Jobs like the army

Army

Pilot of a helicopter

Army helicopter pilots may not have a film like Top Gun to show their parents, but ask a Navy jet pilot (if you can locate one) how many dogfights he's been in recently. Every day, Army pilots fly missions in theater and at home, blowing things up, saving lives, and winning hearts and minds. Because Army pilots don't go to places without at least some infrastructure (a PX and possibly Internet), you get to have a profession that's amazing enough to write home about but not so top-secret that you can't (usually) boast to your buddies.

The Golden Knight

Members of the Army's parachute squad perform three-year deployments that take them around the nation to airshows, major athletic events, and parachute contests. That means their job for the next three years will be to jump out of perfectly nice aircraft and land in the midst of thousands of people shouting for them. Not too shabby. That's not awful at all.

The Marine Corps

Grunt

Let's face it: you wouldn't be drawn to the Marine Corps in the first place if you couldn't "embrace the suck." If you're going to embrace it, the greatest way to do it is as a Marine Corps grunt. There is no group of people who better epitomizes the infantry way of life than the Marine infantry. There is no greater feeling for the sort of guy or woman attracted to that life than being a part of that group of fast people.

Photographer of combat

Combat photographers have an intrinsic contradiction: they record moments in time by capturing photographs and presenting stories about them, yet they are also part of the forces that destroy those moments. Combat photographers embrace this dichotomy, functioning as eyes and ears for a world yearning for an intimate look at conflict and its victims. This position also earns credit for being a one-of-a-kind blend of right-brain creativity and left-brain military savvy.

Navy

Diver

To describe Navy divers tough is like to referring to Army Gen. George S. Patton as "a fairly fine general." There's a reason the Naval Diving and Salvage Training Center in Panama City, Fla., has a 40 percent attrition rate - it's certainly not for everyone. The selected few who graduate as Navy divers, on the other hand, get to live a life that teenage boys and girls (and full-grown men and women) all over the globe envy: they spend their days and nights swimming with the fishes. But only in a nice manner.

SEAL

With respect to real operators such as the Marine Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC) and the Army Special Forces, SEALs are at the top of the special operations food chain. In fact, the greatest disadvantage of being a SEAL operator may be that you can't tell about all the wonderful things you do. But for the worst of the worst, it's all part of the job.

The Air Force

Combat supervisor

Combat controllers (and the special tactics officers who command them) are part of the Air Team's special operations force and enjoy the perks of the glamorous Air Force lifestyle while still facing risk. Their mission is to fly friendly forces' aircraft deep into war zones, and their training consists of anything that would get them there and back safely (airborne, survival school, weapons training, etcetera.)

Expert in cyber warfare

Cyber operators (both enlisted and officers) have not just one of the safest occupations in the military, but also one of the most sought-after talents in the civilian sector. Military training in cyber security is about as close to a guarantee as you can get for a successful second career in the real world. Officers who have been taught to handle the intricacies of the digital battlefield may expect to be recruited by both huge enterprises and government agencies that are desperate for qualified personnel.

The Coast Guard

Forces on the water

These government employees are the Coasties' best-kept secret. From search and rescue to maritime law enforcement (imagine SWAT squads on boats), they are highly trained, heavily equipped, and very fast. Simply put, the boat forces combine the finest aspects of public service, the cool factor of military duty, and the pleasure of life on the broad seas.

The National Health Service

Physician

You don't get into medicine unless you want to assist others. As a medical officer in the Public Health Service (PHS), you have the opportunity to use your medical abilities outside your local community, assisting those in most need and combining your love of people with a desire to serve your nation. From clinical treatment for underprivileged groups to crisis response around the nation, PHS doctors support populations, battling on the front lines of public health.

Officer of Science and Research

They are assigned all across the nation, from Florida to California, there are no deployments, and they get to undertake research at organizations like the Centers for Disease Control that can assist millions of people throughout the globe. These guys are really into the "saving the world" stuff.

Commissioned Corps of NOAA

NOAA employee

As a NOAA officer, there may not be a more fascinating way to mix adventure and science in the whole uniformed forces. As one, you may pilot a research vessel to the South Pole, a WP-3D Orion "Storm Hunter" into the eye of a hurricane, or a submarine hundreds of feet deep. The competition to become a NOAA officer is fierce, but those who succeed have one of the coolest jobs for scientists.

Mentions of Merit

AGR

Active Guard and Reserve (AGR) roles are available to members of the National Guard (Army and Air Force) and Army Reserve. These active duty positions in 20 occupational categories provide soldiers and airmen with all of the advantages of active duty without the disadvantage of having to relocate across the nation at the discretion of the Department of Defense.

Noncombatant

Noncombatant positions like as chaplaincy and medical care might be ideal for those whose want to assist others outweighs their desire to serve their nation. Every day, chaplains and medical staff go to work knowing they are helping people for a livelihood. And they get compensated for their efforts.

Astronaut

Okay, this may be considered cheating, but any servicemember is eligible to apply for astronaut duty. The requirements are many, and the application and training processes are absurd, but the advantages are... well, out of this world.