Deciding on what career path you want to take in the US military, however, doesn’t need to be a difficult task. This article will detail some of the options available to help you choose.

Open Your Mind: Not All Enlisted Folk are Soldiers Anymore
One of the most common misconceptions about joining the army is that all recruits start as soldiers. This may have been true a number of years ago, but today, there are a myriad of other options available to the interested civilian: medical personnel, human resources, administrative roles, construction, engineers, IT, and mechanics. Of course, these aren’t the only career choices you can pursue within the military these days, but try and use this list as a frame of reference to get your future-plan-juices flowing.

Take a Test: Figure out Your Skills
To help you research your potential military career, there are a variety of tests you can take to determine what your best fit may be. The ASVAB Career Exploration Program (http://www.asvabprogram.com/), for instance, is run by the US Military. Designed originally in 1968 to “predict future academic and occupational success in military occupations” this test provides users with a detailed explanation on how to use the final scores to help decide on which career path to choose in the US military.

Money, Money, Money: What Do You Need?
It goes without saying that you should research the financial aspects of a military career as well. Although every position within the US military has the same basic pay (depending on service times and your rank), there are other forms of financial compensation that you should take into account when deciding on a career path: allowances (money set aside for specific requirements, such as housing or food), special pay (for difficult or high-risk positions), and any additional perks (such as college tuition paid for, or tax allowances). For more information, visit this page (http://www.todaysmilitary.com/wyg/t2_wyg_compensation.php).

Choosing a Service: Marine, Army, Navy, Air Force or Coast Guard?
Next, you’ll need to decide which branch of the army would suit your skills, needs, and sense of adventure the most. There are five options within the US military, with each option also offering both full and part time positions, as well as National Guard and Reserve positions, too. The Army (http://www.goarmy.com/) focuses on upholding the US Constitution and supporting the interests of the US on an international level. The Marine Corps (http://www.marines.com/) is a smaller, aggressive grouping of individuals that can be deployed by air, land or sea. The US Navy (http://www.navy.com/) is the largest navy in the world, with the capabilities of deploying by air, sea or water as well, and the Coast Guard (http://www.gocoastguard.com/) focuses on protecting the open waters of the US (both coastlines and water ways).

For more general information about enlisting in the military, visit: www.careersinthemilitary.com or www.myfuture.com.