9 Hobbies that turns your MOS experience into money
SUMMARY
Veterans that have made the transition into the civilian workforce can sometimes find themselves jaded by the repetitiveness of it all. Wake up, go to work, come home, go to bed, and repeat. There's not too much variety in the daily routine.
The good news is that the experiences and skills gained through military service can be used in finding a new hobby — one that'll break up the monotony. If you're looking to pick up something new — and make a little cash doing it — use this list to kickstart your brainstorming.
Metal detecting for lost jewelry
When I was in the Marine Corps, I deployed to Afghanistan and used a CMD nearly everyday on deployment. When my platoon was operating in a sketchy area, Marines would walk in my foot steps — literally. Using the discipline and techniques required for successful operations translates directly into treasure hunting.
The gear is a little expensive, but it's a hobby that eventually pays for itself.
Scuba diving for treasure
People lose phones, watches, entire fishing poles, and a plethora of other things in rivers and man-made waterways. If you've earned your dive bubble, this is another way to monetize your training.
Becoming a skydiving instructor
How would your childhood self react if you went back in time and told him about your badass job, getting paid to jump out of planes with beautiful women onto idyllic beaches? Skydiving is not as expensive as most people think. Check out rates in your area for certifications if you don't have any jumps yet. If you have earned your wings and aren't using them, you're missing out.
Paintball leagues
You'll commonly find paintball fields near military bases, and for good reason — it's a stress reliever and it's fun to use tactics honed in the infantry community. If you can assemble a disciplined team of warriors, you can stomp on pro teams and possibly walk away with some prize money.
White-water rafting instructor
This hobby is more location specific, but if there are rapids nearby, you should consider getting involved with tourism. During the right season, you can get paid to go have fun.
It should go without saying that one should work their way up the tiers before attempting the most adrenalin pumping currents.
Competitive gaming
There are a few perks to barracks life, but chief among them is the time to level up your hand eye coordination to pro level. Combine the competitive nature of the military with the proximity to a bunch of worth adversaries and you've got yourself an environment for improvement. But civilians take gaming very seriously, too, to the point that pro gamers live off their earnings independent of a a real job.
Odds are you won't win international competitions anytime soon, but many local competitions offer free consoles as prizes that you can resell online.
Barber battles
The platoon barber is a Marine's best friend — especially an hour before formation on a Monday after a weekend of non-stop drinking. It should come as a surprise to absolutely no one that the platoon barber can be paid in booze, 'acquired' gear, energy drinks, and, yes, cash.
However, the skills the platoon barber learned that lead him to become a kingpin can also earn him prize money and reputation.
Survival instructor
You can always teach civilians how to survive in the wilderness. Just don't go full Naked and Afraid on them; you'll lose the opportunity for repeat business.
Make funny videos
If you've got a phone, you can make funny videos. Use caution when filming for safety and legal reasons. Don't be that guy who dressed up a Taliban and drove through the main gate with expired decals to mess with the MPs because he thought he was funny.
That's a true story, by the way -- and you're not going to find that video on the internet.
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