Plan Your Course of Action

You should have made a list of your primary motivators before you ever set foot in the recruiter's office. Whether your list was long---containing such items as money for college, job security, opportunity to travel, technical training and good pay---or contained only one item, such as having full-time employment, the number of items on your list is not what's important. What is important is that you are able to satisfy those motivators.

No one should choose military service as a career without first spending a little effort at planning and research. The most successful applicants took time to plan out a definite course of action thereby allowing them to obtain their desired position. It is wise to make a list of several positions you might be interested in being trained for. Look into the required qualifications for these jobs and careers and decide if you qualify.  If not, obtain more education and experience. As you plan your career, ask yourself some important questions:

1. Are you ready for a military life?

Military life is not for everyone: The pay is predominantly low to start, a majority of personnel are stationed on overseas bases, personnel are subject to transfer at a moment's notice, and, most important, they have signed a commitment, meaning they cannot simply quit if they do not like the service.

2. Are you willing to travel and be reassigned?

Military personnel may be transferred throughout the world several times during their careers, which means they may have to live on military bases until retirement. They may also have to conduct extensive travel for their duties. Not everyone can handle the military life. If you are single, it is your decision alone; however, if you have a family, it must be a family decision.

3. How do you feel about submarines, ships, and planes?

Before you begin training for a career in which you will find yourself in the air, under, or on the sea, make quite certain that you are ready for it.  While not all members of the US Navy end up on a submarine or aircraft carrier, if you have always been averse to boats or suffer severe seasickness, make sure the job you wish to attain will not permanently place you there.  It is unwise to make career decisions based on movies, news stories or tv.

4. Are you ready for military responsibility?

Being a member of the military entails more than a job; the commitment to serve and perform the duties and responsibilities of a military career are a significant burden that any individual must accept both on and off duty, 24 hours a day.  The decision to pursue a particular position must be well thought out and planned in advance. Unlike civilian jobs, it simply is not possible to give your notice to the boss and quit.

5. Is this a service career with a future?

Choose your career with the future in mind. Will your new career be in existence in 10 years?  Does your new career exist outside of the military in a civilan version?  Does your new career choice have promotion possibilities?  All important issues to consider.

6. What type of military career or opportunities do you want? At what level?

The majority of those joining the U.S. military do so at the enlisted personnel level, which is fine, because today the military is geared toward education of its enlisted personnel. In many cases, a person joining the military as an enlisted member can serve and earn a college degree at the military's expense; however, as you will learn, there are several paths that can lead not only to a college education, but to an officer's career, in which there is higher pay and prestige, and greater federal and civilian hiring opportunities.