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Law & Government

Special Forces Officers

Lead elite teams that implement unconventional operations by air, land, or sea during combat or peacetime. These activities include offensive raids, demolitions, reconnaissance, search and rescue, and counterterrorism. In addition to their combat training, special forces officers often have specialized training in swimming, diving, parachuting, survival, emergency medicine, and foreign languages. Duties include directing advanced reconnaissance operations and evaluating intelligence information; recruiting, training, and equipping friendly forces; leading raids and invasions on enemy territories; training personnel to implement individual missions and contingency plans; performing strategic and tactical planning for politically sensitive missions; and operating sophisticated communications equipment.

Median salary

$55,000

Typical range

$34k – $99k

Job outlook

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AI exposure

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Education

Typical entry: Associate degree

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Typical progression

  1. Junior Special Forces Officers

    Entry / Junior

    $34,100

    ~2 yrs to advance

  2. Special Forces Officers

    Established

    $55,000

    ~3 yrs to advance

  3. Senior Special Forces Officers

    Senior

    $77,000

Key skills

A typical day

    Fields of study

    Any field

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