Opportunities for Military Police Veterans

I'm a veteran with a military police background. I'm curious about what career paths others in my situation have taken. Any advice on leveraging this experience in the job market?

Firstly, thank you for your service and dedication to our country. With a military police background, you have a unique and highly valuable skill set that translates into several civilian career paths.

Career choices for military police veterans often naturally gravitate towards fields where they can utilize their unique training and experience. Options in law enforcement or security are common choices, with roles like police officer, deputy sheriff, or work in federal law enforcement with agencies like the FBI, DEA, or DHS. Your experience with discipline, logistics, teamwork, and operating under pressure are desirable attributes in these fields.

However, your options aren't limited to the public sector. In the private sector, security management at corporations or work in asset protection for retail companies could benefit from your experiences. Many major corporations, hospitals, universities, and even some larger school districts have their own security forces. In this type of role, you may be doing everything from conducting risk assessments, planning security measures, hiring and coordinating security personnel, and liaising with local law enforcement.

Additionally, investigative roles such as private investigator or fraud investigator are other pathways to consider. Your military police experience would lend well to the problem-solving, confidence under pressure, and thoroughness required in these positions.

Another consideration could be a shift towards law, either as a paralegal or a lawyer. If interested, you could use your veteran’s education benefits (like the Post-9/11 GI Bill) to further your education in this area.

Lastly, roles in emergency management or disaster response could also be a good fit. These roles involve coordinating responses to natural disasters, terrorist threats, or other emergencies, and would benefit from your logistical and strategic planning skills.

Networking with others, such as joining veteran-focused job boards or LinkedIn groups, could be a good way to explore these possibilities more and see what others with a military police background have done. Remember to frame your military police experience in a way that highlights transferable skills for different careers during your job search. Many organizations value the rigor, discipline, and leadership abilities that military veterans bring to the table, and these attributes will surely serve you well in your next career.