General Aviation

US Military offers various career opportunities in aviation for both men and women, whether enlisted or as commissioned officers.In my opinion, military aviation careers are a great stepping stone for similar jobs in the civil aviation industry. Most military aviators, whether they are pilots, maintenance technicians, navigation specialists, flight dispatchers, aviation logistics support professionals, and so on, upon separation from the service end up taking on equivalent jobs functions in the civil aviation sector.

U.S. Air Force offers the greatest flavor of aviation specific training and employment opportunities; to fly as a pilot or to work as an aircraft maintenance technician, air traffic controller, electronic or meteorological technician, just to name a few. The U.S. Navy and Marine Corps also offer aviation jobs similar to those in the Air Force. Army aviation is mostly connected with the operation and maintenance of helicopters and subsonic light airplanes. The Army hires flight-crews, ground service crew, and weather specialists to support its operations. And there is not a shortage of demand of equivalent employment opportunities in the civil aviation sector. The U.S. Coast Guard operates light and medium size aircraft (both airplanes and helicopters) for search and rescue purposes.

The U.S. Military Services employ civilians as well for various careers in aviation, such as aircraft mechanics, engineers, technicians, and general office workers (i.e. secretaries, office admins, and typists). These civilian jobs are classified as the Federal Civil Services, and employees perform many of the same tasks and receive the same wages and benefits as their counterparts in the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and other Federal departments and agencies.