’)Because the military offers a world of possibilities, one option you may want to consider is to become a commissioned officer right after you graduate from your criminal justice degree program. A commissioned officer holds one of the following ranks:
Second Lieutenant
First Lieutenant
Captain
Major
Lieutenant Colonel
Colonel
Brigadier General
Major General
Lieutenant General
General
If you enroll in your criminal justice program now, you can soon pursue your dream of working in criminal justice while climbing the highest ranks in the military. Before you start submitting your resume to civilian jobs, consider the opportunities for criminal justice jobs in the military.
One avenue to becoming a commissioned officer is to earn a bachelor’s degree prior to joining the military. There are numerous opportunities for criminal justice majors in all branches of military service. For instance, you may work as a forensic scientist, security engineering officer, or criminal investigator.
There are a number of benefits to combining your criminal justice degree with a military career. If you’re interested in pursuing a military career after college, here are five reasons why you should consider military criminal justice jobs after graduation.
1. If you want a job, there’s one waiting for you. Once you’ve graduated from college, you’ll be required to go to specialized military training for officers before you’re assigned to a job. This training consists of physical training as well as classroom and field training. Once you graduate, you will be ready to begin your military officer career.
2. Commissioned officers earn higher pay than their enlisted counterparts. If you’re interested in enhancing your military career with a college degree, you’ll earn significantly more pay than an individual who enters the military without a degree. The 2010 Military Pay Chart compares pay rates among different military ranks.
3. You’ll see the world and get paid to do it. There aren’t many jobs that allow you to see the world and pay all your moving expenses. As a commissioned officer, you may get opportunities to work in countries all over the world. The good news is that the experience you get working with diverse groups of people will give you an advantage in the civilian world of work, should you decide to leave the military and pursue further employment.
4. You’ll receive regular, scheduled pay raises. As a commissioned officer, you will be eligible for regular, scheduled pay raises. In fact, the current trend seems to support higher-than-average pay raises over time. You’ll may also receive additional pay for special circumstances, such as combat pay, sea pay, or flight pay, just to name a few. If you’d like to know more about current military pay raises, check out MilitaryHub.com.
5. You can retire early and start a second career. Many individuals choose to retire from the military after 20 years of service and begin a second career. If you start your military career in your twenties, you could possibly work and retire from two careers, thus earning two retirement pensions during your golden years.
If you’re interested in exploring military jobs in criminal justice, contact your local officer recruiter to see what opportunities await for you after you graduate from college.
