What are possible careers in the transportation/ logistics industry for a transportation officer?

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 24 Jan 2024 17:32:43 -0500

I'm starting to look into my plans for the future; as is such, one of the main questions I'm looking at is employment. A little about my background first:

-I have been a Reserve transportation officer for my entire career and have spent all of that time in the movement control world in Europe (about 8 years in total(. Most recently, I was deployed in Europe and ran the highway operations section for my unit, which spanned a number of countries and was focused almost entirely on road transportation. During that time, I dealt with intratheater and intertheater movements and also wrote the SOP

-On the civilian education side, I have a BA in linguistics and speak German fluently. I am also learning Spanish and Korean. I am also currently taking vocational training that has a heavy focus on European languages (hence the Spanish)

-I have both American and European HAZMAT certifications on the Army side, but have not worked as an appointed certifier.

What kinds of jobs (in other words, job titles) could I find if I were to go into the transport/logistics sector? I've tried looking into this with career counselors and career crosswalk tools, but most of what came back was just very general contracting/ consulting work or GS jobs. Any info would be appreciated, especially for Germany.

Response by SFC Ralph E Kelley made Jan 24 at 2024 6:21 PM

SFC Ralph E Kelley — Wed, 24 Jan 2024 18:21:12 -0500

https://www.ustranscom.mil/cmd/careers.cfm

careers.cfm

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Jan 24 at 2024 7:12 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Wed, 24 Jan 2024 19:12:41 -0500

Many officers get operations jobs in corporations.

Response by MAJ Dillard Holder made Jan 25 at 2024 6:35 AM

MAJ Dillard Holder — Thu, 25 Jan 2024 06:35:35 -0500

Considering your experience as a Reserve transportation officer and the linguistics degree, you could look into logistics coordinator or operations manager gigs.

Response by COL Dan Ruder made Jan 25 at 2024 12:43 PM

COL Dan Ruder — Thu, 25 Jan 2024 12:43:40 -0500

Transportation Planner. Planning and organizing transportation routes to ensure efficiency, reduce costs, ensure timely delivery.
Operations Manager. Overseeing day-to-day operations, transportation logistics, ensure efficient processes.
Fleet Manager. Supervising and maintaining a fleet of vehicles, ensuring they are operational, maintained, compliant with regulations.
Supply Chain Manager. Manage end-to-end supply chain processes, logistics, distro, and ensure overall efficiency.
Logistics Manager/Coordinator. Overseeing the planning, coordination, and execution of logistics operations.
Procurement Specialist (negotiating contracts and managing vendor relationships)
Safety and Compliance Officer
Project Manager in Logistics
Warehouse Manager

Response by MSG J G. Sandy Phillips made Feb 15 at 2024 12:53 PM

MSG J G. Sandy Phillips — Thu, 15 Feb 2024 12:53:17 -0500

Logistics is a wide field, but there are many opportunities with the package service industries such as UPS or FedEx. Realize you almost always will start with lower level jobs like dispatch. For we who managed traffic resources, believe it or not, SALES of Transport is a fairly open field. I bought and sold truck transport both domestically and internationally, for a company in both Customs Brokerage and with a contract for several different truck lines. It takes a while to learn some of the classification systems, but if you're good at it, it can be a rewarding career.

Response by SMSgt Henry Kiester made Feb 15 at 2024 4:58 PM

SMSgt Henry Kiester — Thu, 15 Feb 2024 16:58:48 -0500

Consider obtaining ASCM (Association of Supply Chain Management) certification in CSCP (Supply Chain Professional) or CLTD (Logistics, Transportation & Distribution). These are highly recognized and desirable in the civilian sector.

Response by Spiderexpe Spiderexpe made Mar 12 at 2024 5:34 AM

Spiderexpe Spiderexpe — Tue, 12 Mar 2024 05:34:07 -0400

The transportation and logistics field offers a ton of exciting career paths for transportation officers. I once explored options in logistics after my military service. You might find roles in supply chain management, fleet operations, or even consulting.
If you're interested in specialized logistics, check out https://coldchain3pl.com/services/cold-storage-warehousing/ . They offer solutions for food and beverage logistics, among other things. It's all about finding the right fit for your skills and interests.

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