineers 266 Food Service Specialists 336
Environmental Health and Safety Officers 267 Infantrymen 338
Industrial Engineers 266 Machinists 340
Intelligence Officers 269 Marine Engine Mechanics 342
Lawyers 270 Medical Service Technicians 344
Life Scientists 271 Military Police 346
Marine Engineers 272 Personnel Specialists 348
Meteorologists 273 Radar and Sonar Equipment Repairers 350
Nuclear Engineers 274 Radar and Sonar Operators 352
Oceanographers 275 Radiologic (X-Ray) Technicians 354
Physicists 276 Religious Program Specialists 356
Space Operations Officers 277 Special Operations Forces 358
Surveying and Mapping Managers 278 Weapons Maintenance Technicians 360
Transportation Occupations Examining Officer Career Path Descriptions 363
Airplane Navigators 282 Sample of Military Officer Career Path
Airplane Pilots 284 Descriptions 365
Helicopter Pilots 286
Ship and Submarine Officers 288 Airplane Navigators 366
Ship Engineers 290 Airplane Pilots 368
Civil Engineers 370
Combat Specialty Occupations Infantry Officers 372
Intelligence Officers 374
Artillery Officers 294 Lawyers 376
Infantry Officers 296 Meteorologists 378
Missile System Officers 298 Nuclear Engineers 380
Special Operations Officers 300 Physicians and Surgeons 382
Tank Officers 302 Registered Nurses 384
Ship and Submarine Officers 386
MILITARY CAREER PATHS Supply and Warehousing Managers 388
Transportation Managers 390
Introduction 307
Career Mapping 393
How to Read the Career Path Descriptions 308
Glossary of MilitaryTerms 397
DevelopingYour Own Career Plan 311
Indexes
Examining Enlisted Career Path Descriptions 313
DOT Code Index (by DOT Number) 402
Sample of Military Enlisted Career Path DOT Code Index (by Occupation) 408
Descriptions 315 Title Index 420
MilitaryCareers Vll
Job Opportunities the Arnied Forces
in
Editors'Note:Thefollowinginformationisreprintedfrom the DepartmentofLabor'sOccupational Outlook Handbook andincludes
the mostcurrentinformation available aboutjob outlook statistics forthe militaryfrom the Bureau ofLaborStatistics.
Significant Points tists, optometrists, nurses, therapists, veterinarians, pharmacists,
• OpportunitiesshouldbegoodinallbranchesoftheArmed and others in health diagnosing andtreating occupations. Enlisted
Forces throughtheyear2006forapplicantsmeetingthedesired personnel are trained to work as medical laboratory technologists
and technicians, radiological technologists, emergency medical
standards.
technicians, dental assistants, optical assistants, pharmaceutical
• Theneedsofthemilitaryalwayscomefirst, sohoursand assistants, sanitation specialists, and veterinaryassistants. Health
workingconditions can varysubstantially professions training obtained in the military is usually recognized
• Some trainingordutyassignmentsmaybehazardous, evenin in the civilian sector and service-trained health professionals are
peacetime. eligibletoapplyforcertification orregistration Intheciviliansector,
Nature of theWork whiMiclhitiasryofetxepneariheinrcinegipnreortehqeuristietceh.nicalandalliedspecialtyoccu-
Maintaining a strong National defense encompasses such di- pations is often directly transferable to civilian life. Officers in this
verse activities as running a hospital, connmanding a tank crew, field work as meteorologists, mapping directors, television and
programming computers, operating a nuclear reactor, and repair- motion picture directors, and band directors. Enlisted personnel
ing and maintaining a helicopter.The military's occupational diver- are trained to work as photographers, motion picture camera op-
sity provides educational opportunities and work experience in lit- erators,mappingandsurveyingspecialists, illustrators,weatherdata
erallyhundredsofoccupations.Militarypersonnel hold managerial collectors, explosives disposal specialists, divers, and musicians.
and administrative jobs; professional, technical, and clerical jobs; Functional support and administrative occupations in military
construction jobs; electrical and electronics jobs; mechanical and servicerequirethesameskillsassimilarjobsin privatebusinesses
repair jobs; and many others. The military provides training and and government agencies.Officers in this categorywork as direc-
workexperienceforpeoplewhoserve asingle enlistmentof3to6 tors, executives, adjutants, administrativeofficers, personnel man-
years of active duty, those who embark on a career that lasts 20 agers,trainingadministrators,budgetofficers,financeofficers,public
years ormore, and thosewho serve in the Army, Navy, Marine, Air affairs officers, accountants, hospital administrators, inspectors,
Force,andCoastGuardReservesandArmyandAirNationalGuard. computer systems managers, and lawyers. Enlisted personnel in
There are more than 360 basic and advanced military occupa- this category work as accounting, payroll, personnel, and postal
tional specialties for enlisted personnel and almost as many for clerks; computerprogrammersand operators;chaplain assistants;
officers. Over 75 percent of these occupational specialties have counseling aides; typists; and storekeepers.
civilian counterparts.A briefdiscussion ofthe major military occu- Those in electrical and mechanical equipment repair occupa-
pational groups follows. tionsmaintain aircraft, motorvehicles, and ships. Officers oversee
Infantry, gun crews, and seamanship specialists are the front the maintenance of aircraft, missiles, conventional and nuclear-
line of the Armed Forces. Officers plan and direct military opera- poweredships,trucks,earth-movingequipment,andothervehicles.
tions, overseesecurityactivities, and serveascombatleadersand Enlisted personnel serve as mechanics, engine specialists, and
pilots. Enlisted personnel serveas infantryorweaponsspecialists, boilertechnicians.They also install and maintain wire communica-
aircraftcrew members, armored and amphibious vehicle crew, ar- tionssystemssuch astelephones.Skillsobtained inthesejobsare
tillery, gunnery, or rocketspecialists, and combat engineers.Some readily transferable to those in the civilian sector.
of these specialties involve skills that can be applied to a number Military personnel assignedto craftoccupationsare skilledcraft
of civilian occupations such as police officers, commercial pilots, workers. Officers serve as civil engineers and architects and
andheavyequipmentoperators.Inaddition, peopleinthiscategory manage the work of enlisted personnel who work as carpenters,
learnhowtoworkasteammembersanddevelopleadership,mana- constructionequipmentoperators,metalworkers, machinists,plumb-
gerial, and supervisory skills. ers, welders, electricians, and heating and air-conditioning
Militarypersonnelassignedto electronicequipmentrepairoccu- specialists.
pationsare responsible for maintaining and repairing many differ- Militarypersonnel in serviceandsupplyoccupationshandlefood
enttypes of equipment. Officers oversee the regular maintenance service, security, and personal services and supply. Officers work
and repair of avionics, communications, radar, and air traffic con- as logistics officers, supply managers, transportation and traffic
trol equipment. Enlisted personnel repair radio, navigation, missile managers, and procurement officers. Enlisted personnel include
guidance, and flight control equipment as well as telephone and military police, correctional specialists, criminal investigators,
data processing equipment.Manyoftheseskillsaredirectlytrans- firefighters, and food preparation and other service workers.They
ferable tojobs in the civilian sector. operateorservicetransportation equipmentsuch astrucks, ships,
Communicationsandintelligencespecialistsinthe military have boats, airplanes, and helicopters, and actas quartermasters, sup-
civilian scientific, engineering, and investigative counterparts. Of- ply specialists, and cargo specialists. Many of these skills can be
ficersserveasintelligencegatherersandinterpreters,cryptologists, transferred to civilian occupations.
information analysts, translators, and in related intelligence occu- Working Conditions
pations. Enlisted personnel work as computer programmers, air
trafficcontrollers, interpretersandtranslators, radio, radar,andsonar Military life Is much more regimented than civilian life, and one
operators, and interrogation and investigative specialists. mustbewillingtoacceptthediscipline. Itis importantto remember
Military medicalanddentaloccupationsa\\ haveciviliancounter- thatsigninganenlistmentcontractobligatesyoutoserveforaspeci-
parts. Holding the rank of health care officer are physicians, den- fied period oftime.
MilitaryCareers
VIII