WorkWise: Risks and opportunities for career-changers

by Mildred L. Culp

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As the recession deepens, many people are struggling to find opportunity. One employer with multiple opportunities — but obvious personal risk — is the military.

The largest force, the Army, needs 80,000 active Army and 26,000 Army Reserve recruits no older than 42 for fiscal year 2009. They'll find more than 150 occupations, including numerous office jobs.

Occupational bonuses reach $40,000.

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Redirection

Many career-changers encounter brick walls — a career that didn't give them options or opportunities that lacked meaning. College costs too much. They want better lives. Some career-change into the Army out of a desire to serve.

"Older recruits are only a very small percentage," states Douglas Smith, civilian Army Public Affairs officer, U.S. Army Recruiting Command, Fort Knox, Ky.

Recent recruits run the gamut.

Sara Mientka, 32, of Burlington, Vt., has a B.A. in English, with a biology minor, from Trinity College, which has since merged with the University of Vermont.

A loan officer for a mortgage company during college, she subsequently worked in a hospital lab, then in retail, where she advanced into management. Local job searches turned up limited options. Searching for a career and education money, she tested high, opening up almost all occupations except those in Special Forces, Infantry and other areas restricted to men. She chose medic and enlisted for four years.

Mientka is now in training at Fort Sam Houston (San Antonio), Texas.

She's delighted that the Army offers to pay for college courses and teaches soldiers their Army jobs. "That can lead to excellent opportunities in the civilian world," she says. "I'm going to test for the National Registry for EMTs. Many people from there go to advanced EMT courses and become paramedics. I think it's a wonderful opportunity. It's even a lot more fun than I thought."

Licensed plumber and EMT Eric Rotondo, 25, of Smithfield, R.I., is a certified bartender looking for career opportunities. He'd worked in the family business, plumbing and heating, since high school until January, 2008, when he shifted to another family member's business, where he managed a bar and bartended. He subsequently looked for something new, with a career path.

"The Army gave me the most (career) options," he reported.

Enlisting for six years, Rotondo qualified for about 90 occupations. He chose Infantry because of its Army career training and leadership opportunities. Then a knee injury forced him out. The Army invited him to return after his year-long recovery.

Kaitlyn Cavallaro of Haverhill, Mass., spent two years as a flight attendant. Cancelled flights weren't her motivation.

"It's just what I wanted to do," stated Cavallaro, 21.

She signed on for four years, "hoping to make it a career," and looked forward to a job that would use her HR and computer skills.

Pvt. Cavallaro says, "The Army is a lot more than I expected. If anything, I think it's changed me for the better."

Johan ("Frank") Wissing of North Kingston, R.I., who is Dutch, looked into the Marine Corps, but, at 38 -- he turned 39 three weeks after entering — didn't qualify. He came to this country in 2005 after working part-time behind a self-service counter in a company cafeteria and other jobs, including administering more than 600 automobile leases. Testing well for more than 150 occupations, he'll begin in financial administration. "My goal is to qualify for officer as soon as possible," he mentioned. He left for basic training in early January.

WAR Sgt. 1st Class Matthew Caron, Springfield, Mass., station commander, has been recruiting for more than seven years, "before we had a major conflict and afterwards," he says.

He mentions that parental influence over recruits above age 25 seems to diminish. Of course, the possibility of going to war is always on the table.

How did these career-changers feel about it? Mientka noted that "it's just as likely that you'll be in harm's way wherever you are, beginning with the freeway." She anticipated learning to remain productive and calm in crisis situations, a skill the Army teaches. Cavallaro also trusts in that training.

How do they feel about battlefield duty? Wissing observed, "If other people can deal with it, I think I can deal with it," he states. Rotondo feels the same way he did when he enlisted.

"I'd be doing it for a good cause — the country, our freedom and people here," he comments.

Rotondo returned to Pitcher's Pub, the bar in Cumberland, R.I., where he previously worked, and is job-hunting. He still wants career options.

Mildred L. Culp welcomes your questions at workwise@comcast.net.