Everything boils down to money, right? Business, international relations, medicine, education, rent, mortgage? the list goes on, but most people are not very skilled at working with numbers, which is why they have to pay accountants, bookkeepers, and financial advisors for their expertise. If you are good with numbers and have an organized mind, the United States military is prepared to pay for your training and education as an Accountant.
Accountants in the military? You better believe it! In reality, less than 20% of military personnel work in combat-related jobs. Everyone else works to support the military organization and that means money. Military contracts, payroll, inventories, and world travel all involve money, lots of money, and the military needs trained financial experts to keep track of where everything is going. They also need to report their financial transactions to Congress.
Why The Military?
First of all, they will pay you a salary as you learn your skills or they will help you pay for college. In addition to a salary, you also get free housing, full medical and dental benefits, a great retirement package, military shopping privileges, paid vacations, free and discounted world travel, and plenty of continuing education and promotion opportunities.
Perhaps even more important than the financial rewards are the personal rewards of joining a worldwide organization dedicated to protecting freedom and providing rescue resources. Military life means living in family-oriented communities where your children will attend excellent schools and be surrounded with positive role models. The support system within the Armed Forces is simply amazing. People take care of each other, the streets are clean, and there are plenty of wholesome activities to choose from in your free time.
What Do Financial Professionals Do?
Generally, as a financial professional, you will work in a comfortable office environment. Your duties will vary, depending upon your area of expertise. Bookkeepers are responsible for making general ledger entries, sorting through invoices and managing accounts payable and receivable.
Accountants take that information and create financial statements such as a balance sheet or an income statement. Financial advisors take it one step further by analyzing the information provided by bookkeepers and accountants and making recommendations for future financial activities.
If you become an auditor, your job will be to verify that financial statements are accurate and that they follow Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). Regardless of your particular area of study, your attention to detail and personal integrity will qualify you for a variety of continuing education opportunities. The more you learn, the faster you will be promoted, which means a bigger paycheck.
Where Can You Go With A Career In Finance?
The truth is that a financial career can take you anywhere. In or out of the military, financial experts are needed at all levels of business and government. You can build a lifelong career with the Armed Forces or you can take your skills and military experience back into the civilian sector.
If you opt for civilian life after completing your service agreement, you will quickly discover that civilian employers often prefer military applicants.
In addition, the military will assist you in this transition with resume writing and interview skills training. Depending upon the length of your tour of duty, you may also qualify for a VA loan to buy a home or G.I. Bill benefits to help you further your professional training or to open a business of your own.
The financial resources of the United States Armed Forces are immense and they are prepared to give you access to training and education in exchange for your honest efforts. What you do with those skills is up to you, but the military is a great way to get started.
You can find out more about what the military has to offer by clicking HERE.
Photo courtesy of US Army Korea – IMCOM