Which Navy Jobs Travel the Most?
If you’re looking to travel the world or want to work in a career that requires traveling, then the Navy may be the perfect choice for you. It’s one of the most popular military branches and offers a variety of opportunities to serve abroad.
For service members, the Navy provides a high-quality of life. Benefits include full health and dental coverage, paid time off, tuition assistance, and housing.
Boatswain’s Mate
As the oldest rating in the Navy, a Boatswain’s Mate is an expert at marlinspike seamanship, deck operations, small-boat operations, and boat maintenance. They also serve as petty officers in charge of picket boats, self-propelled barges and tugs, and act as master-at-arms and gun crew members.
BMs are responsible for maintaining a ship’s hull, rigging, equipment and deck. They may also be in charge of a lifeboat or liferaft crew during an emergency. They perform daily inspections of the superstructure and exposed areas on the ship’s exterior. They operate and maintain cargohandling equipment, load and unload freight, ammunition, fuel and general stores.
While at sea, a Boatswain’s mate may travel to different parts of the world on board a ship. They also receive generous vacation time, allowing them to take off on trips and visit friends and family.
The Boatswain’s Mate is one of the oldest ratings in the Navy, dating back to 1794. It is also the most popular rank among new recruits, allowing them to enter the service without pursuing a specific career path.
A BM is the heart of every ship, and it is their duty to protect the lives of those aboard. They are often the first people to respond to a crisis, and they have a deep appreciation for what it means to save lives on the water.
BMs are experts in all things nautical, so they can be called upon to solve all kinds of extraordinary problems. They have the knowledge and skills to answer any challenge at sea, and they can bring that knowledge to life with their team of crewmembers. They are also able to apply thoughtful risk assessment and respond quickly using the safest course of action possible.
Air Traffic Controller
A key role for air traffic controllers is to monitor the sky to ensure all aircraft, including jets and helicopters, can land safely. This can involve monitoring airspace across a 30-mile radius around an airport or on board an aircraft carrier, depending on where your missions take you.
The job requires high levels of concentration and multi-tasking, as you need to be aware of multiple aircraft at once to ensure that all flights are operating as smoothly as possible. You also need to be able to manage a busy schedule and cope with inclement weather conditions and other emergency situations, which can be stressful at times.
There are several ways to become an air traffic controller, but the most common way is through the FAA’s training program. This is a long and rigorous process, involving months of training and exams before you are officially hired.
After passing these tests, you must then go through another set of assessments to determine if you have the personality and skills needed to be an air traffic controller. You will be tested for a variety of traits, including spatial awareness, coordination and the ability to work under pressure.
As a result, the job isn’t for everyone, and you should think carefully about whether this is really your passion before making it your career. It can be a challenging and demanding position, though one that offers excellent pay, benefits and a mandatory retirement age of 56.
You can start your career with as little as a GED or a high school diploma, but most jobs require a bachelor’s degree in aeronautical engineering. There are several colleges and universities offering programs in this field, so you should look into finding a program near you that suits your needs.
Master At Arms
One of the original job ratings defined in the Naval Act of 1794, Master At Arms (MA) personnel are law enforcement and security professionals who safeguard people and property. They are responsible for waterborne and land security, aircraft and flight line security, strategic weapons and cargo security, maritime security and platform protection. They also conduct customs operations, corrections operations, detainee operations and protective service operations.
While the duties of MAs can vary based on the ship they are aboard or their location, they are expected to perform these functions independently and advise their commander on matters pertaining to law enforcement or anti-terrorism force protection. They typically are commissioned naval officers, or civilians with the required skill and training.
A Master At Arms often spends a great deal of time at sea as they are stationed on a variety of ships such as cruisers, destroyers and aircraft carriers. They are also assigned to naval shore and aviation installations, or overseas in remote locations such as Bahrain or Diego Garcia.
Some MAs may be assigned to expeditionary or special warfare units as they are called upon to provide support during combat missions. This means they may travel to Iraq, Afghanistan or Africa to execute these missions.
They can be deployed to a number of military bases around the world, which gives them plenty of opportunities to see new places and make new friends. Additionally, they are afforded 30 paid vacation days each year which makes it easy for them to take trips.
The Master At Arms is a rewarding job and one that allows you to help protect the American people and their property. If you enjoy traveling, this is the right job for you.
Cryptology Technician
Cryptologic technicians, sometimes known as CTs, monitor and control the flow of information. They also perform maintenance on sophisticated electronic systems, networks and equipment used for intelligence data gathering and deciphering.
They perform a variety of duties worldwide, at numerous overseas and stateside shore commands; aboard surface ships, aircraft and submarines; and with Naval Special Warfare. They must have an interest in advanced electronics and technology, exceptionally good character; good speaking, writing and record-keeping skills; a good working aptitude of math; and the ability to do highly detail-oriented, highly classified work.
CTTs operate electronic intelligence-receiving and direction finding systems, digital recording devices, analysis data terminals, and associated computer equipment. They also use high-power jamming signals to deceive electronic sensors and defeat radar-guided weapons systems.
These experts collect, analyze and exploit electronic intelligence, providing tactical and strategic signals intelligence, technical guidance and information warfare support to surface, subsurface, air and special warfare units in accordance with fleet and national tasking. They also perform communications network defense, assessing vulnerabilities and risks in communication systems to prevent software infringements.
Their job duties also include the installation, testing, troubleshooting and repair or replacement of cryptologic networks, physical security systems, electronic equipment, antennas, personal computers, auxiliary equipment, digital and optical interfaces, and data systems. They also configure, monitor and evaluate information operations (IO), information warfare (IW) systems and information assurance (IA) operations in support of national and fleet tasking.
They receive tax-free housing and subsistence allowances. They are also eligible for a range of other military benefits including healthcare and 30 days of paid leave each year. The housing allowance varies by sailor’s pay grade and duty station. These sailors also have the option to retire after 20 years of service.
Intelligence Specialist
Intelligence specialists, also called information analysts, gather, process and disseminate data to protect national security. They may collect information from a variety of sources including telephone calls, Internet communications and reports from intelligence agents in the field. Then they break it down into usable information for use by military planners and consumers worldwide.
The responsibilities of an intelligence specialist include preparing materials that describe in detail the features of strategic and tactical areas all over the world. This helps commanders and operators understand how the environment affects their mission accomplishments. They also ensure that the United States’ naval fleet is prepared for any potential surprises during international operations.
In this career, you learn how to produce accurate intelligence from imagery, electronic signals and geospatial information. You may present it in the form of written reports or oral briefings, and you’ll often collaborate with other Navy intelligence specialists to create comprehensive reports that can help naval fleet members make critical decisions during operations.
One of the best parts about this job is that you get to travel around the world. You’ll work with ships and aircraft to support international peacekeeping missions, humanitarian aid and disaster relief efforts.
You’ll likely find yourself on vessels in various locations around the world, allowing you to share your maritime threat analysis with other navies and policy makers. This can be vital to ensuring that other navies don’t treat U.S. forces differently than they do in their own areas of operation, so you’ll be constantly on the lookout for new intelligence information to share with your commanders.
Your duties as an intelligence specialist can be highly classified and require extensive training. You’ll receive specialized intelligence training in the Navy “A” school program and up to 13 weeks of advanced training at “C” schools. Throughout your career, you’ll continue to develop your skills and expertise, advancing in rank and earning an enlistment bonus of up to $10,000.
