Also called: OC/T, Combat Training Center Coach
Shadows Army units during huge fake battles at combat training centers and coaches their leaders on what went wrong and right.
At the National Training Center in the California desert or the Joint Readiness Training Center in Louisiana, OC/Ts follow a platoon or company for weeks of mock battles. They watch decisions, call simulated casualties, and run after-action reviews where leaders figure out how to do better.
RMC for typical E-5 to E-8 ranks (this job is for experienced NCOs and officers), 2026 estimate.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
High school diploma, about 6 years after high school. Experienced NCOs and officers selected after several years of leading troops. Free-college benefits: Tuition Assistance (up to $4,500/yr) while serving, the Post-9/11 GI Bill (36 months of tuition + housing stipend) afterward, and SkillBridge internships before separating.
Ways in: Military, On-the-job training. Training cost: Get paid while you train.
Majors to look at: Military Science, Leadership Studies.
Growing about average. Military specialties are not in BLS projections. The services recruit for this job every year and openings track force size and retention rather than market growth.
Low risk in 5 years, medium in 10. Sensor data and replays help; coaching leaders on decisions stays human.
Classes: Physical education, Speech, History.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.