Military Career

For a young mathematician, entering the military as an officer may be a viable career option. The U.S. military recognizes the mathematician as a valuable long-term asset to the country, and will provide the necessary job training. Lack of prior technical experience is thus not an issue. Our military naturally possesses cutting-edge technology, and thus the opportunity to participate in research and development not found in the corporate setting. In the Air Force, for example, mathematicians can potentially work in space and missile operations. For the science fiction enthusiast like myself (and probably many of you), this path is reminiscent of the Star Trek universe. While at UCLA's graduate program in math, a small panel of young mathematicians from the Air Force gave a presentation in which they described- very positively- their experiences as officers. Before entering the military, they had unsuccessfully endeavored to begin their careers in industry (during the 1990s, when the economy was booming). They described their huge collection of rejection letters, to which many of us can relate. Later in this blog, I shall consider the issue of why we mathematicians tend to amass large collections of such letters. However, in the Air Force- with the logical structure and merit-based system in which we mathematicians thrive- these gentlemen had found their niche. I can certainly relate to the appeal of following the military path, and- to relate my personal experiences- very nearly did so myself. After passing the required written tests and interview process, applicants to the officer training program are required to pass a very rigorous and thorough medical exam. In my case, severe myopia (nearsightedness) was sufficient to disqualify me. If you are nearsighted or have any medical issues whatsoever, be prepared for this possibility. In addition, before pursuing this career you should realize that while the military recognizes families as such, you can expect to be transferred between bases frequently, and perhaps endure periods of being separated from your family for temporary duty assignments. If you are single at the moment, please consider that your perspective in this regard may well change once you are married.