Cracking the Code on Careers

By

Adrian Bonenberger

| September 18, 2024

Adrian Bonenberger is a former U.S. Army Infantry Officer with two Afghanistan combat deployments who served as platoon leader, executive officer, and company commander with the 173rd Airborne and 10th Mountain Division. He's published war memoirs "Afghan Post" and has written for The New York Times, Washington Post, and Foreign Policy. Adrian co-founded The Wrath-Bearing Tree literary journal and currently works as Senior Content Editor for the American Red Cross.

Defense Career Pathways to Consider When Joining the Military

Think about the long-term goals — this guide explains how to plan for lucrative defense careers

Joining the military is a big step. Odds are, service in uniform will be among the most rewarding periods in a person’s life. It’s intense. Being a soldier, Marine, airman, sailor or guardian will consume more of your energy and attention than you can imagine as a civilian.

But everyone leaves the military — everyone, whether after a short two-year hitch on active duty with an infantry unit, or after 30 years on and off mighty naval ships.

Keep an eye on the date when you finally hang up your uniform. Because on that day, assuming that one is still fit for employment and interested in working, you’ll be faced with a potentially-bewildering series of choices.

Some people leave the military knowing exactly what they’re going to do. Get an MBA, go into business. Work for the government. Politics. Writing Morning Brew style newsletters.

For everyone else — especially people focused on stable careers — here are some of the best ways to find a veteran-friendly place to start your new life after you’ve saluted the flag in the morning for the last time.

Software Support and Development

Four of the best jobs in the U.S. in 2023 deal with software. Software Developer, Information Security Analyst, IT Manager, and Web Developer all benefit from a background in software engineering and coding.

Looking for a branch to set yourself up for a lucrative and rewarding career post-military? 25 series jobs in the military will put you in a good position to take advantage of great civilian jobs. They also have the advantage of usually spending their time at HQs — Company, Battalion, or Brigade — which are usually more comfortable, even during field operations.

Get you some of that good 5G cash!

If you’ve already left the military, or chose a non-technical MOS but still want to enter into a technical field afterwards, we recommend checking out the new Vet Tec program. The program, offered by the VA, allows veterans to attend accredited/approved technical programs for free and receive BAH! It’s a great way to develop strong technical skills and prepare you for entry-level programming jobs.

Health Care

From doctors to dentists, from nurses to therapists, health care is one of the largest and most rewarding (financially and spiritually) fields in the world. Every tribe and town values its caregivers, no matter the culture or context.

68 series military slots — medics and medical specialists — are ways to get advanced schooling in emergency and trauma care without much previous education. If you’re really unlucky and get deployed to combat, you could end up with healthcare experiences few others in the U.S. will see or experience during their lifetimes. It’s tough work, but valuable, and after you’re done there are a wealth of civilian-side careers open — even more if you’re willing to go to school for a while.

False motivation is better than no motivation, in health care and other fields.

Finance

Everybody going into the military loves their S1 administrative office! From payday to promotions (and downrange, packages, too), 42 series personnel have all the answers.

That can be a great ramp into banking, wealth management, investment, and a host of other post-service careers. If business and money is your thing, do what you can to get a slot in the S1 shop. You’ll learn a lot they won’t teach you in the classroom before you set foot on a college campus (unless you’re an officer branched S1, in which case, presumably, you’re gunning for an MBA).

“Bank Teller Needed.”

Management and Leadership

Management is one thing, leadership is another — though related, these are distinct concepts. Both make excellent paths for folks going into the military, regardless of the field or company. Why? Because the military is all about service on the one hand, and leadership on the other. No single career will better prepare a person to take responsibility for producing work in an organization than the military. And a 20 year old E-5 Army infantry sergeant knows as much about leading and inspiring people as your average business owner. More, if they’ve deployed to combat.

You could own your own business someday, like C. Montgomery Burns!

Hospitality

If there’s one thing folks in the military know, it’s hospitality. After years of traveling and sleeping uncomfortably onboard a ship, in the field training, or literally in a field during offensive combat operations, few can speak to the needs of the humble traveler better than a military veteran. Whether it’s restaurants, hotels, or travel planning — hospitality is an old and honorable profession, to which veterans are very well suited.

Forbes runs a list of its top businesses to work at as veterans. They have a way of evaluating this that doesn’t just depend on the feedback of veterans, which, while important, isn’t the only factor one should consider. It’s a good place to start looking for places to work post-military.