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The new hot jobs: combat support and service support

Thanks to transformation and the redesign of the Army, reclassification opportunities today have less of a “muddy boots” aspect than they have in several years.

The service’s hot jobs list for 2008 still has plenty of special operations and military intelligence job opportunities, but there are only a few combat arms specialties to go along with a diverse menu of combat support and service support MOS.

Included in the mix of shortage specialties with healthy career opportunities are launch station operator for the Patriot missile; maintenance specialist for the OH-58D scout helicopter; computer, communications and radar specialists; wheeled vehicle mechanic; medic; and truck driver.

Jobs with more rigorous application criteria include prime power production specialist, CID special agent, human intelligence collector, public affairs broadcast specialist, contracting NCO and explosive ordnance disposal.

These specialties represent only a small number of MOSs that are open to transfers, so soldiers should do some research before making a career change, said Jim Bragg, chief of Human Resource Command’s enlisted retention and reclassification branch.

Most importantly, soldiers need to consult the reclassification “in/out” calls that are issued three to four times annually by Bragg’s office.

“This is the first place soldiers should go because it identifies by grade where the shortages and overages are,” said Bragg, a retired sergeant major.

“The calls drive re-enlistment options as well as reclassifications,” he noted.

Information in the calls is based on Army personnel models that are periodically updated to reflect changes in force structure and manning levels.

“The last one was issued in February, and a new one should be out by early summer,” Bragg said.

When soldiers look at an MOS for possible transfer, they should ask themselves two questions — is the specialty open to reclassification, and is there training available, Bragg said.

Soldiers also should consult cutoff scores and the monthly sergeant and staff sergeant promotion-points trend analysis.

“Soldiers who want to change their MOS certainly should look at promotion opportunity from the aspect of where they are now, and where they want to go,” Bragg said.

“A soldier should not change his or her MOS unless it will advance their career.”

After soldiers have researched a possible MOS change, they should contact their local retention NCO or career counselor.

“These people have access to the RETAIN system, which can be used to identify priority MOS, minimum criteria for each MOS and what training seats are available,” Bragg said. “The career counselors have that capability wherever they are in the world.

“The soldier does not need to contact the Human Resources Command to research reclassification opportunities,” he said.