AIRCRAFT LAUNCH AND RECOVERY SPECIALIST

A career in the military is one of the best opportunities around. The military can train you for more than 2,000 jobs. You don't have to have any previous experience to join. You can advance within the military, or you can get a job in the civilian work force after you have finished active duty.

To get started in the military, you need a high school diploma and must be seventeen years of age or older. You also must be a U.S. citizen. The first step in joining is to talk to a recruiter. Check your local yellow pages to find a recruiter near you. The recruiter will discuss your options with you. He or she will also talk to you about taking the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB). This test finds your strengths and then gives you a list of areas in which you might do well.

After you have joined the military, you will go to basic training for six to eleven weeks. An aircraft launch and recovery specialist usually trains for nine to thirteen weeks after basic training. That is the time when you will learn about how planes take off and land and how to operate the specialized landing and take-off gear found on an aircraft carrier. You will begin your work as an apprentice, working at all the stations on an aircraft carrier. You will also learn how to repair and maintain equipment. If you are successful in your career, you could move up to crew supervisor or flight deck supervisor.

If you would like to become an aircraft launch and recovery specialist, taking classes in shop mechanics in high school can help you. Talk to recruiters or other people in the military about what the job is like. They can tell you more about what to expect.