Can you switch careers in the military

In fact, many of the specialties require civilian-based credentials and training to operate effectively. For example, both military and civilian air traffic controllers are FAA-certified. There are several Department of Defense programs dedicated to helping separating service members find solid civilian careers.

And remember, Military OneSource is here to connect you to the resources and services you need to live your best military life. Speaker 1: I was surprised by a lot of things with Jose. He seems to do one of everything. He is involved in research, he's in the Military, he goes to school full time, he has a job.

There's really just no end to everything he's involved in. Army Medical Laboratory Specialists are the backbone of their units and take responsibility for a variety of integral, complex tasks that keep lab operations running smoothly. Medical laboratory specialists play a crucial role as part of the army medical team by collecting, processing and testing tissue blood and the body fluids of patients. This career field requires individuals who have met minimal education requirements in the areas of biology, chemistry and algebra.

You must have manual dexterity and no aversion to the sight of blood or needles and an ability to precisely follow detailed procedures. Testimonial: Laboratorians require a couple of different characteristics, one of those being patients you have to be able to work through the problems that are presented by the patient because you have a lot of unknowns.

I would also say due diligence you have to be willing to sit down and really work throughout all the problems but most importantly I think you have to work a autonomously. A lot of times you're unsupervised there on the bench and you require the skillset that you learn in school and you have to apply that skill set to make sure that you're making the right calls or the right diagnosis for the doctors could then treat those patients. Narrator: After successfully completing army basic combat training you will attend 52 weeks of advanced individual training at Fort Sam Houston, Texas to include a residency at a major military hospital laboratory.

You will perform elementary blood banking and clinical laboratory procedures in hematology, immuno-hematology, clinical chemistry, serology, bacteriology, parasitology and urinalysis. You will be responsible for collecting blood specimens by venipuncture and capillary puncture along with packing, unpacking, inspecting, storing and distributing blood and blood products and assembling disassembling and maintaining laboratory equipment.

Following successful completion of all required training you will be eligible for assignments at military hospitals located around the world or a military research laboratory. Testimonial: I appreciated that I was able to get paid to go to school while learning a very valuable career path that, whether I wanted to stay in or get out of I was going to be able to continue to have a good life after the fact.

Testimonial: I chose the medical laboratory specialist field because I had just come out of college and I thought that I wanted to become a doctor and all the information that I got when I did my research pointed to medical laboratory specialist as a really really good foundation. Narrator: As a soldier you will also have the opportunity to further your military and civilian education with additional specialized training or through college courses.

Your military experience can help you in your transition from the military to the civilian workforce where you may pursue a career with privately owned laboratories, hospitals, clinics or research institutions. You will then be assigned a military occupational specialty MOS based on your interests, skills and qualifications. If you later change your mind, you can switch jobs, but only under a narrow set of circumstances. Jobs in the Army often conjure up images of manning tanks, launching grenades, digging trenches and firing weapons.

However, the Army is comprised of much more than the infantry. The Army needs supply clerks, accountants, computer specialists, chaplains, veterinary assistants, carpenters and tuba players for the jazz band, according to Military. With so many possible career options, it can be difficult to make up your mind. When you first spoke with a recruiter, you may have thought you knew what you wanted to do and indicated a preference for an MOS in electronics, for example. You can wait until you decide on a job before agreeing to sign an enlistment contract.

Once you are in the service, the Army will expect you to follow through on your declared career goals. Considerable time, money and other resources are spent training recruits in highly specialized areas, and the Army understandably looks for a return on investment. Many recruits select a training program that will give them transferrable skills for a civilian career after they complete their tour of duty.