Veterans should consider a rewarding career in emergency management. While time spent in the military often leads to rewarding careers in the public sector, such as law enforcement, and the private sector, such as health care, there are other options available. The vast majority of people who honorably leave the military have experience in combat and with disasters, so they are inherently qualified to become emergency response managers.
Trained Reflexes
Emergency response management professionals must have quick reaction times and even quicker decision making skills. They need to have the ability to instantly implement a plan of action under stressful and chaotic conditions. The military trains their service members to follow protocols, accept authority and cohesively work as a team. Because so many emergency response personnel have similar backgrounds, those who come from the military will fit right in. When it comes to applying for jobs, many public sector employers look favorably on military field experience. A veteran who is interviewing for a position should be prepared to compare how their field experience will translate to benefits for emergency response programs.
Drive to Protect and Serve
Most people who sign up for military service do so because they are motivated to defend and save anyone experiencing danger or suffering. Members of the military have the drive to protect and save as many people as possible from natural disasters, national security emergency and health care pandemics. A military veteran who has already served their country is perfectly suited to successfully handle these emergencies. Those who have field or combat experience will already be pre-trained to handle public emergencies. Emergency response positions range from on-the-ground search crews to office managers and policy analysts. Either way, a veteran will be able to select a position and environment that is similar to their military experience.
Additional Training
Most local, state and federal government agencies treat military experience as an equal substitute for college credits. However, many private sector employers still expect a healthy combination of military experience and academic pursuits. This is why many veteran soldiers will pursue degrees related to criminal justice, public administration and emergency response management. Active service members are fortunate to have the Post-9/11 GI Bill and other educational benefits available, such as the Yellow Ribbon Program and the Montgomery GI Bill Active Duty (MGIB-AD). While still serving the military, they can pursue accredited online degrees related to emergency response administration.
How to Select the Right Degree
When it comes to selecting an appropriate related degree, service members should choose a broad program related to emergency response management. These educational programs should contain core emergency response management courses, but also require a few courses outside of the student’s current interests. This is important because the field of disaster management is becoming more complex and diverse every day. Either regional or national accreditation will be fine, but these programs should be approved or connected with FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute (EMI). The ideal college will accept valid past experience as credit and recognize military transcripts.
Resource: 20 Top Emergency Management Bachelor’s Degree Programs under $23,000 Average Net 2014
As a final note, veterans who want to work in emergency management should rework their resume to reflect experiential learning and practical applications gained from the military.