Army · 11B
Infantry is far more than a path to police or security work. It builds decision-making under pressure, small-unit leadership, mission planning, communications, land navigation, weapons safety, and first aid. Those are transferable leadership and operations capabilities that open doors in trades, operations, public safety, training, and government, not a single career lane.
There's no one-to-one civilian crosswalk for 11B—the Department of Labor doesn't map a single job title to it. These are the specific civilian roles Infantryman experience genuinely maps to: what each pays, what it involves, and why it fits.
$72,280/yr mediantypical $45k–$112k~646K U.S. jobs
Typical entry: Associate degree, apprenticeship, or vocational training
Maintain order and protect life and property by enforcing local, tribal, state, or federal laws and ordinances.
Why it fits: Your Infantryman experience maps directly onto the protective & law enforcement side of this role.
$37,070/yr mediantypical $29k–$57k~1.2M U.S. jobs
★ Bright Outlook — many openings
Typical entry: High-school diploma plus short on-the-job training
Guard, patrol, or monitor premises to prevent theft, violence, or infractions of rules.
Why it fits: Your Infantryman experience maps directly onto the protective & law enforcement side of this role.
$65,930/yr mediantypical $44k–$104k~671K U.S. jobs
Typical entry: Associate degree, apprenticeship, or vocational training
Directly supervise and coordinate the activities of production and operating workers, such as inspectors, precision workers, machine setters and operators, assemblers, fabricators, and plant and…
Why it fits: Your Infantryman experience maps directly onto the manufacturing & production side of this role.
$56,160/yr mediantypical $38k–$96k~450K U.S. jobs
Typical entry: High-school diploma plus short on-the-job training
Operate one or several types of power construction equipment, such as motor graders, bulldozers, scrapers, compressors, pumps, derricks, shovels, tractors, or front-end loaders to excavate, move,…
Why it fits: Your Infantryman experience maps directly onto the construction & skilled trades side of this role.
$57,120/yr mediantypical $32k–$94k~315K U.S. jobs
Typical entry: Associate degree, apprenticeship, or vocational training
Control and extinguish fires or respond to emergency situations where life, property, or the environment is at risk.
Why it fits: Your Infantryman experience maps directly onto the protective & law enforcement side of this role.
$64,340/yr mediantypical $36k–$116k~403K U.S. jobs
★ Bright Outlook — Rapid growth
Typical entry: Bachelor’s degree typically expected
Design or conduct work-related training and development programs to improve individual skills or organizational performance.
Why it fits: Your Infantryman experience maps directly onto the business & financial operations side of this role.
$91,100/yr mediantypical $51k–$154k~107K U.S. jobs
Typical entry: Associate degree, apprenticeship, or vocational training
Conduct investigations related to suspected violations of federal, state, or local laws to prevent or solve crimes.
Why it fits: Closely related to your Infantryman occupations on the protective & law enforcement side—a natural next step.
$101,750/yr mediantypical $60k–$161k~138K U.S. jobs
Typical entry: High-school diploma plus short on-the-job training
Directly supervise and coordinate activities of members of police force.
Why it fits: Closely related to your Infantryman occupations on the protective & law enforcement side—a natural next step.
$72,250/yr mediantypical $53k–$108k~2K U.S. jobs
Typical entry: Associate degree, apprenticeship, or vocational training
Protect and police railroad and transit property, employees, or passengers.
Why it fits: Closely related to your Infantryman occupations on the protective & law enforcement side—a natural next step.
$53,040/yr mediantypical $30k–$88k~16K U.S. jobs
Typical entry: Associate degree, apprenticeship, or vocational training
Maintain order in courts of law.
Why it fits: Closely related to your Infantryman occupations on the protective & law enforcement side—a natural next step.
$53,300/yr mediantypical $38k–$87k~351K U.S. jobs
Typical entry: High-school diploma plus short on-the-job training
Guard inmates in penal or rehabilitative institutions in accordance with established regulations and procedures.
Why it fits: Closely related to your Infantryman occupations on the protective & law enforcement side—a natural next step.
$61,800/yr mediantypical $42k–$105k~86K U.S. jobs
Typical entry: Bachelor’s degree typically expected
Provide social services to assist in rehabilitation of law offenders in custody or on probation or parole.
Why it fits: Closely related to your Infantryman occupations on the community & social services side—a natural next step.
Roles selected from the O*NET occupations that fit Infantryman experience; the Department of Labor doesn't publish a one-to-one crosswalk for this code. Pay is BLS OEWS (May 2023). See the O*NET crosswalk.
Adjacent and stretch fields where your experience gives you a credible starting point.
$61,590/yr medianElectricians (representative)
Why it fits: Discipline, teamwork, and working safely in tough conditions transfer well to construction and industrial trades.
What it takes: Enter a registered/union apprenticeship (e.g., Helmets to Hardhats); no trade license is implied by service.
Explore this route →$65,930/yr medianFirst-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers (representative)
Why it fits: Leading teams, enforcing standards, and hitting objectives maps to frontline operations leadership.
What it takes: Translate team size, tempo, and outcomes into civilian terms; Lean fundamentals help.
Explore this route →$53,180/yr medianParamedics (representative)
Why it fits: Casualty care, composure, and teamwork support EMS and fire work.
What it takes: Earn EMT or firefighter certification; state licensure is separate from military training.
Explore this route →$72,280/yr medianPolice and Sheriff's Patrol Officers (representative)
Why it fits: One credible option among many, not the default; leadership and judgment apply.
What it takes: Complete a police academy / POST; background and fitness standards apply.
Explore this route →$104,900/yr medianConstruction Managers (representative)
Why it fits: Planning people, equipment, and timelines under constraints maps to project delivery.
What it takes: OSHA 10/30 and CAPM can bridge terminology.
Explore this route →$37,070/yr medianSecurity Guards (representative)
Why it fits: Risk awareness and disciplined execution support protective and security operations roles.
What it takes: Clearance eligibility and state guard/PI licensing may be required.
Explore this route →$64,340/yr medianTraining and Development Specialists (representative)
Why it fits: Cadre and range-cadre experience supports workforce training and safety instruction.
What it takes: Document audience size and outcomes; instructional-design basics help.
Explore this route →Use the level that reflects what you actually did—not rank alone. Two people with the same code and very different experience should not submit the same résumé.
Lead with individual and team tasks, weapons and equipment qualifications, first-aid training, physical standards, and the conditions you operated in. Do not inflate supervisory scope.
Add team/squad leadership: soldiers led, training delivered, mission planning, standards enforcement, and accountability for people and sensitive equipment.
Emphasize platoon/company operations, planning and rehearsals, personnel development, resource and readiness management, and advising senior leaders.
A translated title isn't enough. These four moves turn Infantryman experience into evidence a civilian hiring manager can act on.
List the systems, vehicles, equipment, and tools you personally operated as Infantryman—plus qualifications, certifications, and the recurring high-stakes tasks you owned.
Soldiers led, dollar value of equipment you were accountable for, workload, readiness rates, and safety or quality outcomes. Scope beats adjectives.
For any target role, name the license, degree, or software it requires and start now—your GI Bill and credentialing assistance can cover most of it.
Recruiters rarely search “11B.” Search job boards by the equipment, skills, and outcomes above as much as by “Infantryman.”
You don't have to make this jump alone. These programs exist specifically to move service members into civilian careers—most are free, and several pay you while you train.
Train or intern with a civilian employer during your last ~180 days on active duty—at full military pay.
Earn a paycheck while you train for a trade or technical role; USMAP can credit the military training you already have.
Corporate fellowships and hiring events that place transitioning service members and military spouses.
Free career training and nationally recognized certifications for service members, veterans, and spouses.
VA-funded high-tech training (IT, cyber, data, software) that does not touch your GI Bill entitlement.
Free local career centers plus certification and state-by-state license finders for any field.
How to use this: Treat these as targets, not limits. Your exact duties depend on your assignments, so lead with what you actually did—and remember that regulated careers require their own license, certification, or degree.