Question for vets regarding technical degrees and non-related military experience...

[OdeToArsenal47]

Hey all. Haven't been here in a while. This spring I chose to start Army ROTC instead of Navy, but I was hoping you guys could still answer a burning question of mine.

I'm jumping back and forth between majoring in Nursing or Radiation Therapy. Nursing is pretty straight forward. I do my 4 years in ROTC, become an RN, work as a Nurse Officer. Translates perfectly over to the civilian world. But Radiation Therapy is a little trickier. It's a 3+1 program, 3 years at my college and 1 at a specialized school. It's August to August with no break, so I'd have to defer service like a semester or something. That's more of a question for my MS professor, not you guys.

My question is to the vets. If any of you have specialized degrees, how was your job hunt and subsequent job? One of my worries if I choose Radiation Therapy is that I would lose all of what I learned and would be at a disadvantage in employment. There's nothing in the Army that really translates that well over to it and I'm not sure I'd want to do it anyways as I'd like to work in combat arms.

Am I just worrying about nothing or is this a legitimate worry? I'm talking to my MS professor next week to help answer my questions but I was looking for some personal experience in the matter.

Thanks guys! Sorry, about not joining your branch. Nothing personal, they just didn't offer it at the school I'm going to and didn't have the kind of work I was looking for.

 

[UnusSupra]

I did four years as an enlisted Marine. I wanted to see combat on the ground because of all the glamour I saw depicted in movies, so I obviously chose infantry. Getting out meant having to adjust to a slower pace and being humble again because your back to being the low guy. From my experience your military experience only matters if it is relevant; Or if the person looking to hire has hired other veterans and or experienced firsthand the hard work ethic that the military instills. So If I were in your shoes I would go for RN because after your commitment is over that education will still be relevant.

Just my two cents..

 

[JD81]

I would diversify yourself as best as possible, give yourself the most options post-military. I did that with my degree, even though it was still related to aviation, it wasn't necessarily related to me being a pilot. PM me if you want the details, but I had a job within 3 weeks of leaving active duty and I relocated from Lemoore to DFW (I didn't have the job lined up before leaving AD either).

J

 

[brownshoe]

I really don’t have anything to offer, I hadn’t gone to college before I entered the Navy and therefore can’t speak about college degrees. But the responsibilities I had as a young man in the Navy were amazing. (The average age of the flight deck crew is 19.) The responsibilities I shouldered and the work ethic I learned helped to shape who I am today. This and the “I've got your back” (even if I didn’t know or like you, we were serving together, that’s all that mattered) is still with me today. I will not back down, I’m not a 9-5 guy and you’ll never hear me say: “That’s not my job.” You too will develop these attributes in the Army.

So, for what it’s worth, add the above, then I agree with JaenVilla, become a RN. It’s a great choice, and you’ll walk out of the service with practical experience that will be beneficial for future employment. You can always add to your education while in the Army, if you’d like.

This is just my .02 as well. At any rate, good luck to you.

Steve

 

[Ledesmachris]

Simple and sweet. If you are looking for a career that can let you find a job (in and out) the military with no problems and fast, definitely go with nursing. Oh by the way a bachelors in nursing is a BSN. RN is what you get with a 2 year degree...

 

[UnusSupra]

Oh by the way a bachelors in nursing is a BSN. RN is what you get with a 2 year degree...

Thanks for clearing that up. Not that it matters.

 

[RobLyman]

My wife is a nurse, so my opinion comes from both her and my experience. If you like nursing, by all means, get the degree. I did something similar and it worked out great for me. I majored in Math and Computer Science. When I got out of the Navy, my computer science/programming experience was stale. think most would agree that IT is probably one of, if not the fastest changing field. However, in 6 months and with less than $1000 invested, I was able to freshen up my skills and I was making more as a programmer than I did as a Navy pilot. It did take a lot of time and studying on my part.

I would not expect nursing to change as quickly, so you may need little or no training when you get out. However, you may have to settle for an entry level job at first if you have not used your degree, but your age and experience, along with a BSN will prime you for being a supervisor quickly; if that is what you want.

IMO, having a second, diverse career capability can be VERY comforting and convenient. and if you get tired or bored, or miss flying, try the National Guard. Then you can do both.

 

[Ledesmachris]

Thanks for clearing that up. Not that it matters.

Your welcome; but, it does matters when you do not know what degree you want or you are getting into...