Met with a recruiter... Deciding on a job

[BREATHER]

You could try nuclear engineering with possibly include welding, including stainless steel welding. But as others say, do something marketable on the outside. Stay away from signaling, gunnersmate, boatswainmate, deck jobs.

[Jherexx]

Get a job you are interested in that requires a TS clearance. The clearance alone will open up a whole lot of well paying job opportunities not available to you before or the general public.

[jerrymrc]

One thing about a Medical Corpsman's that is nice is after a certian rank and time you can transfer to a biomed. A small but secure career on the outside. over 50% of biomeds came from the Military. One of the few fields that all 3 services train together for.

[claimbuster]

Engineering Aide---I've been in construction and construction management for 40 years and have only been out of work twice. The longest of those two stints was three weeks. I am less than a year away from retiring and I've never been sorry for any of the choices I made. I can travel around and point to a lot of interesting projects I've worked on. If you like building things, traveling, working outside all or part of the time, etc, etc, you can't beat it.

[Seamonkey]

As Joseph Campbell said: "follow your bliss".

I agree with the comments to find a rate that will allow you to transfer to the civilian sector and to stay away from the deck hand type jobs unless you enjoy 20 hour days, always on watch, chipping rust, painting, polishing brass and general ship husbandry. The Boatswains Mates do learn how to tie cool knots and blow the most annoying whistle in the world but again, follow your bliss.
A guy I knew in boot camp joined to be a Quarter Master (QM) so he could learn to pilot ships. He was going to do his 4, get out and become a harbor pilot. Two guys I served with were BM's and are still in doing the same thing.
My first couple choices didn't work out and I ended up being a Radioman, I think they are called IT now but it gave me a clearance and basic training in Communications systems. Got my first job when I got out based on the clearance and basic skill set but again, do what you want to do and what interests you.

IMO the two choices you listed are quite different. Both have potential in the civilian sector. Which one will you be happy doing for the next 30 years?

Another thing to consider is the deployment cycle. When I was in the different rates had different rotations so might want to check that out. If you a hospital tech in a specialized area you may only go to large bases with big hospitals or as a CB you may deploy to BFE with a rifle to build an ice cream parlor while getting mortared.

[ghettodub]

Thanks for the replies, folks. Appreciate your input! I'll have to see how things go as I progress with the recruiter, but I think that either the CB or med route is the way to go for sure, and something that can keep me interested and provide opportunity in the civ sector.

[Inconel710]

Ghettodub - I'm a Navy Resevist so feel free to PM with any questions. I started out on active duty and just switched last year. I have to second alot the guys here - "Choose your rate, choose your fate" is true.

By going Reserves, you'll be somewhat limited in rate choices (nuclear isn't an option for example). You also need to find out where you'll do your reserve drills. There's a CB unit and a medical unit at NOSC Denver (Buckley AFB), so your first two choices will keep you local. Both choices also have frequent mobilizations, but then again most rates do these days.

Bottom line - choose carefully. I went nuclear machinist mate twenty years and was bored to tears by it once I got aboard ship. But it did motivate me to apply for officer programs, which is something else you should look into. If you don't have a degree yet, you could still jump up later on if you do get one. I know the Medical Corps has a sweet program to send active duty folks to school to become Physicians Assistants. Maybe there's something like that on the Reserve side if you go Corpsman.

Fair winds and following seas!

[ghettodub]

Ghettodub - I'm a Navy Resevist so feel free to PM with any questions. I started out on active duty and just switched last year. I have to second alot the guys here - "Choose your rate, choose your fate" is true.

By going Reserves, you'll be somewhat limited in rate choices (nuclear isn't an option for example). You also need to find out where you'll do your reserve drills. There's a CB unit and a medical unit at NOSC Denver (Buckley AFB), so your first two choices will keep you local. Both choices also have frequent mobilizations, but then again most rates do these days.

Bottom line - choose carefully. I went nuclear machinist mate twenty years and was bored to tears by it once I got aboard ship. But it did motivate me to apply for officer programs, which is something else you should look into. If you don't have a degree yet, you could still jump up later on if you do get one. I know the Medical Corps has a sweet program to send active duty folks to school to become Physicians Assistants. Maybe there's something like that on the Reserve side if you go Corpsman.

Fair winds and following seas!

Appreciate it, and I'll take you up of the offer on picking your brain a bit. As I get a little more info and closer to this, I'm sure I'll have more questions.

On the officer thing, I'm working towards finishing my degree now, so that is something I would be interested in down the road a bit!

[Combatmatt]

Do something that

1. has a real job on the outside. (truck driver, welder (would be my choice, welder's make bank), etc.) so the training is useful if you decide to get out after a while.

There are lots of career fields in the military that benifit you on the outside (think security clearance type gigs not trigger puller). I was combat arms my first 10 yrs and all it got me was broke, twitchy, and the only job i qualified for was Police. Not that theres anythig wrong with being a cop its just not my slice of pie. The navy has HUGE opportunities in electronics and communications, those are the 70K+ jobs on the outside, particularly because your already trained in and on the most modern systems and add to that you can come out with a security clearance which certain employers factor into your salary (Secret=10-15k, TS=15k+).

Albeit my clothes are green not blue this is something i wish i was told when i was younger.

Good luck, see you on the high ground.

[2XS]

Personally If your young enough apply for ocs officer candiate school. Or go to school (college)get a two year degree and let the navy pay for school. Officers make very good money in the service. But the real choose is yours to make. I former army active and guard and that is what I would have done if I knew better. If you like hard physical labor defentiley seabee is the way to go. I was an engineer 21r to be exact interior electrician spent the better half of a year in Iraq pouring concrete. Choose carefully and check veterans jobs before enlisting and get a top secert clearance it will pay for it's self once your out.