Attending military specialty schools is an excellent way for service members to advance their career, both while they are in the military and after they leave. Some schools, like airborne or air assault, may seem like they have nothing to offer outside the uniform, but they do.
Just as a civilian employee would continue to obtain certifications and training to improve their career, military service members are also given those options. The variety of military specialty schools is vast, and most of the time, open to everyone. From leadership training to physical training and language schools to technical schools, there is something that interests everyone.
Army Pathfinder School
Here, service members will learn quite a bit about air assault and how to prepare for the rest of the unit to meet them. Pathfinders operate in four-person teams and are responsible for establishing landing and drop zones, as well as providing air traffic control and navigational assistance to aircraft. Quite a bit of this course occurs in the field and has an active academic component.
Upon completion, a Pathfinder will have several options within the Army and will be well equipped for jobs in the civilian world that include operations management and any of the individual skills they’ve learned.
Marine Basic Reconnaissance Course
In the Marine Corps version of Special Forces, these Recon Marines train for everything necessary to defeat the enemy. Their course is especially grueling, as they prepare for every terrain and mission you can think of.
Marines often attend schools hosted by other branches. It gives them the opportunity to work within different systems, a highly sought after skill on the civilian side. While SERE school may not be a highly desired skill in the banking world, proving that you can handle pressure is a very marketable trait.
Air Force Pararesuce School
Pararescue jumpers (PJ’s) head right into the hostile environment providing medical treatment and rescue to those stuck behind enemy lines. This is one of the toughest schools in the military, and the entire program takes two years.
This may be one of the schools with the most easily transferable skills. PJ’s go through training – including EMT/Paramedic school, parachutist free fall, basic survival, and combat diver training. Most of these have a civilian equivalent, which is always a plus during transition.
The Bottom Line
These are just a few examples of some of the more high-profile specialty schools the military has to offer. Each branch also provides language training and advanced physical training. Certifications are also offered in specific fields.
The bottom line is that there are more options than you may be aware of to further your military career. Military specialty schools set you up as a strong candidate for civilian jobs. Don’t let these great opportunities pass you by!
