Transportation Specialists
Background
The military constantly moves passengers and cargo. Personnel often travel to meetings, training sessions, and new assignments. Supplies and equipment to support troops must be shipped regularly. Transportation specialists plan and assist in air, sea, and land transportation for people and cargo.
What They Do
Transportation specialists in the military perform some or all of the following duties:
- Arrange for passenger travel via plane, bus, train, or boat
- Arrange for shipment and delivery of household goods
- Check in passengers and baggage for military transport flights
- Determine transportation and shipping routes
- Determine which vehicles to use based on freight or passenger-movement requirements
- Inspect cargo for proper packing, loading, and marking
- Prepare transportation requests and shipping documents
- Serve as military airplane flight attendants
Physical Demands
No information available.
Special Requirements
No information available.
Helpful Attributes
Helpful attributes include:
- Interest in arranging travel schedules
- Interest in serving people
- Interest in using adding machines and computers
Helpful School Subjects
Helpful school subjects include:
- English
- Math
Helpful Fields of Study
No information available.
Work Environment
Transportation specialists usually work in offices. They may work outdoors when escorting passengers or processing shipments. Flight attendants work on land and in airplanes.
Services offering this career:
- Air Force
- Army
- Marine Corps
- Navy
Hiring Practices
To serve in the military, a person must be at least 17; the maximum age for enlistment varies. To enlist, a person must pass a physical exam and an aptitude test. An enlistee must also meet military standards of discipline and be a US citizen or permanent resident alien.
This position is for enlisted personnel.
Wages
The military is competitive with the civilian world when it comes to pay and benefits. All branches offer the same basic pay and benefits.
Pay depends mainly on rank or grade as well as length of service. Bonuses and the situation in which the person is serving (for example: flight duty, sea duty, hazardous duty) also affect pay.
Cost-of-living increases usually occur every year, based on inflation. The military also pays allowances for food, clothing, and housing. All these factors combined are called Regular Military Compensation (RMC). They should all be considered when comparing military pay to civilian pay.
There are two main parts to RMC: basic pay and allowances. There are also additional incentives for special abilities, training, or hazardous duty.
Check out the RMC Calculator to calculate your RMC based on your inputs.
Training Provided
Job training consists of six to nine weeks of classroom instruction, including practice in making transportation arrangements.
Course content typically includes:
- Analysis of transportation documents
- Planning transportation for personnel and cargo
- Proper cargo handling, shipping, and storing methods
Further training occurs on the job and through advanced courses.
Civilian Counterparts
Civilian transportation specialists work for airlines, shipping firms, and commercial freight lines. They perform duties similar to military transportation specialists. Civilian transportation specialists may also be called travel clerks, reservation clerks, or transportation agents.
Related Civilian Careers
Employment and Outlook
In peace time the services have about 11,000 transportation specialists. In times of military action the number may be different, depending on the type of specialties required. Each year the services need new specialists due to changes in personnel and the demands of the field. After job training, they make travel and shipping arrangements under direct supervision. Some may specialize as flight attendants and gate agents. With experience, they may become supervisors of other transportation specialists. In time, they may manage transportation offices.