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Can you advise me on choosing a job and branch in the military that best suits me?

I scored high on my ASVAB (95) and am in the midst of the recruiting process. The Navy is my first choice, but I think I need to look at Air Force & Coast Guard, too. I really want to travel, and I want to be challenged. My main interests are photography, writing, foreign language, music, ocean conservation, and teaching. I'm a people person. Initially, the jobs that I am interested in are * Mass Communications Specialist (Photo/Video) * Fleet Diver Program * Air Traffic Controlman * Aircrew * Search & Rescue * CTI CTI's (Cryptologic Technicians Interpretive) are the Navy's linguists. If I do well on the DLAB, I could qualify to go to Defense Language Institute. That's exciting to me, but I wonder if I would enjoy it? I learned French in high school. I love foreign languages & cultures, am curious by nature, and very attentive to detail. I really want to travel. Based on this info, can you recommend jobs that I may be well-suited for? Is the Navy the right branch?

Public Comments

1. Once you choose your branch, they'll put you wherever THEY want. There are a lot of sob stories in the military of being "promised" a certain school by a recruiter only to be placed somewhere else.
2. The CTI sounds really great and if you pass the DLAB then that will be some extra money in you pocket. My sister works on secure communications and enjoys her job, but really it is up to you, what you think you would enjoy the most. No one else can make that decision for you, you should really research your options though.
3. Coast Guard!
4. Angi, sounds like you have alot going for you. I'm quite sure that any branch of service would be proud to have you as one of theirs. I can speak to one aspect of your intrest. And, that is Air Traffic Controller. That was my specialty in the Air Force, How ever, had a brother that was in the Navy as Air Traffic Controller. A great field and one that can lead to a good job on the outside with the FAA. Come prepared with good study ethics, a good dose of common sense and ability for lots of memorization. You will find ATC to be a very challenging job. As with any field you choose, make sure you have it in writing from your recruiter and don't leave any papers un-filled out and signed. As Ronald Reagan said "Trust and Verify." Angi, you have many avenues you can travel. Best of luck and thank you for considering service to America. Edit: nazarius, news flash. If Angi were an Air Traffic Controller on an Aircraft Carrier...that thing don't stand still...it floats all over the world...and, as far as being in an air crew...those folks don't walk...they fly all over the world...jeeze....
5. Hmm, it sounds like you're a very intelligent person. I suggest yo go with the Communications thing. If you're a people person and you like to travel, I'm sure this job will take you to many places. I admit that my knowledge on these things is limited, but I don't think you would get to travel as much if you were an air traffic controlman, or an aircrew person.
6. Some of the jobs you listed require some pretty good physical capabilities such as Search and Rescue and the Diver Program. Other jobs are definitely not "people jobs" such as air traffic controller. The language they really need now is Arabic but if you are a woman, that does not work out so well as the Arabs are real sexist and they will not take kindly to you. Also, if you learn one language, the pretty much limits you as to what country you could interact with. They would never send a French linguist to South America for example. Also, the Navy contrary to what they advertise is not the service to join to see the world. If you are on a ship, you see a lot of ocean day in and day out. Most often the ship leaves its home port, goes and cruises the oceans, maybe stops at a foreign port and you get some liberty then comes home. If the ship is nuclear powered, it can stay out there a LONG time before it has to stop at a port. If you want to travel. Consider the USAF and get on the flight crew of a C5 or C21. They go all kinds of places with cargo.
7. i would say the Navy because you can travel around the world