WHAT YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT ARMY CAREERS

By Kelley Mustion, Education Manager, U.S. Army Marketing and Research Group

High school students today face a myriad of options when choosing career paths. Limitless opportunities motivate young people to dream big! The U.S. Army offers a variety of professional tracks for these students with big dreams and also helps them reach their individual goals along the way. Yet, the career opportunities available through the Army remain a mystery to many students, parents, and educators. My job is to solve that mystery.

The decision followed a three-year review by every branch of the armed services to assess how women could be integrated into the military. To date, about 17 percent of the U.S. Army forces are female, according to Department of Defense reports.

Women are considered an under-tapped resource in recruiting. Opening combat positions to women is one of the Army’s strategies for building America’s force for the future, and drawing from the broadest possible pool of talent. Now all of the skills, training, leadership and educational opportunities that the Army makes available to today’s youth are available to all.

Did you know that students can pursue health care, culinary, and broadcast journalism careers through the Army? In fact, there are over 200 diverse careers to choose from, and the majority of Army careers are not combat-related— for every Soldier serving in a combat specialty, there may be two to three others who serve in support roles.

During the enlistment process recruits select a guaranteed career based on their inherent skills, attributes and interests, often through utilizing the ASVAB Career Exploration Program, which makes the Army a unique professional pathway and sets students up for long-term success.

These tailor-made careers, or Military Occupational Specialty (MOS), enable Soldiers to serve their country without putting their careers on hold. The Army also offers tuition assistance and scholarships to help Soldiers pay for ongoing education. While competitive, Army scholarships also allow Soldiers to focus on academics rather than stress about how they will finance their education.

Want to see for yourself how the Army helps Soldiers succeed professionally? Check out these videos, where five Soldiers provide a glimpse into the variety of careers available through Army service and what it’s like to walk in their shoes for a day.
As represented in the videos, the education and training Soldiers receive within their specific specialties provide them with clear paths to professional achievement. For example, since age 16 Lieutenant Colonel Norman Ayotte wanted to be a Physical Therapist, and the Army provided him with the experience and financial means to reach above and beyond his original goal – he is now the Chief of Rehabilitation Services at Fort Knox, KY, leading three clinics, and has obtained a bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degree in Physical Therapy.
The skills these Soldiers have developed within their chosen specialties will translate well to civilian careers, providing them with the experience they need to become leaders both in the Army and civilian world. To learn more about U.S. Army careers, visit http://www.goarmy.com/careers. I also invite you to check out the U.S. Army’s Career Navigator, a mobile app that helps you explore Army career paths.

Kelley Mustion is the Education Manager for the U.S. Army Marketing and Research Group (AMRG). In her role she oversees the Army’s education and outreach initiatives and works to ensure students understand all of their post-secondary options and opportunities.

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