Army vs. Air Force vs. Navy: How Branch of Military Services Affects One's Career

  Overview: This article looks at the Industries, Functional Roles, and Company Sizes pursued by veterans of the Army, Air Force, and Navy. It also compares these three branches of the military to each other to see how their career choices differ. My intention for this article is to highlight the wide array of civilian career possibilities for military veterans, and provide a starting point for further career research. additional background information on my motivation for this analysis can be found here.

Methodology: A full summary of the basis for this article can be found here. The most important thing to note is that this is based on LinkedIn data for Service Academy veterans only. I have used Service Academy veterans as a proxy for all Army / Air Force / Navy officers, as it was the most reliable way to sort through the LinkedIn data available. While there are obvious limitations to this approach, my intention is for this to be a starting point for further research.

You can view the complete interactive data visualizations here.

U.S. Army [data visualization here]:

Industries [data visualization here]:

The top twelve industry categories for Army officers is as follows:

1. Government & Law (18%): Although the top industry for Army officers, they are the least likely of the Armed Services to end up here, a full 25% less likely than Air Force, and 7% less likely than Navy officers.
2. Technology (17%)
3. Business (11%): most likely of all officers to enter into Business. They are 41% more likely than Air Force and 13% more likely than Navy officers.
4. Financial Services (11%): most likely of all officers to enter into Financial Services. They are 73% more likely than Air Force and 19% more likely than Navy officers.
5. Health Services (7%): most likely of all officers to enter into Health Services. They are 39% more likely than Navy and 15% more likely than Air Force officers.
6. Real Estate & Construction (7%): most likely of all officers to end up here, as they are 26% more likely than Air Force and 21% more likely than Navy officers.
7. Other (6%)
8. Education & Research (6%): most likely of all officers to end up here, with Army officers 26% more likely than Air Force and 21% more likely than Navy officers.
9. Arts (4%): least likely of all officers to end up here, as they are 3% less likely than both Air Force and Navy officers.
10. Consumer Packaged Goods (4%): most likely member of the Armed Services to end up in CPG. They are 66% more likely than Air Force and 27% more likely than Navy officers to end up here.
11. Manufacturing (4%): most likely member of the Armed Services to end up in Manufacturing. They are 57% more likely than Air Force and 23% more likely than Navy to end up here.
12. Transportation (4%): least likely of all officers to enter Transportation. They are 77% less likely than Air Force and 56% less likely than Navy officers.

Functional Roles [data visualization here]:

The top 10 Functional Roles for Army officers is as follows:

1. Operations (21%): Although this is the most common Functional Role for Army officers, compared to other branches of the military, Army is the least likely to pursue a functional role in Operations. They are 31% less likely than Air Force and 7% less likely than Navy officers.
2. Sales (12%): most likely of all branches of the military to pursue a role in Sales; 63% more likely than Air Force and 21% more likely than Navy officers.
3. Entrepreneurship (11%): most likely of all branches of the military to pursue a role in Entrepreneurship; 15% more likely than Air Force and 5% more likely than Navy officers.
4. Program & Project Management (10%): most likely of all branches of the military to pursue a role here; 26% more likely than Air Force and 2% more likely than Navy officers.
5. Engineering (10%): least likely of all members of the Armed Forces to pursue a role in Engineering; 15% less likely than Navy and 2% less likely than Air Force officers.
6. Finance (8%): most likely of all members of the Armed Forces to pursue a role in Finance; 61% more likely than Air Force and 13% than Navy officers.
7. Consulting (8%): most likely of all members of the Armed Forces to pursue a role in Consulting; 41% more likely than Air Force and 10% more likely than Navy officers.
8. Education (7%): least likely of all members of the Armed Forces to pursue a role in Education; 17% less likely than Air Force and 1% less likely than Navy officers.
9. Information Technology (7%): least likely of all military officers to pursue a role in IT; 9% less likely than Air Force and 7% less likely than Navy officers.
10. Military & Protective Services (6%): least likely of all military officers to pursue a role here; 22% less likely than Air Force and 5% less likely than Navy officers.

Company Size [data visualization here]:

Army officers are most likely to join a company that has:

1. 10,000+ Employees (37%): Although Army officers are most likely to end up in a massive organization, they are the least likely of all officers to end up here; 22% less likely than Air Force and 2% less likely than Navy officers.
2. 1,001 to 5,000 Employees (14%)
3. 51 to 200 Employees (10%)
4. 11 to 50 Employees (10%)
5. 201 to 500 Employees (8%): most likely of all military officers to end up at a company of this size; 15% more likely than Air Force and 5% more likely than Navy officers.
6. 1 to 10 Employees (8%): most likely of all military officers to end up at a company of this size; 19% more likely than Air Force and 8% more likely than Navy officers.
7. 5,001 to 10,000 Employees (7%): most likely of all military officers to end up at a company of this size; 24% more likely than Air Force and 5% more likely than Navy officers.
8. 501 to 1,000 Employees (6%): most likely of all military officers to end up at a company of this size; 32% more likely than Air Force and 16% more likely than Navy officers.
9. Self-Employed (1%)

U.S. Air Force [data visualizations here]:

Industries [data visualization here]:

The top twelve industry categories for Air Force officers is as follows:

1. Government & Law (25%): most likely of all officers to pursue a career in Government & Law. This is driven mostly by the subcategory of Defense & Space, where Air Force veterans are 118% more likely than Army and 64% more likely than Navy officers to pursue a career. Overall when it comes to Government & Law, Air Force officers are 33% more likely than Army and 25% more likely than Navy officers to pursue a career here.
2. Transportation (16%): most likely of all officers to pursue a career in Transportation. This is driven mostly by two subcategories dominated by the Air Force: (1) Aviation & Aerospace, where Air Force officers are 244% more likely than Army and 72% more likely than Navy officers to pursue a career; and (2) Airlines/Aviation where Air Force officers are 1,082% more likely than Army and 152% more likely than Navy officers to pursue a career. Overall, when it comes to the Transportation industry, Air Force officers are 341% more likely than Army and 92% more likely than Navy officers to pursue a career here.
3. Technology (15%): although this is the third highest rated Industry for Air Force officers, they are the least likely of all officers to pursue this Industry; 12% less likely than Navy and 11% less likely than Army officers.
4. Business (8%): least likely of all officers to pursue this Industry; 29% less likely than Army and 20% less likely than Navy officers.
5. Health Service (6%): least likely of all officers to pursue this Industry; 21% less likely than Navy and 13% less likely than Army officers.
6. Financial Services (6%): least likely of all officers to pursue this Industry; 42% less likely than Army and 31% less likely than Navy officers.
7. Real Estate & Construction (6%): least likely of all officers to pursue this Industry; 21% less likely than Army and 4% less likely than Navy officers.
8. Education & Research (5%): least likely of all officers to pursue this Industry; 21% less likely than Navy and 18% less likely than Army officers.
9. Arts (4%)
10. Other (4%): least likely of all officers to pursue this Industry; 50% less likely than Navy and 37% less likely than Army officers.
11. Manufacturing (3%): least likely of all officers to pursue this Industry; 36% less likely than Army and 22% less likely than Navy officers.
12. Consumer Packaged Goods (2%): least likely of all officers to pursue this Industry; 40% less likely than Army and 24% less likely than Navy officers.

Functional Roles [data visualization here]:

The top 10 Functional Roles for Army officers is as follows:

1. Operations (30%): most likely of all officers to pursue this Functional Role; 44% more likely than Army and 33% more likely than Navy officers.
2. Engineering (10%)
3. Entrepreneurship (9%): least likely of all officers to pursue this Functional Role; 13% less likely than Army and 9% less likely than Navy officers.
4. Education (9%): most likely of all officers to pursue this Functional Role; 20% more likely than Army and 19% more likely than Navy officers.
5. Program & Project Management (8%): least likely of all officers to pursue this Functional Role; 21% less likely than Army and 19% less likely than Navy officers.
6. Military & Projective Services (8%): most likely of all officers to pursue this Functional Role; 28% more likely than Army and 22% more likely than Navy officers.
7. Information Technology (8%): most likely of all officers to pursue this Functional Role; 10% more likely than Army and 2% more likely than Navy officers.
8. Sales (7%): least likely of all officers to pursue this Functional Role; 39% less likely than Army and 25% less likely than Navy officers.
9. Consulting (6%): least likely of all officers to pursue this Functional Role; 29% less likely than Army and 22% less likely than Navy officers.
10. Finance (5%): least likely of all officers to pursue this Functional Role; 38% less likely than Army and 30% less likely than Navy officers.

Company Size [data visualization here]:

Air Force officers are most likely to join a company that has:

1. 10,000+ Employees (47%): most likely of all officers to join a company of this size; 28% more likely than Army and 22% more likely than Navy officers.
2. 1,001 to 5,000 Employees (12%): least likely of all officers to join a company of this size; 20% less likely than Navy and 17% less likely than Army officers.
3. 51 to 200 Employees (9%): least likely of all officers to join a company of this size; 17% less likely than Navy and 14% less likely than Army officers.
4. 11 to 50 Employees (8%): least likely of all officers to join a company of this size; 16% less likely than Navy and 15% less likely than Army officers.
5. 201 to 500 Employees (7%): least likely of all officers to join a company of this size; 13% less likely than Army and 9% less likely than Navy officers.
6. 1 to 10 Employees (6%): least likely of all officers to join a company of this size; 16% less likely than Army and 10% less likely than Navy officers.
7. 5,001 to 10,000 Employees (5%): least likely of all officers to join a company of this size; 19% less likely than Army and 15% less likely than Navy officers.
8. 501 to 1,000 Employees (5%): least likely of all officers to join a company of this size; 24% less likely than Army and 13% less likely than Navy officers.
9. Self-Employed (1%): least likely of all officers to join a company of this size; 14% less likely than Navy and 0.03% less likely than Army officers.

U.S. Navy [data visualization here]:

Industries [data visualization here]:

The top twelve industry categories for Navy officers is as follows:

1. Government & Law (20%)
2. Technology (17%): most likely of all officers to pursue this Industry; 29% more likely than Army and 20% more likely than Navy officers.
3. Business (10%)
4. Financial Services (9%)
5. Transportation (8%)
6. Other (8%): most likely of all officers to pursue this Industry; 99% more likely than Air Force and 25% more likely than Army officers.
7. Education & Research (6%): most likely of all officers to pursue this Industry; 26% more likely than Air Force and 3% more likely than Army officers.
8. Real Estate & Construction (6%)
9. Health Services (5%)
10. Manufacturing (3%)
11. Consumer Packaged Goods (3%)
12. Arts (4%): most likely of all officers to pursue this Industry; 3% more likely than Air Force and 0.1% more likely than Army officers.

Functional Roles [data visualization here]:

The top 10 Functional Roles for Navy officers is as follows:

1. Operations (23%)
2. Engineering (11%): most likely of all officers to pursue this Functional Role; 18% more likely than Army and 15% more likely than Air Force officers.
3. Program & Project Management (10%)
4. Entrepreneurship (10%)
5. Sales (10%)
6. Information Technology (8%)
7. Education (7%)
8. Finance (7%)
9. Consulting (7%)
10. Military & Protective Services (7%)

Company Size [data visualization here]:

Navy officers are most likely to join a company that has:

1. 10,000+ Employees (38%)
2. 1,001 to 5,000 Employees (14%): most likely of all officers to join a company of this size; 25% more likely than Air Force and 3% more likely than Army officers.
3. 51 to 200 Employees (10%): most likely of all officers to join a company of this size; 20% more likely than Air Force and 3% more likely than Army officers.
4. 11 to 50 Employees (10%): most likely of all officers to join a company of this size; 19% more likely than Air Force and 2% more likely than Army officers.
5. 201 to 500 Employees (8%)
6. 1 to 10 Employees (7%)
7. 5,001 to 10,000 Employees (6%)
8. 501 to 1,000 Employees (5%)
9. Self-Employed (1%): most likely of all officers to be self-employed; 16% more likely than both Army and Air Force officers.

Methodology for "Army vs. Air Force vs. Navy: How Branch of Military Services Affects One's Career"

The "Army vs. Air Force vs. Navy" data visualization base all analysis on graduates from service academies. The reason for this is that LinkedIn, through their "school" search criteria makes it possible to gather data for service academy graduates, but there is no other direct way to gather data for all military officers. I want to continue this research for the enlisted community, but felt that the data would be different enough that it was important to separate the data first. The final result of this initial data can be viewed here.

I grouped the data around several key areas related to a post-military career.

1. Industry: I looked at all 147 LinkedIn classified Industries, except for "Military." This was the easiest way to look at Army, Navy and Air Froce Officers on LinkedIn who are no longer on Active Duty. The 147 categories did not provide as much insight, so I created my own subset of categories in order to extract higher-level takeaways. I was unable to find any official guidance on the best way to create these subgroups, but provide an overview of my grouping here.
2. Function: Fortunately, LinkedIn only provides 12 different categories for Functional Roles. However, LinkedIn only shows the top 10 industries, so this is what I have shown in the data visualization.
3. Size of Company: This was the simplest to obtain, as LinkedIn only provides 9 categories for Company Size, and provides this data consistently for all service branches. As a result, the data here will be the most accurate to actual LinkedIn data.

In order to display the data, I used the New York Time's D3 model. Special thanks to Nemil Dalal, who put together the majority of this data, and helped me as I put together the small remainder he did not complete. I also used Upwork in a few locations to help me edit this models and add them to my Wordpress website template.

All feedback and suggestions are welcome here.

US Navy: How duration of military service affects career choices

This is the sixth article in a series of posts to provide Naval Officers with information to aid in their decision making process about a post-military career. You can read more about the purpose of this information or sign-up for updates about additional data to be distribute in the weeks ahead (to include information on the US Army and Air Force). Executive Summary: Aviators have the longest military tenure, with an average of 13.8 years prior to transition to civilian. They are followed by Submariners (11.0 years), Marines (9.9 years) and SWOs (9.3 years) There are extreme differences in the Industry and Geographic Location chosen by Naval Officers based on their number of years of Active Duty military service. The longer a veteran remains in the military, the more likely they are to transition to an industry adjacent to the military, and reside in a geographic area nearby a military base. As an example, those with 20+ years of service are 4.5 more likely to go into the Defense & Space Industry compared to someone with 5 years of service; similarly, after 20+ years of service a veteran is 2.5 more likely to end up in Washington D.C. than someone who serves 5 years of service. This report provides a breakdown of the most common industries, regions, and cities chosen by Naval Officer Veterans based on their years of service on Active Duty.

You can view the complete interactive data visualizations here.

For the sake of simplicity, I grouped all Naval Officers into four different groups:

1. Short-terms: 5 years or less of service
2. Midterms: 6-8 years of service
3. Careers: 9-19 years of service
4. Retirees: 20+ years of service

Short-terms (5 years or less)

Industry:

Naval Officers who depart the Navy at (or before) their five year point have an advantage compared to other Naval Officers of entering the following industries:

• Technology (20% of Short-terms): If you get out right at 5 years, you are most likely to go into Technology. You have a slight advantage over the Midterms (5% more likely), but significantly more likely than Careers (25% more likely) and Retirees (77% more likely).
• Finance (12% of Short-Terms): This make sense, as Finance is a relatively large jump for a veteran. Getting out early seems to provide more time to make this transition. Short-terms are 12% more likely than Midterms, 43% more likely than Careers, and 115% more likely than retirees to enter the world of Finance.
• Other (10% of Short-Terms): This one was also intuitive - if you're going to branch further away from the military and more standard career paths, you are more likely to do so if you have more time as a civilian. Short-Terms are just slightly more likely than Midterms to go into an "Other" industry (0.2% more likely) and just 8% more likely than Careers, but a full 94% more likely than Retirees.
• Health Services (6% of Short-Terms): Perhaps driven by the needs for additional schooling, Short-Terms have an advantage in the Health Services industry over those who remain on active duty longer. They are 20% more likely than Midterms, 30% more likely than Careers, and a whopping 202% more likely than Retirees to enter Health Services.
• Real Estate & Construction (5% of Short-Terms): I'm not sure why this is, but if you are amongst the first to get out of the military, you have a higher probability of getting into Real Estate and Construction. This is barely ahead of the Midterms (1% more likely), but a whole 59% more likely than Careers and 46% more likely than Retirees.

At the same time, if you are amongst the first to get out of the Navy, you have a disadvantage of ending up in the industry of:

• Government & Law (16% of Short-Terms): Although this is still the second highest grouping for this cohort, you are least likely of all Naval Officers to go into Government & Law if you get out right at the 5 year point. Specifically, you are 7% less likely than the Midterms, 27% less likely than Careers, and 55% less likely than Retirees.
• Transportation (4% of Short-Terms): If you get out in five years or less, you are the least likely of all Naval Officers to enter the Transportation industry. Specifically, you are 19% less likely than Midterms, and 72% less likely than both Careers and Retirees.

Geography:

Those Naval Officers who get out in five years or less are more likely to end up outside of "Navy Towns", and are most likely of all Naval Officers to end up in:

• The West (24% of Short-Terms): If you like the West and the West Coast, you're most likely to end up there if you're amongst the first to transition to civilian life. Specifically, you're 14% more likely than Midterms, 12% more likely than Careers, and 22% more likely than Retirees.
• Outside of US (2.6% of Short-Terms): It also looks like those who get out first are a bit more adventurous when it comes to living locations. They are the most likely of Naval Officers to live outside of the US, a full 21% more likely than Midterms, 3% more likely than Careers, and 8% more likely than Retirees.
• Top Cities: Short-terms are most likely to end up living in the following areas:

1. Washington D.C. (9%)
2. New York (5%)
3. San Diego (4%)
4. San Francisco (4%): Short-terms are the most likely to live in San Francisco, 84% more likely than Midterms, 63% more likely than Careers, and 375% more likely than Retirees.
5. Philadelphia (3%): Short-terms are the most likely to live in Philadelphia, 18% more likely than Midterms, 98% more likely than Careers, and 152% more likely than Retirees.
6. Seattle (3%): Although not as extreme of a difference, Short-terms are the most likely to live in Seattle; they are 29% more likely than Midterms, 23% more likely than Careers, and 38% more likely than Retirees.
7. Dallas (3%): Short-terms are the most likely to live in Dallas; 5% more likely than Midterms, 22% more likely than Careers, and 256% more likely than Retirees.
8. Houston (3%)
9. Boston (2%)
10. Baltimore (2%)

Midterms (6 to 8 Years of Service)

Industry:

Naval Officers who depart the Navy after between 6 to 8 Years of Service (Midterms) have an advantage compared to other Naval Officers of entering the following industries:

• Business (13% of Midterms): This surprised me, as I would have thought that Short-terms would have an advantage in business. However, it turns out that Midterms are are 13% more likely than Short-terms, 28% more likely than Careers, and 48% more likely than Retirees to go into the Business Industry.
• Manufacturing (5% of Midterms): I'm not sure if this is related to the increased timer in management, or perhaps more functional expertise in engineering, but Midterms have a significant advantage in the Manufacturing industry. Midterms are 46% more likely than Short-terms, 84% more likely than Careers, and 139% more likely than Retirees to enter the Manufacturing industry.
• Consumer Packaged Goods (3% of Midterms): If you stay in for those one to three extra years, you're more likely to go into the CPG industry. Although you're only 4% more like than Short-terms to go into CPG, you're a full 80% more likely than Careers and 316% more likely than Retirees to enter CPG.

At the same time, if you transition from Active Duty after six to eight years of service, you are at a disadvantage to enter the industry of:

• Education & Research (4% of Midterms): Midterms are the least likely of all Naval Officers to pursue Education & Research. Specifically, they are 33% less likely than Short-terms,13% less likely than Careers, and 35% less likely than Retirees to enter Education & Research.

Geography:

Those Naval Officers who get out after six to eight years of service are more likely to end up outside of "Navy Towns", and are most likely of all Naval Officers to end up in:

• The Northeast (18% of Midterms): Those who get out after six to eight years of service dominate the Northeast. Although Midterms are only 8% more likely than Short-terms to end up in the Northeast, they are 31% more likely than Careers and 139% more likely than Retirees to end up in the Northeast.
• The Midwest (12% of Midterms): Midterms are not too far ahead of Short-terms (5% more likely) and Careers (4% more likely), but significantly more likely than Retirees (83% more likely) to end up in the Midwest.
• Top Cities: Midterms are most likely to end up living in the following areas:

1. Washington D.C. (10%)
2. New York (6%): Midterms are the most likely to end up in New York; 12% more likely than Short-terms, 98% more likely than Careers, and 434% more likely than Retirees.
3. San Diego (5%)
4. Dallas (3%): Midterms are the most likely to end up in Dallas; 14% more likely than Short-terms, 20% more likely than Careers, and 38% more likely than Retirees.
5. Baltimore (3%): Midterms are the most likely to end up in Baltimore; 29% more likely than Short-terms, 1% more likely than Careers, and 35% more likely than Retirees.
6. Atlanta (3%): Midterms are the most likely to end up in Atlanta; 58% more likely than Short-terms, 29% more likely than Careers, and 210% more likely than Retirees.
7. Boston (3%): Midterms are the most likely to end up in Boston; 25% more likely than Short-terms, 30% more likely than Careers, and 91% more likely than Retirees.
8. Houston (3%):
9. Philadelphia (3%)
10. Chicago (2%)

Careers (9 to 19 Years of Service)

Industry:

Naval Officers who depart the Navy after between 9 to 19 Years of Service (Careers) do not have a particular industry advantage over Short-terms, Midterms, and Retirees. However, they are more likely than both Short-terms and Midterms to enter into the industries of Government & Law and Transportation.

At the same time, if you transition from Active Duty after 9 to 19 years of service, you are at a disadvantage to enter the industry of:

• Real Estate & Construction (3% of Careers): Careers are less likely than other year groups to enter Real Estate & Construction. They are 37% less likely than Short-terms, 36% less likely than Midterms, and 8% less likely than Retirees to enter Real Estate & Construction.

Geography:

Nothing stood out for the Geographic preferences of those getting out of the military after 9 to 19 years of service. Their Geographic distribution was consistent with the Navy at large, and did not dominate any geographic area.

• Top Cities:  are most likely to end up living in the following areas:

1. Washington D.C. (13%)
2. San Diego (5%): Careers are the most likely to end up in San Diego; 27% more likely than Short-terms, 7% more likely than Midterms, and 3% more likely than Retirees.
3. Norfolk (3%)
4. Baltimore (3%)
5. New York (3%)
6. Dallas (3%)
7. Chicago (2%): Careers are the most likely to end up in Chicago; 21% more likely than Short-terms, 13% more likely than Midterms, and 277% more likely than Retirees.
8. San Francisco (2%)
9. Houston (2%)
10. Atlanta (2%)

Retirees (20+ Years of Service)

Industry:

Naval Officers who depart the Navy after 20 or more Years of Service (Retirees) have an advantage compared to other Naval Officers of entering the following industries:

• Government & Law (36% of Retirees): This makes sense, but those with the longest amount of service are most likely to remain in Government service. Specifically, Retirees are 124% more likely than Short-terms, 109% more likely than Midterms, and 63% more likely than Careers to enter the industry of Government & Law.
• Transportation (15% of Retirees): Driven largely by the Airlines & Aviation industries, Retirees are the most likely of all year groups to enter the Transportation industry. Specifically, Retirees are a whopping 256% more likely than Short-terms, 190% more likely than Midterms, and 1% more likely than Careers to enter the Transportation industry.
• Education & Research (6% of Retirees): Driven mostly by the "Education Management" industry, Retirees are the most likely to go into Education & Research. Retirees are just 3% more likely than Short-terms, but 55% more likely than Midterms and 34% more likely than Careers to enter Education & Research.
• Arts (4% of Retirees): In one of the most surprising upsets of all times, Retirees are the most likely of all Naval Officers to enter into the Arts industry. I wanted to run around the block screaming "Goooooaaaal!" when I saw this one, picturing all of them Captains and Admirals painting outside after they transition. I think it's awesome. Retirees are 17% more likely than Short-terms, 22% more likely than Midterms, and 30% more likely than Careers to enter into the Arts industry.

At the same time, if you transition from Active Duty after 20+ years of service, you are at a disadvantage of entering quite a few fields. As already alluded to above, you are the least likely of all Naval Officers to enter into Technology, Business, Other, Financial Services, Manufacturing, Health Services, and Consumer Packaged Goods.

Geography:

Those Naval Officers who get out after six to eight years of service are more likely to end up outside of "Navy Towns", and are most likely of all Naval Officers to end up in:

• The South (63% of Retirees): Those who stay in for 20 or more years of service are the most likely to end up in the South. Retirees are 43% more likely than Short-terms, 36% more likely than Midterms, and 24% more likely than Careers to end up in the South.
• Top Cities: Retirees are most likely to end up living in the following areas:

1. Washington D.C. (22%): Retirees are the most likely to end up in D.C.;142% more likely than Short-terms, 122% more likely than Midterms, and 72% more likely than Careers.
2. Norfolk (6%): Retirees are the most likely to end up in Norfolk; 440% more likely than Short-terms, 465% more likely than Midterms, and 69% more likely than Careers.
3. San Diego (5%)
4. Dallas (2%)
5. Baltimore (2%)
6. Seattle (2%)
7. Tampa (2%): Retirees are the most likely to end up in Tampa; 116% more likely than Short-terms, 223% more likely than Midterms, and 246% more likely than Careers.
8. Virginia Beach (2%): Retirees are the most likely to end up in Virginia Beach; 301% more likely than Short-terms, 950% more likely than Midterms, and 176% more likely than Careers.
9. Boston (1%)
10. Annapolis (1%)

I

Where do Naval Officer Veterans live after separation from the military?

This is the fifth article in a series of posts to provide Naval Officers with information to aid in their decision making process about a post-military career. You can read more about the purpose of this information or sign-up for updates about additional data to be distribute in the weeks ahead (to include information on the US Army and Air Force). Executive Summary: The vast majority of Naval Officer veterans live in the South (55%), while the West (21%), Northeast (15%) and Midwest (9%) trail distantly behind. The most popular location for Naval Officer veterans is Washington D.C (17%), followed by California (12%), Texas (9%) and New York (5%). Across Warfare Specialities, Aviators are the most likely to live in the South (60% of Aviators), while Marines are the most likely to live in the West (23% of Marines). Submariners are the most likely of all Naval Officers to reside in the Northeast (18% of Submariners), while SWOs are the most likely to live in the Midwest (12% of SWOs). A breakdown of cities and states is provided in the data visualization.

You can view the complete interactive data visualizations here.

Navy-Wide Trends:

The majority of Naval Officer veterans live in the South (55% of Naval Officers), while the West (21%), Northeast (15%) and Midwest (9%) trail distantly behind. Where they live correlated well with the locations of major Naval Bases - California (12% of Naval Officers), Virginia (7%), Florida (5%), Washington (3%), Georgia (3%), North Carolina (3%), South Carolina (2%), and Hawaii (1%). The top non-Navy-base locations turned out to be Texas (9%), Maryland (6%), New York (5%), Pennsylvania (5%), and Massachusetts (3%).

The top 10 most popular locations for Naval Officer veterans are:

1. Washington D.C. (17% of Naval Officers)
2. California (12% of Naval Officers)
3. Texas (9% of Naval Officers)
4. Virginia (7% of Naval Officers)
5. Maryland (6% of Naval Officers)
6. New York (5% of Naval Officers)
7. Florida (5% of Naval Officers)
8. Pennsylvania (5% of Naval Officers)
9. Washington (3% of Naval Officers)
10. Georgia (3% of Naval Officers)

Warfare Specialty Trends

Submarine Officers (Submariners)  Compared to all Naval Officers, Submariners are the more likely to end upin the Northeast (18% of Submariners). Additionally, they are more likely than their counterparts to reside in:

• Georgia (4% of Submariners): given the Submarine base in Kingsbay, this makes sense.
• North Carolina (3% of Submariners): given the Marine Corps presence in North Carolina, I was surprised that they did not lead the charge here. However, Submariners beat them out slightly with their presence in North Carolina after separation.

Submariners are the least likely of all Naval Officers to end up in:

• Washington D.C. (15% of Submariners): although still the biggest location for Submariners, they are 22% less likely than SWOs, 19% less likely than Marines, and 16% less likely than Aviators to end up here.
• California (9% of Submariners): sadly, Submariners don't end up here as much as other Naval Officers. They are 43% less likely than Marines, 29% less likely than Aviators, and 23% less likely than SWOs to end up in California
• Texas (7% of Submariners): Texas does not win over the undersea warfare community, with Submariners being 38% less likely than Aviators, 35% less likely than Marines, and 17% less likely than SWOs to reside here.
• Florida (3% of Submariners): Florida also loses out on the former Nucs. Submariners are 57% less likely than Aviators, 42% less likely than Marines, and 31% less likely than SWOs to end up here.

A full list of cities and states are provided here.

Surface Warfare Officers (SWOs)

Compared to all Naval Officers, SWOs are the more likely to end up in the Midwest (12% of SWOs). Additionally, they are more likely than their counterparts to reside in:

• Washington D.C. (19% of SWOs): SWOs are most likely to reside in the capital, as they are 28% more likely than Submariners, 8% more likely than Aviators, and 3% more likely than Marines to end up here.
• Virginia (11% of SWOs): they must love their time stationed in Virginia, because SWOs are 203% more likely than Marines, 63% more likely than Submariners, and 25% more likely than Aviators to end up here after separation from the military.
• Maryland (8% of SWOs): it's good to be close to Annapolis, and SWOs are 53% more likely than Marines, 40% more likely than Submariners, and 23% more likely than Aviators to end up here after separation.

A full list of cities and states are provided here.

U.S. Marine Corps Officers (Marines)

Compared to all Naval Officers, Marines are the more likely to end up in the West (23% of Marines). Additionally, they are more likely than their counterparts to reside in:

• California (16% of Marines): Who said Marines were uptight? They are the most likely to end up in California, 77% more likely than Submariners, 36% more likely than SWOs, and 26% more likely than Aviators to end up in California.
• New York (7% of Marines): Marines break away from the pack, heading to New York after they transition. They are 136% more likely than Aviators, 41% more likely than SWOs, and 9% more likely than Submariners to end up in New York.
• Maryland (8% of Marines): it's good to be close to Annapolis, and SWOs are 53% more likely than Marines, 40% more likely than Submariners, and 23% more likely than Aviators to end up here after separation.
• Pennsylvania (6% of Marines): Marines are the most likely to end up in Pennsylvania, a full 56% more likely than Aviators, 41% more likely than SWOs, and 8% more likely than Submariners to end up here.

A full list of cities and states are provided here.

Naval Aviators (Aviators)

Compared to all Naval Officers, Aviators are the most likely to end up in the South (60% of Aviators). Additionally, they are more likely than their counterparts to reside in:

• Texas (11% of Aviators): Aviators are 62% more likely than Submariners, 34% more likely than SWOs, and 5% more likely than Marines to end up in Texas.
• Florida (7% of Aviators): Heralding back to their Flight School days, Aviators dominate Florida. They are 134% more likely than Submariners, 61% more likely than SWOs, and 37% more likely than Marines to end up in Florida.
• Washington (4% of Aviators): Aviators are 147% more likely than Marines, 5% more likely than SWOs and 2% more likely than Submariners to head to Washington when they get out.

A full list of cities and states are provided here.

What size company do Naval Officers veterans join?

This is the fourth article in a series of posts to provide Naval Officers with information to aid in their decision making process about a post-military career. You can read more about the purpose of this information or sign-up for updates about additional data to be distribute in the weeks ahead (to include information on the US Army and Air Force). Executive Summary: Across the board, Naval Officers Veterans have a tendency towards larger companies, with 45% of veterans employed at a company with 10,000 or more employees. The percentages of Naval Officers declines with company size accordingly. Across Warfare Specialties, Aviators are the most likely to be at extremely large companies (weighted heavily by their presence in the Airlines & Aviation Industry). Marines are more likely than their counterparts to end up at a small company (1 to 50 employees), while Submariners are the most likely specialty to be self-employed. SWOs are more likely than others to end up at a medium sized company (501 to 10k employees).

After looking into the industry and functional roles available to transitioning military veterans, I next looked at the size of company they tend to join. Not surprisingly, most Naval Officer veterans join extremely large companies, with 45% of them joining a company with 10,000+ employees.

You can view the complete interactive data visualizations here.

Key Takeaways:

I found it most interesting that almost across the board, the smaller the company is, the less likely a Naval Officer Veteran is to join it. That said, comparing each Warfare Specialty to each other, Marines lead the charge in small companies (1 to 50 Employees), while Submariners do their own thing by being self-employed. Aviators flock to the massive companies (10k+ Employees), and SWOs are more likely to join a medium-sized company (501 to 10k Employees).

Navy-Wide Trends:

The full breakdown is:

1. 10,000+ Employees (45% of Naval Officers)
2. 1,001 – 5,000 Employees (13% of Naval Officers)
3. 51 – 200 Employees (9% of Naval Officers)
4. 11 – 50 Employees (8% of Naval Officers)
5. 5,001 – 10,000 Employees (7% of Naval Officers)
6. 201 – 500 Employees (7% of Naval Officers)
7. 1 to 10 Employees (6% of Naval Officers)
8. 501 – 1,000 Employees (5% of Naval Officers)
9. Self-employed (1% of Naval Officers)

I found it more interesting, however, to look at how each branch of the Navy compares to each other in terms of the Size of Company they pursue. As with Industries and functions, I've restricted my analysis to Submarine, Surface Warfare, Marine Corps, and Aviation Officers, as there was insufficient data for other service groups. For additional information about methodology you can read more here.

Warfare Specialty Trends

Submarine Officers (Submariners)  Compared to all Naval Officers, Submariners are the most likely of their peers to join a company that has:

• 51 – 500 Employees(17% of Submariners): your typical submarine has 130-180 crewmembers, so it’s not surprising that Submariners would be more likely than their peers to seek out organizations with a comparable team size. Submariners are 24% more likely than Aviators, and 7% more likely than both SWOs and Marines to end up in a company of this size.
• Self-Employed (1% of Submariners): perhaps due to all that time on their own underwater, cut off from the rest of the world, Submariners are the most likely of all Naval Officers to be self-employed. Submariners are 90% more likely than Marines, 21% more likely than Aviators, and 4% more likely than SWOs to be self-employed.

Compared to all Naval Officers, Submariners are the least likely of their peers to join a company that has:

• 1 to 50 Employees:(12% of Submariners): I actually would have thought that Submariners would be more likely than their peers to seek out smaller companies, but this didn’t prove to be true. Submariners are 27% less likely than Marines,    23% less likely than Aviators, and 5% less likely than SWOs to end up at companies of this size.

Submariners are most likely to end up a company with a size of:

1. 10k+ Employees (44% of Submariners)
2. 501 – 10k Employees (27% of Submariners)
3. 51 – 500 Employees (17% of Submariners)
4. 1 – 50 Employees (12% of Submariners)
5. Self-Employed (1% of Submariners)

You can see the complete data for Submarine Officer company sizes here.

Surface Warfare Officers (SWOs) Compared to all Naval Officers, SWOs are the most likely of their peers to join a company that has:

• 501-10,000 Employees (27% of SWOs): This also seemed intuitive, as many Surface Ships are in the lower end of this range. SWOs are 34% more likely than Aviators, 5% more likely than Marines, and 1% more likely than Submariners to end up in companies of this size.

SWOs are most likely to end up in a company that has a size of:

1. 10k+ Employees (44% of SWOs)
2. 501 – 10k Employees (27% of SWOs)
3. 51 – 500 Employees (16% of SWOs)
4. 1 – 50 Employees (12% of SWOs)
5. Self-Employed (1% of SWOs)

You can see the complete data for Surface Warfare Officer company sizes here.

U.S. Marine Corps Officers (Marines) Marines are the most likely of all Naval Officers to choose a company that has a size of:

• 1 to 50 Employees (16% of Marines): Accustomed to working in smaller, tighter units, it seemed intuitive that Marines would seek out organizations that were smaller and closer in nature. Marines are 37% more likely than Submariners, 31% more likely than SWOs, and 6% more likely than Aviators to seek out companies of this size

Marines are the least likely of all Naval Officers to choose a company that has a size of:

• 10k+ Employees (42% of Marines): For the same reason, it seems like Marines avoid massive organizations (compared to their peers). Marines are 17% less likely than Aviators, 5% less likely than SWOs, and 4% less likely than Submariners to join a company of this size.
• Self Employed (0.5% of Marines): I was most surprised by this, as I thought Marines would be the most likely of all Naval Officers to be self-employed. However, it turns out that they’re 47% less likely than Submariners, 45% less likely than SWOs, and 36% less likely than Aviators to be self-employed.

Marines are most likely to end up in a company that has a size of:

1. 10k+ Employees (42% of Marines)
2. 501 – 10k Employees (25% of Marines)
3. 1 – 50 Employees (16% of Marines)
4. 51 – 500 Employees (16% of Marines)
5. Self-Employed (0.5% of Marines)

You can see the complete data for Marine Corps Officer functions here.

Naval Aviators (Aviators) Aviators are the most likely of all Naval Officers to join a company that has a size of:

• 10,000+ Employees (50% of Aviators): I imagine this is mostly driven by their large numbers in the Airlines and Aviation Industry, Aviators are the most likely of all Naval Officers to join a massive company. Aviators are 20% more likely than Marines, 15% more likely than Submariners, and 14% more likely than SWOs to join massive organizations.

Aviators are most likely to end up in a company that has a size of:

1. 10k+ Employees (50% of Aviators)
2. 501 – 10k Employees (20% of Aviators)
3. 1 – 50 Employees (15% of Aviators)
4. 51 – 500 Employees (14% of Aviators)
5. Self-Employed (0.8% of Aviators)

You can see the complete data for Naval Aviation Officer size of companies here.

Summary

This was perhaps the least surprising aspect of trends that I looked at, as my starting assumption was that Naval Officers would join larger companies. However, it’s interesting to see the subtle differences between each group. Next, I'll show data for where Naval Officers end up living once they depart from the military.

What Industries are Naval Officer Veterans Most Likely to Pursue

This is the second article in a series of posts to provide active duty members of the Armed Forces with information to aid in their decision making process about a post-military career. You can view the first article in this series here, as well as sign-up for updates about additional data to be distribute in the weeks ahead. I've started my analysis with Naval Officers in order to make the analysis simpler, but will expand to additional military branches in future posts. One of the first steps taken in a civilian career is to decide on an industry of focus. These industries range from the most common for Naval Officers – “Defense and Space” (12.8% of all Naval Officer veterans) – to the more outlandish (my hat’s off to the 0.05% who have found their calling in “Arts & Crafts”). While the companies within any industry likely vary significantly, there are broader trends within the industry in terms of skill set required, lifestyle provided, and precedent for veterans within the industry. My focus in this article is to provide information for the latter.

While LinkedIn provides 147 different industry classifications, to simplify my analysis I’ve consolidated this to 12 industries. Within the data visualization, you can expand to see a breakdown of all 147 industries, or simply view the 12 groupings. I looked at trends across all US Naval Officers, as well as specifically for Submarine, Surface Warfare, Marine Corps, and Aviation Officers. Unfortunately, there was insufficient data to provide reliable analysis for other Navy communities (SEALs, Seabees, etc). For additional information about methodology you can read more here.

You can view the complete interactive data visualizations here.

Additionally, I wanted to point out a few trends that I saw while analyzing this data.

All Naval Officers

Industry selection varied noticeably among the different Naval Warfare Specialties (more info below). However, for all Naval Officers these were the most popular industries:

1. Government & Law (22% of Naval Officers): buoyed heavily by "Defense & Space" as a sub industry, this was the #1 most likely Industry for all Officers except Aviators (who favor the Transportation industry).
2. Technology (17% of Naval Officers): this was the #2 industry for every service group except for Aviators (theirs was Government & Law).
3. Business (11% of Naval Officers): this was the #3 industry for SWO and Marines, but #5 for Submarines and a close #4 for Aviators.
4. Transportation (9%): buoyed heavily by Aviators (their #1 Industry, with 28% of Aviators choosing Transportation).
5. Financial Services (9%): slightly behind Transportation, Financial Services is actually the #4 Industry for each branch of service, but was slightly behind Transportation on totals due to the spike with Aviators.

Submarine Officers (Submariners)  Compared to all Naval Officers, Submariners are the most likely of their peers to choose careers in the:

• Technology industry (19% of Submariners): likely due to their required training in nuclear engineering, Submariners are the most likely to find a career within Technology. (See a complete list of Technology industries here). Submariners are 53% more likely than Naval Aviators, and 7.8% more likely than SWO, and 7.1% more likely than Marines to end up in Technology.
• Other Industry (17% of Submariners): I'm not entirely sure why this is (I guess it may be since most of us Submariners are a little different anyways), but Submariners also dominate the longtail industries that did not fall into more specific categories. (See a complete list of “Other” industries here). Submariners completely dominate this “Other” category, where they are 249% more than Aviators, 234% more than Marines, and 80% more than SWO to find a career here.
• Education & Research industry (6% of Submariners): also likely to the breadth of their engineering training, Submariners tend to gravitate to educational and research roles. (See a complete list of Education & Research industries here). Submariners are 31% more likely than Aviators, 11% more than Marines, and 8% more than SWO to end up in the Education & Research industry.

Submarine officers are the least likely of all Naval Officers to end up in an industry of:

• Health Services (4% of Submariners): I actually would have thought that the nuclear engineering training might bias more Submariners to enter the rigorous Health Services industry, but it seems like the opposite is true. Submariners are the least likely to end up as your physician or health services staff. (See a complete list of Health Services industries here). Submariners are 39% less likely than Marines, 14% less than Aviators, and 11% less than SWO to pursue a career in Health Services.
• Arts (2% of Submariners): perhaps this is a side effect of all that engineering training, but Submariners are the least likely to go into the more creative Arts industry (See a complete list of Arts industries here). Submariners are 39% less than Marines, 26% less than SWO, and 21% less than Aviators to enter into the Arts.
• Real Estate & Construction (2% of Submariners): all that time underwater may adversely impact the around-the-house handiness of Submariners, as they’re the least likely of all Naval Officers to pursue a career in Real Estate & Construction. (See a complete list of Real Estate & Construction industries here). Submariners are 59% less likely than Marines, 56% less likely than SWO, 44% less likely than Aviators to pursue a career in Real Estate & Construction.

You can see the complete data for Submarine Officer industries here.

Surface Warfare Officers (SWOs) Compared to all Naval Officers, SWOs are the most likely of their peers to choose careers in the:

• Government & Law (25% of SWOs): Not only are SWOs the most likely of all Naval Officers to enter Government & Law, but it is also the #1 Industry choice for SWO veterans. Looks like all those sea lawyering skills pay off in the civilian sector :) (See a complete list of Health Services industries here). SWOs are 27% more likely than Aviators, 23% more likely than Marines, 6% more likely than Submariners to pursue a career in Financial Services.
• Financial Services (10% of SWOs): SWOs have a penchant for numbers and money, as they are most likely of all Naval Officers to pursue a career in the Financial Services industries. (See a complete list of Financial Services industries here). SWOs are 28% more likely than Aviators, 18% more likely than Marines, and 9% more likely than Submariners to pursue a career in the Financial Services.
• Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) (4% of SWOs): CPG isn’t a popular industry for Naval Officer veterans, but SWOs dominate this field. (See a complete list of CPG industries here). SWOs are 161% more likely than Aviators, 92% more likely than Submariners, and 11% more likely than Marines veterans to pursue a career in CPG.
• Manufacturing (4% of SWOs): SWOs seem to be the handiest of all Naval Officer veterans, as they are most likely of all Naval Officer veterans to pursue a career in the Manufacturing industry. (See a complete list of Manufacturing industries here). SWOs are 78% more likely than Aviators, 32% more likely than Marines, and 10% more likely than Submariners to pursue a career in Manufacturing.

SWOs are the least likely of all Naval Officers to end up in an industry of:

• Transportation (3% of SWOs): all that time on ships must kill their desire to do any more transportation, as SWOs are the least likely of all Naval Officers to pursue a career in the Transportation industry. (See a complete list of Transportation industries here). SWOs are 91% less likely than Aviators, 69% less likely than Marines, and 14% less likely than Submariners to pursue a career in Transportation.

You can see the complete data for Surface Warfare Officer industries here.

U.S. Marine Corps Officers (Marines) Marines are the most likely of all Naval Officers to end up in an industry of:

• Business (14% of Marines): When it comes to wheeling and dealing in the business world, Marines seem to have the easiest time making the transition - Marines are most likely of all Naval Officers to pursue a career in Business.(See a complete list of Health Services industries here). Marines are 73% more likely than Aviators, 49% more likely than Submariners, and 32% more likely than SWOs to pursue a career in Business.
• Health Services (6% of Marines): Marines seem to take the adage, “Take care of your people” to the next level, as they are the most likely of all Naval Officers to pursue a career in the Health Services industry. (See a complete list of Health Services industries here). Marines are 63% more likely than Submariners, 45% more likely than SWOs, and 40% more likely than Aviators to pursue a career in Health Services.
• Real Estate and Construction (6%): All that rolling around in the mud and rolling up your sleeves to get your hands dirty pay off for Marines – they are the most likely of all Naval Officers to pursue a career in Real Estate and Construction. (See a complete list of the Real Estate and Construction industries here). Marines are 143% more likely than Submariners, 36% more likely than Aviators, and 7% more likely than SWOs to pursue a career in Real Estate and Construction. 
• Arts (4% of Marines): this might have been the most surprising trend to me, but it looks like Marines are more likely than any other Naval Officer to pursue a career in the Arts (insert your own favorite Marine Corps hippy reference here). (See a complete list of the Arts industries here). Marines are 63% more likely than Submariners, 28% more likely than Aviators, and 20% more likely than SWOs to pursue a career in the Arts.

You can see the complete data for Marine Corps Officer industries here.

Naval Aviators (Aviators) Aviators are the most likely of all Naval Officers to end up in an industry of:

• Transportation (28% of Aviators): In the least surprising finding in the entire study, Naval Aviators are the most likely of all Naval Officers to end up in the Transportation industry, which is dominated by Airlines, Aviation and Aerospace.(See a complete list of the Transportation industries here). Aviators are 999% more likely than SWOs, 845% more likely than Submariners, and 240% more likely than Marines to enter the Transportation industry.

Aviators are the least likely of all Naval Officers to end up in an industry of:

• Technology (12% of Aviators): Although a large swath of aviators enter into technology, they are the least likely of all Naval Officers to do so. Top Gun featured more time in bars and in jets than looking in manuals, so maybe not too surprising.(See a complete list of the Technology industries here). Aviators are 34% less likely than Submariners, 30% less likely than SWOs, and 29% less likely than Marines to enter the Technology industry.
• Financial Services (8% of Aviators): When you fly billion dollar aircraft for a living, maybe you don't need the high pace lifestyle Financial Services are known for, as Aviators are the least likely of all Naval Officers to enter the Financial Services industry. (See a complete list of the Financial Services industries here). Aviators are 22% less likely than SWOs, 15% less likely than Submariners, and 8% less likely than Marines to enter the Financial Services industry.
• Business (8% of Aviators): While they may be all business in the air, they're less so on the ground, as Aviators are the least likely of all Naval Officers to pursue a career in Business. (See a complete list of the Business industries here). Aviators are 42% less likely than Marines, 24% less likely than SWOs, and 14% less likely than Submariners to enter the Business industry.
• Education & Research (4% of Aviators): This may be driven by their longer length of required service, but Aviators are the least likely of all Naval Officers to pursue a career in the Education & Research industry.  (See a complete list of the Education & Research industries here). Aviators are 23% less likely than Submariners, 17% less likely than SWOs, and 15% less likely than Marines to enter the Education & Research industry.
• Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) (1% of Aviators): I'm not sure for the reason on this one, but Aviators are the least likely of all Naval Officers to enter the CPG industry. (See a complete list of the CPG industries here). Aviators are 62% less likely than SWOs, 57% less likely than Marines, 27% less likely than Submariners to enter the CPG industry.

You can see the complete data for Naval Aviation Officer industries here.

Summary

While Naval Officer veterans can be found in virtually every civilian industry, I hope these trends are helpful. My intention is to make active duty personnel more aware of the broad spectrum of jobs for which they are extremely well qualified. At the very least, the trends may help spark the career search for active duty personnel who are planning their transition to a civilian career. Next, I'll show data for which Functional Roles Naval Officer veterans pursue within these industries.

Beyond the Uniform: What Military Veterans do in their Civilian Career

I was recently at birthday party that had in attendance several (albeit younger and still on active duty) fellow Naval Academy graduates. There I heard a refrain I had long since forgotten: what am I going to do when I get out? It struck me as a reminder of how little visibility active duty military officers have on what career possibilities await them. When I was serving onboard nuclear submarines, I faced a similar challenge. The veil separating me from civilian possibilities was intimidating. When I decided to resign my commission, my thought process was as simple as:

1. I like managing people
2. I imagine that if I want to manage people in the civilian sector it will have something to do with business
3. Therefore, I’ll go to business school

At Stanford, I started to realize just how little I knew about my career possibilities. Veterans are exceptionally well qualified for a broad and diverse set of civilian career options. However, it pains me to see many veterans make a major career decision while not having access to information that might better inform their decision. This includes members of the Armed Forces who:

• Make a hasty decision to leave the military, only to realize the depth of satisfaction and camaraderie they enjoyed while on active duty and miss as a civilian
• Remain on active duty out of fear of the unknown
• Depart from the military and settle in a career not well aligned with their personal interests due to a lack of knowledge of more suitable (though less known) career options

I believe that – while all veterans share a wealth of common experiences and values – we each have different desires, personal goals, and priorities. So, sadly, there is not one universal answer to the complex question of what to do with ones life and career. However, I also believe (as Master Chief Granito was fond of saying at each all-hands meeting on the USS Alaska) that “knowledge is power.” As a result, my intention is to delve into data, insight, and information that I wish I had known at the time of my separation from the military. It is my hope that this knowledge, I can in some way give back to a community that has given me so much.

If this topic resonates with you, I ask that you share this with anyone you believe would benefit from this knowledge. In the following weeks, I’ll be posting on topics including:

• What Industries are most popular for veterans
• What Functional Roles are most common for veterans
• What size companies are most likely to employee veterans
• What geographic locations are most typical for veterans post separation
• How time in service affects each of these factors
• How one’s branch of service affects each of these factors

To be updated as I release more information, you can follow me on LinkedIn, or request updates at http://www.beyondtheuniform.io. Additionally, if you have ideas on what additional information would be valuable to the men and women who serve in our country’s military, please contact me here.