Are There Economics Roles in the Military?

As a student interested in economics, I'm curious about whether there are roles in the military that utilize these skills. What types of jobs exist, and how relevant are they to a career in economics?

The military definitely has roles that are relevant to economics, with relevant positions scattered across branches and departments. Here are a few potentially relevant positions:

1. Financial Manager: These positions typically deal with budget management, financial planning, and resource allocation. You're essentially using economic skills to manage the financial health of a military department.

2. Operations Research Analyst: In this role, you would use data analysis to optimize resource use and operational efficiency. This requires a strong understanding of economics, particularly in areas related to efficiency and optimization.

3. Logistics Analyst: Logistics roles often heavily feature economic principles, as they focus on effectively managing resources, moving goods, coordinating supply chains, etc.

4. Intelligence: In intelligence roles, economics can often come into play for understanding international relations, geopolitical resource allocation, and global economic trends. An example could be an economic analyst within the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA).

5. Military Economist: The Department of Defense and the military's various branches employ economists to study the economic impacts of policies and programs.

One thing to note is that while these positions incorporate aspects of economics, they aren't traditional economics roles like you'd see in academia or a think tank. However, having a military background can also lead to job opportunities later in the private sector or government, such as becoming a defense contractor specializing in economic analysis. As an economist in the military, you would certainly have a unique perspective and valuable experience that could benefit you in a future civilian job.