Climb the Ladder or Climb the Ranks? Two Very Different Journeys

Success Looks Different When Your Career Comes with Salutes

In the civilian world, your career path is yours. You might switch companies, take a promotion, learn a new skill, or tell your boss you're out. Productivity is often rewarded. Creativity, too.

In the military, your career path is paved out in time, rank, and reviews. The process is rigid. The people doing the reviewing might not know your strengths. Your success is decided by boards — not transferable skills.

You can have top-notch skills — but if your physical fitness test falls short, or a supervisor dislikes your attitude, your future in service could be cut short.

Worse: if you suffer a service-related injury or illness, you might be medically separated before retirement, without the pension you spent years working toward.

Fact: the military has the only career system in America where you can spend 19 years of your life in service, and still not be eligible for retirement benefits if you're forced out just before the 20-year mark.

In the corporate world, a performance review might cost you a promotion — in the military, it can cost you healthcare and income.

Success shouldn’t mean survival. But in the military, too often that’s what it becomes.