For military personnel looking to retire, making the inevitable move to civilian life might seem daunting.

Indeed, roughly 190,000 individuals transition out of active military duty every year, at least 28,000 of them senior enlisted or officer-level retirees, according to RecruitMilitary LLC, a recruitment agency and career-fair producer for military veterans based in Cincinnati. The majority are under the age of 45.

Where can they go next?

An ideal destination for former troop commanders, logistics officers and other military leaders may be general management, says Dick Crampton, director of officer placement at the Military Officers Association of America in Alexandria, Va. Or, given the broad array of specialties military leaders are assigned to, it's also feasible to transition into a management area that's relevant to the type of leadership role they had in the military.

Think operations management for a former operations officer or head of human resources for a former personnel officer. The communications, team-building, problem-solving and creative-thinking skills fostered by the military make veterans a strong fit for these roles at employers in most industries, Mr. Crampton explains.

Former military leaders also may be able to apply their skills to corporate-training positions or teaching jobs at educational institutions, adds Mr. Crampton.

Military graduates who performed technician duties while in the service are likely to find that many of the same mechanical skills they used onboard aircraft and ships are required of jobs at utilities companies, says Drew Myers, RecruitMilitary's president and chief executive officer. These include the ability to test, troubleshoot and repair electronic equipment on oil rigs and power plants—both elements of robust and growing industries. Those who oversaw such tasks could easily got to management positions at the same types of employers.

In May 2007, Toby King, a former Navy nuke technician and flight engineer, joined POWER Testing and Engineering Inc. as a field engineer. While the job involves working with much higher voltage levels and different methods of testing equipment, he says he felt prepared for the role. "I knew I understood fundamentals of electricity," he says. And at his new employer, which tests and repairs power-generation systems world-wide, Mr. King says he applies many of the same electrical skills he used during his 10 years in the Navy. The main difference, he says, is that "everything's bigger."