Civilian Jobs in the Military

A job in the military always elicits great respect and honor. Most people have a great fascination for the jobs in armed forces, but not everyone possesses the mental and physical toughness required for such jobs. However, if you are skilled in a particular discipline or have an expertise in a certain field (required by the armed forces), you can think about getting a civilian job in the military.

Civilian Jobs in the Military
Civilians have been employed in the military since 1776. Earlier, the only jobs that were offered to civilians were that of a driver, carpenter, laborer or craftsman. However, on June 19, 2006, the Secretary of the Army and the Chief of Staff established the Army Civilian Corps, to unite the civilians working in the U.S. Army. The members of the Army Civilian Corps, perform the roles and duties that an active Army personnel may not fulfill. These jobs have a professional scope and require high degree of competency and skills.

Occupation Families in Civilian Jobs
The Army Civil Service has categorized the civilian jobs into various occupation families. The main categories are supervisory jobs, technical support jobs, professional and analytic jobs. Administration, human resource, program management are the types of supervisory jobs. Computer, accounting and finance are the technical support jobs. Jobs involving biological and physical sciences, engineering etc.come under analytic jobs, while medical and architectural jobs are professional jobs. Medical jobs include physician, dentist and health care jobs. Apart from this there are also protection and investigation jobs, such as foreign affairs, law enforcement and public information.

Banding of a Civilian Job
Army Civil Service jobs begin at Band 1 and General Schedule (GS-1) level. But, certain professional jobs that demand specialized skills and degrees start at higher levels. Examples of these jobs are physician, professional scientist or engineer. Jobs in these fields start at Band 1 and GS-5 level. The highest band and GS level you can achieve would depend upon the number of years you serve as an Army Civil Service employee. The topmost position for a civilian job is Band 4 and GS-14 level. However Band 4 level is reserved only for scientific, engineering, investigation and protection fields.

Benefits
Civilian jobs in military offers wide range of benefits including:

• Compensation package, paid holidays, sick and vacation days, incentives and bonuses.
• Special plans for long term health care, and medical insurances.
• Military retirement benefit plans and other social security benefits
• Working options such as flexible timings, telecommuting, job sharing etc.

How to Apply
If you wish to pursue career in military, check if you have got the necessary skills, degrees and expertise required for the particular civilian job you are interested in. If you are equipped with all the prerequisites, the next step is to draft a strong and professional resume. Then you can check for the various jobs listed on the Army Civil Service website and submit your application for an appropriate position. In case of questions or queries, you can contact the human resources department of the Army.

Apart from the above mentioned jobs, abundant job opportunities are available for athletes and other sportsmen. Besides, the Army also offers several recreational and promotional jobs. Serving in the military as a civilian professional brightens your career prospects and gives you an edge over your peers.