Indeed, the life of a soldier is dangerous. Just last August 26, 14 US soldiers died, and 18 servicemen were injured during an attack in Kabul Airport in Afghanistan. If it were up to their families, they would not have wanted their loved ones to be subjected to danger.
Because of this, some choose to retire from service. Others are left with no choice but to leave after suffering from injuries. But what is the future of these soldiers after ending their service in the military?
Post-military employment
After their career in the military, some choose to take a regular, safer career route. According to Pew Research Center, these former military men are confident that they have the necessary skills useful for civilian jobs. These veterans say that they have acquired enough skills and knowledge during their time in the military, and it can be applied to jobs outside the service.
An employer looks for a specific set of soft skills. These include strong worth ethic, leadership, and problem-solving skills; all these can be seen in a soldier and a veteran. Soldiers are known for their discipline and the ability to overcome challenging adversities.
Because of this, former soldiers have plenty of career options after military service. This diverse set of options include a career in healthcare or even in finance and information technology.
Information Security Analyst
A lot of military service members are exposed to ethical hacking and cryptography. With soft skills such as risk management and crisis response, a veteran can be an excellent information security analyst. This specific job is involved in creating preventative measures against cyberattacks and hacking against organizations.
To fully fit in a role, a former soldier should have a degree in information technology courses; a master’s degree in cybersecurity is a big plus.
Nurse
Soldiers are trained in first aid, especially those deployed on the battlefield. As such, veterans easily transition to health care roles such as nursing. Those who choose the position receive a good amount of compensation. In addition, as healthcare professionals are always on demand, veterans are expected to gain job security with this role.
Financial Advisor
Financial advisors help people manage and plan their finances. An advisor is responsible for supporting a client’s plan and reaches their financial goals. A role of a financial advisor includes helping clients devise investment and tax strategies and planning for their college savings or retirement plans.
To fit in this role, former military personnel must at least have a background in finance, accounting, or any related course.
Management Consultant
Management consultants identify cost-effective, revenue-increasing strategies for an organization. Veterans are an excellent fit for the job due to their extensive experience managing human and material resources. Their excellent management skills are deemed helpful in managing and improving civilian organizations.
Self-employment
Aside from being employed in a company, a soldier can also be their own employer. They can establish their own business. This is also an option for injured veterans. Through the Department of Veterans Affairs, the government provides tax incentives for businesses owned by service-disabled veterans.
A retirement plan for service members
Some soldiers choose to retire and stop working after their service in the military. When they choose this path, a retirement plan is necessary.
CNBC discusses that retirement plan for soldiers has been just recently modernized. The US Military, led by Pentagon officials, has called to update the retirement system for service members. In the previous system, a guaranteed pension can be given to those who have served the different branches of the military, only if they stay in the service for at least 20 years; this is called the legacy system.
However, the reality is that nowadays, people move from one job to another, and even these people deserve retirement benefits. In addition, by offering great retirement benefits, more people will be encouraged to join the service and maintain the current ones.
According to CNBC, the new retirement program is similar to a 401k plan combines with a traditional pension. Military personnel who choose to join the program will determine the amount of contribution they allow for the plan. This system isn’t new; it has been offered amongst civilian government employees for years.
Through this plan, the responsibility is shifted to the soldiers. They can decide for their future by choosing how much they want to invest for themselves. However, others still have an option to continue with the legacy system; for others who are sure that they will stay in service for more than 20 years, this is the better option.
Overall, the decision is up to the soldiers, an accurate representation of US democracy.