Marines, what civilian careers have you had after the Corps?

[Natadog]

I was a 2531 Field Radio Operator in the Corps, now I work for Cox Communications, I was an FSR, then Plant, now I work in the office monitoring the network.

[Silverain]

You're getting your leg pulled in a friendly fashion. The light bulb will probably come on in boot camp. You seem to have a good sense of humor, so it's being taken advantage of. Typical Marines.

That sense of humor will serve you well in the Corps.

Oh that makes more sense!

[Silverain]

0193: Admin Chief

8156: Marine Security Guard (had two job offers in civilian industrial security but passed them up as I was in respiratory therapy school at the time).

8015: Enlisted with college degree (graduated from Southern Illinois University as a SSgt on active duty using tuition assistance; BS in aviation management but never worked a day in it).

After retiring from active duty with 22.6 years service in 1995, used my GI bill and went back to school full time. Have been a respiratory therapist since 1998 here at the University of Tennessee Medical Center. This medical career does not correlate to my aviation management degree or anything I did in the USMC (obviously). Will retire from the state of TN on my 60th birthday, June 1st 2013 (not that I'm counting the days or anything) with 15 years service.

Nice plan. Sounds similar to what one of my family members is doing. He is 62 now I believe, keeps saying he is going to retire but he always wants to work.

[cubawatcher]

I was 6613 fire control tech.spent 28 years working for the Bell system various jobs.My electronics training in the Corps helped me get and do the job.My younger brother had same MOS worked on A6s as fire control tech.Worked for Bell also for 30 years.

[CalahanD]

I am an 0331 infantry Machine Gunner and was able to get a Private Contracting job

[Rocky C]

Private Detective/Bounty Hunter/Bodyguard/Soldier of Fortune...

[Silverain]

I am an 0331 infantry Machine Gunner and was able to get a Private Contracting job

Did you enjoy Private Contracting?

[CalahanD]

i still have a little left in the corps. just went ahead and got accepted for the job. i will let you know

[Silverain]

i still have a little left in the corps. just went ahead and got accepted for the job. i will let you know

Please do.

[03Mike]

I was an infantry officer - 0302

I worked in manufacturing for a while, ran a distribution center and eventually a manufacturing plant (not that different from running an infantry unit - hired a lot of former NCOs and reservists), but eventually grew tired of manufacturing and translated my ambitions into working in higher education (univeristy staff).

Skills that translate to the civilian world:

1. Planning ability -- identify a desired end state, assess the situation, develop a plan to reach that goal / end state, identify and allocate resources necessary, identify essential and supporting tasks (scheme of maneuver and fire support plan), establish phases (plan of action and milestones), issue instructions, coordinate support, facilitate communications, solicit input, modify / adjust tasks as the plan progresses.

2. Supervisory skills - delegate tasks to those that can handle them, think/plan two or three steps ahead to arrange support when needed - ensure understanding, coordinate communications, etc.

3. Decision making abilities - assess the situation, develop courses of action, select the best one, decide, issue instructions, and act. Craft a solution and work within whatever limitations are placed upon you.

4. Ability to accept responsibility - praise your team when things go well, take the heat yourself when they don't.

5. Leadership - motivate, hire, train, set the example, support, orient, decide, guide, maintain the details, fund, and incorporate lessons learned.


Most of those skills are rare in the civilian world - and they are not just the provence of infanrymen.

[Old Marine]

Spent my whole tweny years in the Corps as a 3041 Supply Administration. Only actually worked in the MOS for about two years.

Had a secondary MOS of 8511 (Drill Instructor) my last 7 years. Trained a lot of privates at MCRD, San Diego during Vietnam.

Upon retirement, I attended Brunswick Pinsetter school in Muskeon, Michigan and worked as a Pinsetter Mechanic in a bowling center for 13 years. Not much need for COD or trained killers out here in the civilion battalion.

[SlingerDun]

Never thought of my primary occupation as a career until after nine years or so of "one foot at a time" I philosophized that occupations {especially jobs} will come and go, but a career sneaks up on you and is much like a treadmill, best chose one or more that you are likely to enjoy; or suffer the long enduring consequences from ~ a life of quiet desperation ~ Thoreau

Once established in a career it's never a bad plan to entertain serious thoughts about an alternative or backup. If you should some day pursue the alternative career, then it's time to begin researching yet another career or source of income. You might have to jump off and get after it in a moments notice! Severance packages are not so common as - A man doing what he's gotta do

Showing up on time and finishing the job stands out as perhaps the most beneficial virtue captured from the Marine Corps

[Sgt Leprechaun]

Hey, Gunny, I'd never heard of a 'pinsetter'. That's actually pretty interesting in some ways.

[Old Marine]

Sgt. Lep: At the school they teach you nothing but what the book says as to how the pinsitter is supposed to to work. To tell the truth, sometimes I repaired pinsetters and to this day I do not know what I did to get them running correctly. Dont know if you have ever been in the back of a bowling center and saw how these thngs work, but sometime if you are near a bowling center, if you go inside and ask to see the pinsetters, the mechanic will usually show you how they operate. A Brunswick pinsetter is completely different from an AMF pinsetter. Been a lot of years since i did this, but it used to be that if you had AMF pinsetters in your center they had to be leased from AMF.

From what I understand, the two men who invented the Brunswick pinsetter are both in a looney hospital, if they are still kicking. I really enjoyed working on these pieces of machinery as they were always a chalange. Preventive maintenance is a must.

[Sgt Leprechaun]

I have, once about a year ago, and the machinery fascinated me (the mechanic did show me how it worked, this is a very old system being used where I work).

I have the utmost respect for those who can not only work on these things, but those who designed and built them.

(Me? I can't nail two pieces of wood together, just don't have the aptitude for it...)

Thanks!