Army Reserve jobs cover nearly every career field available in the private sector, as well as many that are only available in the military. Careers in supply chain, legal, and transportation are just a few of the positions that civilian employees may hold. Soldiers may also serve as infantrymen, combat engineers, or ammunition specialists at times. Defense jobs range from entry-level to upper-level management, so there are Army jobs for soldiers of all ranks.
Many service members enlist in the military in order to gain practical experience that they can apply to their civilian jobs. This is due to the fact that the Army Reserves offer jobs in a wide range of fields. Supply technician, food service officer, and parts clerk are examples of supply chain positions. Soldiers who work in the legal field could be police officers, legal clerks, or attorneys. Truck drivers, mechanics, and heavy equipment operators are all examples of people who work in the transportation industry.
Some Army Reserve jobs aren’t available in the private sector, but they’re critical to the military’s overall readiness. Infantrymen, for example, are soldiers who navigate areas on foot when engaging the enemy during a war. To aid infantry soldiers in completing their mission, combat engineers may construct bridges or roads. During both training exercises and real-life battles, infantrymen may rely on an ammunition specialist to provide armament. Because many countries prohibit women from holding combat-related positions, the majority of these positions are filled by male soldiers.
Many Army Reserve jobs are supervisory in nature, as career advancement is a normal part of military service. A squad leader is a lower-level management position, while a platoon sergeant or senior non-commissioned officer is a middle-level management position. A battalion or brigade commander is an example of a higher-level management position. Supervisory positions are primarily determined by rank, but qualifications in a military occupational specialty (MOS), civilian education, and the type of military training a service member has can all play a role.
Unless activated in support of national defense, service members typically work part-time in the Army Reserve. Citizen-soldiers may work alongside active-duty counterparts during this time, performing essentially the same type of work under the same or similar conditions. Army Reserve soldiers return to their part-time duties once they are released from active duty until they are needed to deploy in support of another mission.