Hit or miss, but miss for me - Cryptologic Linguist US Army Employee Review

1.0
7 Jun 2018
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

I wanted to join with a goal to do actual stuff you see in the movies and it might happen if you go SF or another super unique route. There are lots of options. Stable paycheck, cheap healthcare benefits for the whole family. They will NEVER fire you unless you do something very stupid like drugs. Some jobs are better than others for civillian employment even on officer level. Some jobs don't give you any useful skills but will allow you to stay in and retire after 20 years.

Cons

They will NEVER fire you unless you do something really dumb like drugs, etc. I've met lots of people who would get fired from McDonald's due to poor work ethics but able to keep Army job because they learned the system. Nobody on civillian side will pay poor performer as a cook, mechanic, etc 60 k COLA adjusted. Top performers leave Army because there's no real merit inpromotion system. Army doesn't need stars but mediocracies. Mediocracy will make it through by simply notfallingtoo far behind while top performers always want to do better but hit the ceiling. They get no rewards, no sooner promotions, no competitive assignments even in cyber field. I left to work for contractors and make 3 times more money wise pulling only 40 hour work week, not 100 hours of sitting around like conventional Army teaches soldiers.

Explore other reviews about US Army

5.0
23 Jun 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Consistency Travel opportunities Awesome coworkers Great mentorship environment t

Cons

Inconsistent environments and leadership from unit to unit. Experience may vary heavily depending on where you are and who you work with.

4.0
22 Jun 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Pros: Working in the Army provides strong opportunities for leadership development, professional growth, and responsibility at an early stage. The organization builds discipline, accountability, resilience, and the ability to operate under pressure. It also offers stable pay, benefits, retirement opportunities, education benefits, healthcare, and access to advanced training. For individuals who want to lead teams, manage operations, solve complex problems, and serve a larger mission, the Army provides valuable experience that can transfer into civilian careers in operations, program management, training, logistics, compliance, security, and leadership.

Cons

Cons: The Army can be demanding because the mission often comes first, which can affect work-life balance, family time, and personal flexibility. Frequent changes in priorities, long hours, additional duties, administrative requirements, and high operational tempo can create stress and burnout. Career progression can also depend on timing, assignments, leadership, and organizational needs, not just individual performance. While the Army provides strong leadership experience, some military roles and accomplishments can be difficult to translate clearly to civilian employers without careful resume and profile wording.

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