Exploring Careers in the Military: Jobs in Today's Military

Can You Choose Your Job If You Enlist?

You do have an influence on the job specialty you receive, but your ASVAB scores and the needs of the military at the time You’d like to enlist also affect your job assignment. Ask your recruiter about all the specialties for which you are eligible based upon your ASVAB scores. If the job you want isn’t open at the moment, ask about the Delayed Enlistment Program, or explore other services that may have an equivalent job.

Are Jobs in the Military All Open to Women?

About 17 percent of the active duty forces are women. Opportunities for women in the military have never been better:

Approximate Percent of Jobs Open to Women

• Army, 93 percent
• Navy, 96 percent
• Air Force, 99 percent
• Marine Corps, 94 percent
• Coast Guard, 100 percent

What Do All Military Jobs Have in Common?

Responsibility. Excellence. Pride. You’re expected to perform your assigned duties with a high level of competence. Others on your team and in your unit need to know that you are dependable, and that they can count on you. More often than not, the military offers a surprising amount of responsibility early in a career. Leading a team or crew of six or seven people at age 20 is common; so is making tactical decisions on the spot—even at junior levels. Most military jobs offer the opportunity to mature quickly . . . through responsibility.

How Many Military Jobs Have Civilian Equivalents?

About 88 percent of military jobs have counterparts in the civilian world, and many military jobs are virtually identical to the “hot” jobs that are forecasted to grow the fastest over the next few years. Virtually all military jobs give you an edge in the civilian world. That’s because employers prize the things military veterans have learned—among them dependability, focus on the task, extra effort, reliability, team play, and striving for excellence.

No matter what your job in the military, there’s an opportunity for you to do it well and earn the respect of your peers (and superiors) for your skills. This nearly always leads to greater self-confidence and a sense of pride. Every job in the military is important because each contributes to military readiness and each helps protect the freedoms all Americans enjoy.