How to translate Marine experience in the application proces

[niceguy84]

I have been a Marine for the last 8 years and am applying to UCLA, UC Irvine, UCSD, BC, and Penn St. I plan on taking the GMAT when I am finished here in Afghanistan(October) My question is, I am not quite sure how to share my experiences because everything I have done has just been my job and comes natural. Here is a brief description.

2007- Present: Marine air traffic controller with a successfull tour in Iraq and Afghanistan, where I was a tower watch supervisor in charge of all air traffic control operations to ensure the safe and expeditious flow of military and civil aircraft in and out of hostile airspace.

2004-2007- Marine Security Guard in American Embassies, Canberra, Australia, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, and Rio de Janiero, Brazil. Here I provided armed internal security for the Embassies and even got to do a few security details for President George W. Bush, and Condeliza Rice.

2002-2004- Basic Marine air traffic controller where I learned the ropes and how to be a Marine controller.

[NYCMBA0210]

Full disclosure: I am a future MBA applicant too. So, whether you choose to value my two cents is up to you. However, I do spend a lot of my time thinking of how I could spin my day-to-day duties and experiences on the job in order to create a convincing application or essay.

That being said, I think your marine experience could potentially look fantastic. What first comes to mind is leadership, which is a common thread in any MBA program worth mentioning. Big check mark there.

Aside from that, we've all heard that air traffic controller is one of the most stressful jobs you could have. You've been trusted with huge responsibilities; efficiency, optimization, etc. Not to mention you're moving massive amounts of resources (including human resources) and capital on a scale that not many people could ever dream of working with. This vaguely reminds me of the duties of a management consultant, a profession stacked with MBA grads.

Take it however you want, but to me it sounds like you're sitting on a gold mine. Be proud! And thanks for what you do.

[niceguy84]

Thank you for the insight, sometimes I just need an outsiders prospective because I have been doing this for 9 years and most of it comes as natural as I have been taught.

Full disclosure: I am a future MBA applicant too. So, whether you choose to value my two cents is up to you. However, I do spend a lot of my time thinking of how I could spin my day-to-day duties and experiences on the job in order to create a convincing application or essay.

That being said, I think your marine experience could potentially look fantastic. What first comes to mind is leadership, which is a common thread in any MBA program worth mentioning. Big check mark there.

Aside from that, we've all heard that air traffic controller is one of the most stressful jobs you could have. You've been trusted with huge responsibilities; efficiency, optimization, etc. Not to mention you're moving massive amounts of resources (including human resources) and capital on a scale that not many people could ever dream of working with. This vaguely reminds me of the duties of a management consultant, a profession stacked with MBA grads.

Take it however you want, but to me it sounds like you're sitting on a gold mine. Be proud! And thanks for what you do.