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Jobs for NFO after term of service.

mark.h[usmc]

New Member
I just recently got accepted into OCS as an NFO and I am currently pursuing a degree in Law Enforcement but I am unsure what kind of jobs would be available after my commission is up, and I am unsure if changing my major would be a wise thing to do. I was thinking air marshalls possibly, but I still feel that even that might be a stretch. I was also considering getting either my masters in law enforcement or a minor in aviation during or after service. Any ideas of jobs or things I should do?
 

phrogdriver

More humble than you would understand
pilot
Super Moderator
Well, first, get your commission, work hard in fight school, then be the best NFO you can be. The "jobs for ex-NFO" thing has been hit on in other threads, so do a search and come back, though the gist is that you'll be an experienced officer and capable of anything on the outside that requires leadership and management ability.

As far as degree, do whatever you're interested in for undergrad, i.e. if you're passionate about something, you'll probably do better in it. For grad degrees, DON'T get an aviation degree (how do you get a "minor" postgrad anyway?). It's pointless. You'll have all the aviation experience you'll ever want, and a degree in that will just pigeonhole yourself from potential employers. Law enforcement? It's a dubious even as an undergrad degree, to be honest (phys ed was taken?), and LE above the local level won't care. Off-duty cops get that degree to advance their careers--federal law enforcement wants critical languages, accounting, computer skills, etc.

Air marshall? That's got to be the worst job in law enforcement. Riding coach, NOT drinking, and not doing anything, ever? A LOT of those guys are using it as a steppingstone to an 1811-coded criminal investigator gig at another agency. Those run the gamut, and there are better websites than this to get the gouge.

Lastly, you might just decide that you like the service. Almost everyone joins thinking they'll leave, then a good portion of them stay the duration.
 

phrogpilot73

Well-Known Member
Air marshall? That's got to be the worst job in law enforcement. Riding coach, NOT drinking, and not doing anything, ever? A LOT of those guys are using it as a steppingstone to an 1811-coded criminal investigator gig at another agency.
For what it's worth, I've met a bunch of Air Marshals in the reserves. And I have yet to meet one that didn't love his job.
 

mark.h[usmc]

New Member
Thank you for some of the input, but I do go to a very good school for Law Enforcement and Justice Administration degrees and from my research air marshalls make around 100k a year depending on their position and most of them from what I have met enjoy their jobs(possibly because they have a light workload and good payment). And don't get me wrong, I have a tone of respect for cops but I would go to prison before I thought about becoming cop. I would have a hard time not mixing all the feelings that come with being a police officer with my everyday life at home. Anyway you make a valid point with the aviation minor but I still want to find something that would either mix well with the two or just aviation in general.
 

wink

War Hoover NFO.
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
Posted a reply in the other thread you posted in. Don't do that again. Just wait for a response, it will come. All that said, the comments above are worthwhile with one exception. FAMS fly first class in almost every case. But they don't get to drink the free booze and rarely get any shut eye. As an airline pilot and with some law enforcement experience, I'd say it isn't a great job for a guy interested in law enforcement, investigation, or counter terrorism. It is an odd job among the federal LE options. Some guys love it but I don't know why.
 

mark.h[usmc]

New Member
Posted a reply in the other thread you posted in. Don't do that again. Just wait for a response, it will come. All that said, the comments above are worthwhile with one exception. FAMS fly first class in almost every case. But they don't get to drink the free booze and rarely get any shut eye. As an airline pilot and with some law enforcement experience, I'd say it isn't a great job for a guy interested in law enforcement, investigation, or counter terrorism. It is an odd job among the federal LE options. Some guys love it but I don't know why.
Oh no I was not being impatient, but I am new to the site and I realized after I posted on the other thread that I could just start a new one.
 

exNavyOffRec

Well-Known Member
If you want to go into Law Enforcement after service you will make more money in something other than government law enforcement, in general with the federal government you start at a GS-7 or GS-9, if you start civilian law enforcement at a medium to large city you are looking at 60K even up to 80K per year right out of the academy.
 

Brunes

Well-Known Member
pilot
You probably need to worry about OCS, flight school, and several years of obligated service before you worry about what jobs are put there to follow a job you don't have yet, eh??
 

Renegade One

Well-Known Member
None
Thank you for some of the input, but I do go to a very good school for Law Enforcement and Justice Administration degrees and from my research air marshalls make around 100k a year depending on their position and most of them from what I have met enjoy their jobs(possibly because they have a light workload and good payment).
Go do that. May the Force be with you.
And don't get me wrong, I have a tone [ton?] of respect for cops but I would go to prison before I thought about becoming [a] cop.
(edit)
I would have a hard time not mixing all the feelings that come with being a police officer with my everyday life at home.
See comment above. Then underline it. Maybe put it in BOLD.
Wait...I'll save you the trouble: (edit)
Thank you for some of the input, but ...I still want to find something that would either mix well with the two or just aviation in general.
If you think Naval Aviation is just some sort of a stepping-stone, "Looks Good on the Resume" ticket to whatever the hell it is you really want to do...PLEASE...DO MANY FOLKS A FAVOR...take your career aspirations and ultimate goals somewhere else...and leave Naval Aviation to those with a fire in their belly who view this career as an end in itself.
Very respectfully submitted, ....
 

phrogdriver

More humble than you would understand
pilot
Super Moderator
Does everyone have to join with the goal of making it a career? I'd venture to say that most don't. I'm not in favor of just getting a military check-in-the-box, but if one wants to serve for a few years and do something interesting at the same time, then so be it. That's not to say that pertains to the OP, I'm just saying there's nothing wrong with the military not having to be a person's ultimate end state.
 

Flash

SEVAL/ECMO
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
If you want to go into Law Enforcement after service you will make more money in something other than government law enforcement, in general with the federal government you start at a GS-7 or GS-9, if you start civilian law enforcement at a medium to large city you are looking at 60K even up to 80K per year right out of the academy.

If you are special agent I believe in most agencies you rapidly move up to GS-12 (about 3 years I think) and if you are a criminal investigator you get 'availability pay' which is 25% extra on top of your base pay. So starting out your pay may be a bit lower but you make it up fast.
 

exNavyOffRec

Well-Known Member
Thank you for some of the input, but I do go to a very good school for Law Enforcement and Justice Administration degrees and from my research air marshalls make around 100k a year depending on their position and most of them from what I have met enjoy their jobs(possibly because they have a light workload and good payment). And don't get me wrong, I have a tone of respect for cops but I would go to prison before I thought about becoming cop. I would have a hard time not mixing all the feelings that come with being a police officer with my everyday life at home. Anyway you make a valid point with the aviation minor but I still want to find something that would either mix well with the two or just aviation in general.

I missed this but 100K, sure..... they are GS employees, in the GS system for LE jobs you start at GS7 that pays without locality pay just under 34K per year, if you have a masters GS9 just over 41K per year, you can get higher when you start IF you have prior LE experience, to get close to 100K you have to be up there in the GS schedule for instance in Wash DC you need to be mid step GS13 to break 100K.
 

exNavyOffRec

Well-Known Member
If you are special agent I believe in most agencies you rapidly move up to GS-12 (about 3 years I think) and if you are a criminal investigator you get 'availability pay' which is 25% extra on top of your base pay. So starting out your pay may be a bit lower but you make it up fast.

I know those that have moved up fast, they however moved to get that, but I know CI's and they have made no mention of availability pay, that may depend on the agency. I believe most top out at GS12 until they get into "in charge" jobs, so as a GS12 they would top out under 100K in most areas.
 
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