As far as background is concerned, I've hit about everything, crossing from Active Duty, to Reserves/National Guard to mil contracting and back. My so-called "career progression" is enlisted FA, College/ROTC, CAV, MI, CAV, MI, CAV, MI, NBC, TRANS, CGSC Instructor, with APMS, Writer/Trainer, DoS LNO, HTS, Atmospherics, Professor of Intel, DIA SOIC thrown in there with time out to do various civilian retail management jobs in there for fun.

I wish someone would do a compare and contrast with the amount of stress involved with dealing with an unthinking, uncaring bureaucracy versus combat. Personally, I'd choose to be in combat over beating my head against a bureaucratic wall every day of the week.