Army or Marines

There aren't many that translate into the real world. Heavy equipment operator and medic are pretty much it.
Cook, mechanic, logistics, clerks, cyber security, engineers.... I'm sure there are more. These were just the ones that popped right into my mind. Oh yeah - dispatcher
 
Combat arms, and infantry specifically, are the epitome of “the military.” Nothing wrong with doing that “job.” Some of the most impressive careers are of those that are professional breakers of things

I will say if he has any desire to fly, the time is now. The active duty army is accepting almost 100% of street to seat warrant aviator applicants.
 
If he likes computers and making $100k plus after his first contract then Army’s Cyber Warfare will give him all the certs that civilians pay thousands of dollars to attain. He will gain a TS clearance and three letter agencies/front companies recruiters will flood his inbox on clearance jobs.

If you have a TS clearance in place, you can write your own checks.

Companies like BAE who can't get qualified people cleared fast enough will hire other candidates with a TS clearance and train them... it is THAT hard to get one processed/

Mrs Appraiser "retired" this year, but is still consulting for her old employer from our dining room table here in FL, she got her nephew who had a 4.0 GPA out of college an interview with her old company, and he was hired rather than the candidates the HR key word sniffers wanted because he had interned at a U S Navy facility and had an interim clearance which meant he could start immediately.
 
Well, he's 21, soon to be 22 so he has a little more real world experience than you or I or his dad did when we enlisted. But yeah, he's still very young so sometimes "talking sense" has no effect. He's very strong willed.
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If you have a TS clearance in place, you can write your own checks.

Companies like BAE who can't get qualified people cleared fast enough will hire other candidates with a TS clearance and train them... it is THAT hard to get one processed/

Mrs Appraiser "retired" this year, but is still consulting for her old employer from our dining room table here in FL, she got her nephew who had a 4.0 GPA out of college an interview with her old company, and he was hired rather than the candidates the HR key word sniffers wanted because he had interned at a U S Navy facility and had an interim clearance which meant he could start immediately.
In all my years as Training Manager I've never seen anyone come in with a TS and everyone coming in must pass though me. The clearances we went for didn't come cheap either $$$.
 
In all my years as Training Manager I've never seen anyone come in with a TS and everyone coming in must pass though me. The clearances we went for didn't come cheap either $$$.
My husband had a top secret clearance from the Army/NG when he went to work for Raytheon in a position he needed a clearance for. He was in Signal Corps, as was I, and we all had to get clearances for our MOS. I guess if you are hiring a former cook or mechanic they may not hve a clearance as their job didn't require it. Not everyone in the military has any type of clearance.
 
Most military MOS don't translate well to civilian jobs anyway, so I say go Infantry if it's what he wants to do. I was an 11-B and now work for the government. Just by being a vet, you get first pick with most civil service jobs.
Ordinance = mechanic......automotive.....electronics.....allied trades.....welding......and more

Logistics/transportation.......CDL......logistics coordination/management.....warehousing......purchasing......production control etc....

Signal corps has cyber defense now.......there are e4s currently getting out and making 6 figures in the civilian workforce I know 2 personally

Vertical engineers.....construction....HVAC.....electrical

Horizontal engineers......road construction......heavy equipment operation....and more
 
My husband had a top secret clearance from the Army/NG when he went to work for Raytheon in a position he needed a clearance for. He was in Signal Corps, as was I, and we all had to get clearances for our MOS. I guess if you are hiring a former cook or mechanic they may not hve a clearance as their job didn't require it. Not everyone in the military has any type of clearance.
Cyber defense and offense have to have a ts just to enlist in that branch now. Falls under signal corpse. All of their ait takes place in a skif

Recruiting those slots is tough.
 
My husband had a top secret clearance from the Army/NG when he went to work for Raytheon in a position he needed a clearance for. He was in Signal Corps, as was I, and we all had to get clearances for our MOS. I guess if you are hiring a former cook or mechanic they may not hve a clearance as their job didn't require it. Not everyone in the military has any type of clearance.
I'm pretty sure everyone in the USAF has at least a secret clearance.
 
I'm pretty sure everyone in the USAF has at least a secret clearance.
I doubt that. An airman running a fuel point.....or a fork truck......or a check point or many other jobs for Jr enlisted folks has no need for a secret clearance. They cost money to conduct. 25 years in the army and 90% of the enlisted folks I worked with didn't need a secret clearance until they made the e7 list. All commissioned officers needed a secret clearance......or have an interim clearance started just to enter ocs or any other commissioning program.
 
I doubt that. An airman running a fuel point.....or a fork truck......or a check point or many other jobs for Jr enlisted folks has no need for a secret clearance. They cost money to conduct. 25 years in the army and 90% of the enlisted folks I worked with didn't need a secret clearance until they made the e7 list. All commissioned officers needed a secret clearance......or have an interim clearance started just to enter ocs or any other commissioning program.
Keep in mind the USAF doesn't have 'grunts' or infantry. Everyone has some specialty. The crew chiefs on the flight line all handle classified equipment.
 
Keep in mind the USAF doesn't have 'grunts' or infantry. Everyone has some specialty. The crew chiefs on the flight line all handle classified equipment.
Im in the know with what services have what. I attended JPME -1 (joint professional military education) a few years ago.

I just used my google-fu to get the list of air Force occupational categories that do not require any security clearance.....right from the usaf website on enlistment info


These include:


Safety
Material Management
Vehicle Maintenance
Services
Mission Support
Manpower
Medical
Contracting
Financial Management and Comptroller
 
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Granted, I was in the Army a million years ago.

But back then, Secret was required for any job whose AIT included commo training, because it was the early days of CINCGARS and we needed to learn about fills and stuff. So 13F needed a clearance, 11B did not (until they got to their unit, if they got an RTO slot).

My gut tells me there are plenty of USAF and Navy jobs that don't need immediate clearances, either. Like whacko says, they cost money and the .mil isn't sure they won't wash out of Basic. No point in doing an SF-86 on 100% of your enlistees.
 
Secret clearances are pretty commonplace. I think everyone gets the SF86 done when the enlist, but not everyone gets the investigation/signs the SOUs. I was an E5 in the USMC, regularly was exposed to comm stuff, blue force trackers, etc and never held a clearance. I needed one when I joined the army.
 
Non-citizens can enlist in any branch, but generally can't get a security clearance above Confidential until they become citizens.

There are plenty, NBC, cook, IT etc...
Cook, mechanic, logistics, clerks, cyber security, engineers.... I'm sure there are more. These were just the ones that popped right into my mind. Oh yeah - dispatcher
NBC? I'm not aware of any NBC equivalent jobs in the private sector.

Cooks? The Army hardly has any cooks these days. Mess halls are run by contractors, and "cooking" field rations means heating up pre-packed meals.

IT? LOL, the military lags way behind on IT. If it's critical, it's done by contractors.

As I first commented, an Army Combat Medic or Navy Corpsman translates very well to the non-military sector of EMT or Paramedic, whether it's private or local government. Heavy equipment operators are the same, but those are very few in the military. I forgot to include Air Traffic Control, because that obviously translates to the civilian government sector.

And of course, driving a truck always translates, but it does require getting a CDL.

When I scoff at the idea of any particular MOS being the key to riches in the civilian world, I'm thinking of all those people who enlisted for "electronics", thinking they would learn valuable real-world skills that would make them a good living after their contract was up. And then they found out that they had none of the certifications private employers seek, and that using a rubber eraser on radio connections doesn't really have a modern IT equivalent.

The private market value of military experience comes from leadership abilities. Those are learned in Combat Arms. Not that there aren't leaders in other fields, but the culture of leadership is found in the MOSes where everyone gets a promotion as soon as the bullets fly.
 
//As I first commented, an Army Combat Medic or Navy Corpsman translates very well to the non-military sector of EMT or Paramedic, whether it's private or local government. Heavy equipment operators are the same, but those are very few in the military. I forgot to include Air Traffic Control, because that obviously translates to the civilian government sector.

And of course, driving a truck always translates, but it does require getting a CDL.
We have a family friend who was a Reserve CW5 (didn’t know there was such a thing) Surveyor. He had many all expenses paid trips to hot sandy places. Never heard of any others.
 
Lol at “rubber eraser on radio connections.”

Ahhhhh, the days of the PRC-77...
LOL. I remember that as well. I was a RATT operator but never in a unit that actually had one so I always ended up on whatever radios and phones we had. A rubber eraser also works good on the contacts of smoke detectors. commercial ones. years ago I worked in fire alarm install, service/testing and repairs in and around Boston. There was a MAJOR manufacturer that had problems with their contacts on their detectors getting a "build up" and causing "trouble lights" as it caused a higher resistance than what the panel was looking for. We had a building with over 3000 devices (and many other buildings as well) where we had to go in, clean the contacts of EVERY device, and then coat with some kind of "grease" they advised us. I was the smallest so I got to climb up over all the equipment which had been installed after all the devices had been. Ugh. That was a very long very hot summer! The guys were surprised when I explained why it took me such little time with my eraser.
 
Hey, @PennyPincher , I just thought of something else while I was at the gym.

Yes, I admit I was spoiled by my service: the 82d tends to get the best of everything, including officers. But we always did have really outstanding and respected chaplains.

The coolest cat in our battalion was our 56M, the MOS for chaplain’s assistants. The guy was a PT stud with a real soldierly mindset. His chaplaincy duties weren’t all that hard-core, so he had plenty of freedom to make his own schedule.

I remember that when our battalion did EIB training, he and the chaplain went through the train-up and testing with the11Bs. The chaplains assistant made it through every task, first-time go, even though he couldn’t wear the badge.

He drew a SAW whenever he went to the field and sought out extra training to get good at it. Dude was lethal. He took his duty as the chaplain’s bodyguard seriously, even though he was personally a Buddhist.

It always seemed like an interesting MOS.
 
We have a family friend who was a Reserve CW5 (didn’t know there was such a thing) Surveyor. He had many all expenses paid trips to hot sandy places. Never heard of any others.
In the late '80s they created a "Master Warrant Officer" who was a higher rank, but still grade W4. A few years after that they converted it to CW5 and the new grade of W5.

Never believe that stuff about Warrant Officers outranking NCOs but being outranked by all commissioned officers. If you're at a major installation with depot-level repairs and see some 60 year old CW4 walking around, you better believe he's the highest ranking soul in town.
 
In the late '80s they created a "Master Warrant Officer" who was a higher rank, but still grade W4. A few years after that they converted it to CW5 and the new grade of W5.

Never believe that stuff about Warrant Officers outranking NCOs but being outranked by all commissioned officers. If you're at a major installation with depot-level repairs and see some 60 year old CW4 walking around, you better believe he's the highest ranking soul in town.

Remember, CW3 - CW5 are field grade officers.
 
Marines...........

I spent a decade in riding three (3) submarines and Navy Nuclear Propulsion (DOE) tour. My father was purple heart Army, my brother was a combat marine. I spent five years working with vets at VA Brockton/West Rox/JP. I worked as a DoD civilian from 2006-18' with Army folks. Last 0-5 (Special Forces) I worked for, shook my hand out the gate with a Civilian Achievement Medal. Couple of CSM's that were the real deal too. Many 11B "kids" were my partner. Loyal hard workers.

Marines..........Those folks are just so into it, it's intense. Yeah they get my vote. A lot can change at the end of your first enlistment in ANY branch. But that globe and anchor holds some karma for life.
 
Remember, CW3 - CW5 are field grade officers.
If we get into the nitty-gritty, only WO1 is not equivalent to a commissioned rank; CW2 and up can hold command slots, but this is contrary to the intent of the Warrant Officer system.

We saw some Chiefs commanding aviation units starting in the late '80s, but it was rare. Command is a career progression slot, not a place to park for 20 years.
 
If we get into the nitty-gritty, only WO1 is not equivalent to a commissioned rank; CW2 and up can hold command slots, but this is contrary to the intent of the Warrant Officer system.

We saw some Chiefs commanding aviation units starting in the late '80s, but it was rare. Command is a career progression slot, not a place to park for 20 years.

It happens but usually as a placeholder until someone can find an RLO
 
Hey, @PennyPincher , I just thought of something else while I was at the gym.

Yes, I admit I was spoiled by my service: the 82d tends to get the best of everything, including officers. But we always did have really outstanding and respected chaplains.

The coolest cat in our battalion was our 56M, the MOS for chaplain’s assistants. The guy was a PT stud with a real soldierly mindset. His chaplaincy duties weren’t all that hard-core, so he had plenty of freedom to make his own schedule.

I remember that when our battalion did EIB training, he and the chaplain went through the train-up and testing with the11Bs. The chaplains assistant made it through every task, first-time go, even though he couldn’t wear the badge.

He drew a SAW whenever he went to the field and sought out extra training to get good at it. Dude was lethal. He took his duty as the chaplain’s bodyguard seriously, even though he was personally a Buddhist.

It always seemed like an interesting MOS.
I was a prior service LT, and sought out both the Chaplain and CSM on any issues where I thought they could help. Most LT's think the CSM is some kind of unicorn: to my mind, why you wouldn't seek the advice of the most experienced NCO in the unit on all kinds of soldier stuff? Ditto the Chaplain, I wasn't married at the time but had married soldiers and he helped out a lot with them.
 
Any yet with all these alleged high-paying, high-tech civilian jobs waiting for recently separated veterans,
some young men still choose to test themselves over arduous terrain, in extreme environments, carrying heavy loads, with little sleep in an Infantry unit.
 
Neighbors son joined the Army and from what he said, Army Infantry all start at 11x and then based on your performance and the Army’s need you will go 11b, 11c, 11h etc. after basic. He went 11b and now in RASP (pre ranger school, it was formerly RIP) to see if he can make the cut. He only gets Airborne if he passes. Worse case he is assigned to Ft. Drum if things don’t work out.

Just clarifying here as I know you heard this from someone else and are repeating it here, but it’s not accurate.

11X Option 40 is the Ranger contract for new enlistee’s.

Prior to about 2012 or so, anybody with an 11X Opt40 went to OSUT at Benning (One Station Unit Training) in this order: Basic/Infantry/BAC (Airborne) and then on to RIP (Ranger Indoctrination Program) which is now RASP (Ranger Assessment and Selection Program) and upon graduating RIP/RASP they are awarded the Ranger Beret and assigned to one of 3 Ranger Infantry Batt’s, Regimental HQ’s or the RSTB (Ranger Special Troops Battalion).
They are now actively serving Rangers.

RASP is not Pre-Ranger and Ranger School is not affiliated with the 75th Ranger Regiment in any way.

Ranger School (The Suck) is a TRADOC course for leadership and advanced infantry/airborne tactics and does not teach special operations TTP’s.

Pre-Ranger is a preparatory course for students outside of The Regiment entering into Ranger School to help prepare them for the rigors ahead.

SURT (Small Unit Ranger Tactics) now takes the place of PRC (Pre Ranger Course) for Rangers from the 75th before they begin Ranger School and is run and staffed by the 75th.

Many new recruits in the past were taking the Opt40’s upon enlistment (which included Airborne prior to RASP, and quitting as soon as they graduated from the Basic Airborne Course (BAC) and wasting the few and far between Opt40’s, whether it was out of fear of failing and they scammed the system to get an airborne slot at their recruiters instead of asking for an Option4 which is solely for BAC and not Ranger.

Seeing this happen many times finally someone in 75th Regimental HQ’s recruiting section said this needs to change. So now only after graduating from RASP do they send them to BAC for jump training, unless that has changed again in the last couple years or possibly if the student had no Opt4 or Opt40 contract and just volunteered for RASP while at basic when recruiters came around looking for studs.

Now, as far as the young neighbor boy being sent to Ft Drum if he fails (LOM-Lack Of Motivation), quits (DOR-Drop On Request) or gets peered out (other soldiers don’t like or trust him) of RASP, it was generally considered you would be sent WW (WorldWide=Needs of the Army) which is just a nice way of saying f*** you for wasting our time and not passing, we’re now sending you to Korea to freeze your ass off for 2 yrs. That was how it usually went, but having never been there, maybe Drum is just as bad as Korea?

Hopefully that’s as clear as mud now. lol I wish him and the OP’s son the best whichever route they take. God bless them for stepping up.
 
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