Military jobs with an international relations degree

If I major in international relations, what career opportunities would that open up in the military? I'm especially interested in jobs that involve diplomacy or working in different countries.

There are quite a few roles in the military where an international relations degree could prove beneficial. You might find these roles particularly aligning with your interests in diplomacy and working abroad:

1. Foreign Area Officer (FAO): FAOs are commissioned officers from any of the military branches who are regionally-focused experts in political-military operations. They possess a unique blend of strategic focus, regional expertise, and language skills. They normally serve as Defense Attachés, Security Cooperation Officers and political-military advisers.

2. Civil Affairs Officer: In this role, you would be involved with civilian-military operations. This role may require you to coordinate military operations with humanitarian NGOs, indigenous populations, and governments. This role is especially critical in peacekeeping missions and scenarios involving nation-building.

3. Military Intelligence Officer: Here, your understanding of international relations would help you collect and analyze critical information about an enemy to help military commanders make informed decisions.

4. Defense Attaché: Defense Attachés serve at US embassies worldwide, representing the Secretary of Defense, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Commander of their service. They can be responsible for coordinating military aspects of diplomatic relationships with foreign governments and armed forces.

5. Psychological Operations Officer: These officers are involved in planning operations to influence foreign populations' emotions, motives, reasoning, and behavior.

Keep in mind, most of these positions require officers to have extensive experience, so they may not be directly available after college graduation. However, with strategic career planning, you can aim for these roles as you progress in your military career. The military also offers various forms of advanced education and training to prepare for these roles.

Lastly, you can leverage your degree in international relations outside of the military. As such, roles in the Department of State or in international NGOs might pique your interest as well.