Infantryman

The Army 11B Infantryman is the foundation of the U.S. Army's ground combat force and one of the largest MOSs in the military. 11Bs are trained to close with and destroy enemy forces using small arms, anti-armor weapons, and squad-level tactics. They operate in every environment — urban, jungle, mountain, desert, and arctic — and are the primary ground combat element of the Army.

Training begins at Fort Moore, GA (formerly Fort Benning) with a 22-week OSUT program that combines basic soldiering with infantry-specific skills: weapons systems, land navigation, patrolling, urban operations, and squad tactics. Many 11Bs pursue additional qualifications — Airborne School, Ranger School, Air Assault School, Sniper School, and Pathfinder Course — each adding specialized capabilities.

What makes 11Bs uniquely valuable in the civilian workforce is not the combat skills themselves, but the leadership, discipline, decision-making under pressure, and ability to manage teams in chaotic, high-stakes environments. An infantry squad leader at E-6 has more direct leadership experience than most civilian managers twice their age — they've led 9-12 people through life-or-death situations with accountability for millions of dollars in equipment.

11B is the MOS where the translation problem hurts the most. After my Navy time I went 18 months with no callbacks before I figured out that "infantryman" on a resume reads as a dead end to civilian recruiters who haven't served. The skills under that title — small-unit leadership, planning under uncertainty, decision-making with imperfect information — are exactly what corporate operations and security teams pay for. The work is real; the words are the problem. — Brad Tachi, Navy Diver veteran & BMR founder

For Staying in Security/Defense

Federal Law Enforcement: CBP, ICE, U.S. Marshals Service, Secret Service, and Federal Protective Service all recruit from infantry backgrounds. Apply through USAJobs. Most require a bachelor's degree or equivalent experience — your military time counts. Start applying 6 months before separation.

Defense Contractors: Companies like Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, Northrop Grumman, CACI, and Booz Allen Hamilton hire infantry veterans for training, operations, and program management roles. Your Secret clearance is a major asset — use ClearanceJobs.com to find positions that require active clearances.

Private Security: Companies like Allied Universal, Securitas, and Pinkerton hire veterans for physical security, executive protection, and security consulting. ASIS International's CPP certification is the industry standard for senior security management.

SkillBridge Programs: Many defense contractors and security firms participate in DOD SkillBridge. Search the SkillBridge database — programs like Amazon's Military Apprenticeship and Microsoft MSSA are popular with infantry veterans.

For Careers Outside of Security/Defense

Project Management: The PMP certification (PMI) is the gold standard. Infantry NCOs with documented operational planning and execution hours often qualify. Your experience planning and executing missions IS project management — you just need the credential to prove it.

Operations & Logistics: Start with Lean Six Sigma Green Belt for operations roles. For logistics, the APICS CSCP from ASCM is the industry standard. Your experience managing equipment, supplies, and personnel movement translates directly.

GI Bill Strategy: If you don't have a bachelor's degree, use your GI Bill. Business administration, criminal justice, project management, and information technology are strong choices. Use the GI Bill Comparison Tool to verify program approval.

Veteran Networking: American Corporate Partners (ACP) provides free mentorship from corporate executives. ACP is legitimate and completely free for veterans.

Clearance Leverage: Your Secret clearance has real market value — it saves employers $5,000-15,000+ and months of processing. It stays active for up to 24 months after separation. Defense contractors, intelligence agencies, and cleared facilities all need personnel with active clearances. ClearanceJobs.com is the go-to resource.

BMR Career Resources

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