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Career Preparation for Veteran Students

Apply your military experience to the next chapter of your career.
In this Section

Military to UW-Stout Career Preparation

UW-Stout’s degree programs are designed to closely parallel military jobs and experience by recognizing the unique skills, leadership, and technical expertise gained through military service. Many of UW-Stout’s programs, particularly in fields like engineering, manufacturing, and information technology, align well with the training and roles military personnel undertake, allowing veterans to seamlessly transition into civilian careers. Additionally, UW-Stout offers Prior Learning Assessments, which enable military students to receive academic credit for relevant training and experience, making it easier to apply their military knowledge toward degree completion. This alignment ensures that military students can build upon their existing skills while earning a degree that directly enhances their professional opportunities in the civilian workforce.

Are you a veteran interested in pursuing a career that capitalizes on your military experience? Review this list of military occupations to start exploring related majors here at UW-Stout.

Administration Occupations

Administrative Support Specialists

Record keeping of information; office support; prepare reports, official letters, and military forms. 

Computer Systems Specialists

Install, maintain, problem solve computer programs; provide customer and user services.

Finance and Accounting Specialists

Maintain records of financial transactions; conduct audits of financial records; prepare statements, accounts, and reports.  

Legal Specialists and Court Reporters

The military maintains its own legal system. Legal specialists and court reporters perform legal research and documentation of court cases and assist military judges and lawyers.

Personnel Specialists

Assist military members with their career, training, and health information; maintain personnel records. 

Postal Specialists

Process military and civilian mail. 

Recruiting Specialists

Recruiters attract civilians to join the military. They are also charged with retaining active-duty military personnel. 

Sales and Stock Specialists

Operate military stores, retail facilities, snack bars; responsible for record-keeping and stock accounting. 

Supply and Warehousing Specialists

Maintain inventory of equipment, supplies, food, weapons, parts, and a variety of other items; load and unload new stock; maintain logs and records on movement. 

Training Specialists and Instructors

Train and instruct military personnel in the classroom and in the field on a wide variety of subject matters. For most of the branches the title "instructor" is a subsequent duty attached to the main MOS. 

Aviation-Related Occupations

Air Crew Members

Operate a variety of equipment on military aircraft, including communication, radar, and weapons systems. In helicopters, air crew members may operate hoists to lift equipment and personnel.

Air Traffic Controllers

Operate air traffic control systems and control towers; direct the takeoffs and landings of military airplanes and helicopters; monitor radar systems. 

Aircraft Launch and Recovery Specialists  

Navy aircraft carriers and Coast Guard cutters need specialists to control and assist in the launch and safe landing aboard ships.

Flight Engineers  

Inspect aircraft, monitor fuel and electrical and key systems; supervise the loading of cargo, fuel, and passengers; conduct fuel consumption projections and assist the pilot in operation of the aircraft. 

Flight Operations Specialists  

Act as planners and coordinators for military flights; maintain records, logs; act as flight dispatchers. 

Survival Equipment Specialists  

Inspect, maintain, and repair survival equipment, such as parachutes and aircraft life support systems. 

Combat Specialty Occupations

Artillery/Missile Crew Members/Field Artillery/Air Defense Artillery 

Fire cannons, howitzers, missiles, and rockets; use specialized equipment to locate targets. Artillery is used to protect ground troops and sea forces from air attack. 

Combat Engineers/Engineering Specialties  

Build and construct roads, bridges, airfields, fortifications, and bunkers to move military equipment; lay and clear mine fields; assist infantrymen in combat operations.

Infantryman

The infantry is the backbone of the military. Infantry personnel are specially trained to destroy enemy ground forces, operate and fire a variety of weapons, parachute from transport planes, and conduct extended patrol missions.

Tank Crew Members

Drive state-of-the-art tanks in combat; operate weapons systems; support and defend ground infantry troops.

Construction Occupations

Building Electricians

Install, repair, and maintain electrical systems for a wide variety of buildings, facilities and locations.

Construction Equipment Operators

Operate construction equipment to move earth and building material. Assist in the building of airfields, roads, buildings, and other projects.

Construction Specialists

Build structures, work with lumber, concrete, masonry, and other materials.

Plumbers and Pipe Fitters

Construct, maintain, and repair pipe systems for water, steam, gas, and waste.

Electronic & Electrical Equipment Repair Occupations

Aircraft Electricians

Maintain and repair electrical systems on aircraft; replace or repair instruments.

Communications Equipment Repairers

Maintain, test, and repair communications systems.

Computer Equipment Repairers  

Install, repair, and maintain computer equipment.

Radar and Sonar Equipment Repairers

Install, repair, and operate the sonar and radar equipment that are critical to the many missions of the military.

Ship Electricians

The electrical systems are critical to operating ships and submarines. Ship electricians install, repair, and maintain the systems. Some systems are nuclear.

Weapons Maintenance Technicians

Many of the military weapon systems require specialized technicians to maintain, repair, test, and adjust equipment.

Engineering, Science & Technical Occupations

Chemical Laboratory Technicians

Test and analyze fuels, oils, chemicals, and other materials for purity and durability.

Communications Equipment Operators

Utilize communications equipment to transmit, receive, encode, and decode messages.

Compressed Gas Technicians

Fill storage tanks; maintain a variety of compressed gases for use including breathing oxygen and fuels for missiles.

Computer Programmers

Install, maintain, update, and organize computer programs.

Emergency Management Specialists

Plan and maintain disaster operations; train military personnel and civilians on disaster preparedness.

Environmental Health and Safety Specialists

Inspect military facilities, work locations, housing areas, and food and water supplies for the presence of disease, germs, and hazardous materials.

Meteorological Specialists  

Collect information on the weather using a variety of equipment and instruments for planning military operations.

Nondestructive Testers  

Inspect metal parts for wear and damage on a variety of military aircraft, vehicles, and ships; take X rays of various sections for examination and documentation.

Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Warfare and Ordnance Specialists

Transport, store, inspect, prepare, and destroy weapons and ammunition, including large shells, missiles, chemicals, and nuclear devices; nuclear, biological, and chemical (NBC) warfare.

Radar and Sonar Operators

Track aircraft, missiles; determine the position of ships and submarines; direct artillery fire; forecast the weather; aid navigation.

Radio Intelligence Operators

Monitor, intercept, and record radio signals from various sources in the field.

Space Operations Specialists

Monitor communications and transmit data to satellites and other space vehicles used for weather forecasting and collecting intelligence information.

Surveying, Mapping, and Drafting Technicians

Conduct land surveys, make terrain maps, and prepare plans and diagrams for the construction of a variety of projects to include airstrips, buildings, and docks.

Human Services Occupations

Caseworkers and Counselors

Assist military personnel and their families with personal problems - drug, alcohol, depression, and emotional.

Religious Program Specialists  

Military personnel come from all walks of life and religious backgrounds. Religious Program Specialists assist in providing services, education, and related duties.

Intelligence, Law Enforcement & Security Occupations

Intelligence Specialists

Gather information from a variety of sources, including aerial photographs, electronic monitoring, and human observation; analyze and prepare detailed intelligence reports.

Investigation (Law Enforcement)/Military Police

Investigate criminal conduct involving personnel and property within military jurisdictions. Conduct patrol, maintain law and order on military installations. In addition, they support battlefield activity by conducting prisoner-of-war activities.  

Corrections Officers/Corrections Specialists

Supervise and maintain control of military prisoners in confinement facilities. Control and counsel military prisoners; manage correctional treatment programs.

Security

Security specialists or military guards maintain security patrol or posts at installment or specific sensitive locations.

Mechanic, Machinist & Precision Work Occupations

Aircraft Mechanics

Inspect and repair helicopter, jet, and propeller engines, wings, landing gears, and a variety of parts.

Automotive and Heavy Equipment Mechanics

Maintain and repair a variety of vehicles to include trucks, jeeps, tanks, bulldozers, and other equipment.

Heating and Cooling Mechanics

Install and repair furnaces, boilers, and air conditioners in military buildings and on airplanes and ships.

Machinists/Precision Equipment Repairers/Dental and Optical Laboratory Technicians

Make and repair metal parts for engines and equipment; operate lathes, drill presses, grinders, and other shop equipment. Keep precision instruments in good working order. Construct, repair, and align dental devices, such as dentures, braces, and optical devices (eyeglasses) for military personnel.

Marine Engine Mechanics

Repair, maintain, and install gasoline and diesel engines on boats, ships, and watercraft.

Welders and Metal Workers

Build and repair a variety of metal parts on vehicles, ships, tanks, aircraft, equipment, and buildings.

Media & Public Affairs Occupations

Audiovisual and Broadcast Technicians

The military produces its own television shows and films for training, documentation, and news reporting. These productions require the expertise of technicians, much like their civilian counterparts.

Broadcast Journalists and Newswriters

The military provides numerous public and service publications, including magazines and newspapers. In addition, the military also produces and broadcasts news and information radio shows to a wide audience. Journalists serve as liaisons between the military and the public and media.

Graphic Designers and Illustrators

In connection with the numerous publications that the military provides, graphic designers and illustrators are needed to produce artwork, charts, posters, and other visual displays.

Interpreters and Translators

Perform the critical task of translating written and spoken foreign languages for intelligence analysis and other purposes. In addition, may also be asked to interrogate or interview a variety of people in a foreign language.

Photographic Specialists

Photographs are used for a variety of purposes, including intelligence gathering, documentation of events, and news reporting. Photographic specialists need to be expert at using and maintaining a wide variety of photographic equipment.

Printing Specialists

Operate printing presses to produce military newspapers, magazines, and other publications.

Medical & Healthcare Occupations

Cardiopulmonary and EEG Technicians

Operate testing equipment to obtain a variety of diagnostic tests of the heart, lungs, blood, and brain.

Dental Specialists

Assist dentists in examining, treating, and performing surgery on patients; operate dental X-ray and other equipment.

Medical Care Technicians

Provide medical care to patients; assist doctors and nurses with treatment and prepare hospital and care facility rooms and equipment.

Medical Laboratory Technicians

Conduct clinical tests on body fluids, tissue, and blood that are necessary to diagnosis and identify diseases.

Optometric Technicians

Assist optometrists in providing eye care to military members.

Pharmacy Technicians

Assist pharmacists in issuing prescription drugs and treatments.  

Physical and Occupational Therapy Specialists

Assist in administering treatments and exercises to patients disabled by injury or illness.

Radiologic (X-ray) Technicians

Operate X-ray equipment to detect illness or injury in patients.

Nuclear Power & Power Plant Occupations

Nuclear Power and Power Plant/Powerhouse Mechanics

Operate boilers, turbines, nuclear reactors, and portable generators on ships, submarines, bases, and in the field. Maintain, repair, and install generating equipment that provides electric power for bases, ships, and field stations.  

Ship, Boating & Diving Occupations

Boatswain's Mates and Seamen

Boatswain's mates have been called the "jacks of all trades" in ship, submarine, and boat operation and maintenance. As the prime "deck force," they handle cargo, ropes, and lines, and seamanship tasks.

Divers  

Specialized military personnel who work as scuba divers or deep-sea divers. Divers conduct repairs, construction, salvage, and military operations under the water.

Quartermasters  

Specialize in navigation of ships and boats. Bridge watch, vessel control, and steering are among the chief duties.

Special Operations Forces Occupations

Special Operations Forces

SOF are elite combat units that operate with stealth, concealment, and surprise to accomplish their operations. SOF conduct search and destroy missions, clear underwater mine fields, and go behind enemy lines. They provide specialized air power for worldwide deployment and assignment to conduct unconventional warfare, special reconnaissance, counter-terrorism, foreign internal defense, humanitarian assistance, psychological operations, personnel retrieval, and counternarcotics.

Support Service Occupations

Firefighters

Military bases and ships need to maintain their own full-time fire protection. Like their civilian counterparts, military firefighters are responsible for protecting lives and property from fire.

Food Service Specialists (Cooks)

One of the key positions. The military needs to feed its personnel every day on bases, ships, submarines, and in remote stations. Cooks prepare meals for small groups up to thousands. They need to plan, order, prepare, and serve a variety of meals.

Transportation and Material Handling Occupations

Cargo Specialists

Load, pack, and secure cargo into a variety of modes of transportation, including trucks, planes, helicopters, and ships.

Petroleum Supply Specialists

Most military vehicles, aircraft, and ships operate on petroleum products. Specialists plan and handle the safe transfer, storage, and refueling operations.

Railroad Operations

The military operates its own rail service. Tanks' weapon systems, missiles, and nuclear mat6riel travel across the United States. Spur tracks and switching areas are located in several military bases. These positions are mostly in the Army Reserve.

Transportation Specialists

Supervise and coordinate the movement of personnel and cargo.

Vehicle Drivers

Operate a variety of military vehicles to move personnel and equipment; must be able to plan routes and handle all kinds of driving conditions.

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