Let's take tasteph's very true and very succint answer and take it a step further.
The answer to that question will depend, very much, on what you did while you were in Security Forces.
Did you drive around in a truck all day and *****? Then you probably qualify for a nice minimum-wage security gig. I hear delivery driver jobs are also available.
On the other hand, if you studied some (or at least paid lip service to your CCAF degree) the door start opening up.
Most police departments want people with at least sixty credit hours. An associate's degree is preferred and a bachelor's is a good tie breaker. Federal and State jobs usually have college credit/degree requirements hard-wired into their applications. If you don't meet them, your application goes straight into the "round file."
What jobs did you perform and what additional training did you get? Again, most of the people who served four years in the military have taken care of the "driven a truck/carried a rifle" box already. So what did you do above and beyond?
Any sort of sensors/computers/admin/leadershiop training helps. A lot. And sometimes the stuff you least expect. A year after I got my present job, talking with my boss I found out what put me over the top in terms of getting hired; "Air Force Records Management and Disposition." A throwaway class I took because somebody in the office had to keep the records in line. And I just threw it into the application because both the job and that class had "records" in the title.
So every little bit helps.
Nowadays it isn't about the job title you had in the service. It's about the education, skills, experience, and training you are able to document to your employer and how you manage to translate them into whatever he or she is expecting you to do.
Good luck if you're planning on getting out in the short term.
Shop around for LE jobs. Some will say that most PDs want X amount of college, or X degree. This is not necessarily true, and can be very misleading, and can put off good candidates from even pursuing it any further if they are told it is futile without college. The overwhelming majority of LE jobs available do not require college degrees. Some do, some don't. I'm not going to go into Fed LE, it's not my field. I will, however, talk about civilian LE. I have a fair amount of experience, 9 years in a small town PD, including several of those as a supervisor and manager, plus another 8 in the largest agency in my state, all in patrol, and still working.
Having just retired from the civilian police here in Minnesota you have to be licensed to be a peace officer. You get licensed by having an AA and getting certified. Only then can you apply for a position. Almost 100 percent of our candidates have four year degrees in law enforcement. During the selection process those with a BA are selected over those with an AA. Bottom line is you need to get a 4 year degree to get into entry level police work in Minnesota.....
We have have gone so long, doing so much, with so little, now we can do anything with nothing.
What kinda Jobs can you get in the private sector when you leave security forces?
Here are few questions you might want to answer so we can help you.
First off what kind of quals do you have? Any special schools or a degree or what not? Are you close to retirement or do you have 6 months to a year before you pop smoke?
The next question would be what do you want to do? And are you willing to relocate? I knew a guy that was offered an outstanding job in CA, but he didn't want to move. So now when I see him is grumpy because he doesn't like his job and it doesn't pay enough. See where I'm going with this.
Throw us some more info and maybe we can give you a little more assistance.
