Is a graduate statistics and OR background valuable for being an economist? Is it my best option?

I’m currently studying for a combined BS in Mathematics and MS in Statistics, then I want to utilize ROTC to enlist as an Air Force officer for operations research. I also want to develop secondary skills in grant/proposal writing and trial/survey design. Once I finish active duty, I was considering further education for something like law (privacy, labor), medicine (orthopedic surgery, vascular surgery, hospital medicine, gastroenterology, hospice), or even a research doctorate (statistics).

There have been other careers I’ve been interested in such as being a direct support professional, medical laboratory scientist, or process engineer. However these careers tend to have staffing shortages, average to low pay, and even difficult entry as far as skills requirements. I especially have a lot of empathy for group home patients such as lower-functioning autistic adults or seniors since they are completely dependent.

I was thinking of what to do with these aspirations, and I think the problem to solve is resource distribution. After active duty I was thinking I could potentially use my background to become some sort of economist, then I could help with staffing, worker’s rights and education access. I would want to hold a leadership position, not only so I could have more autonomy in what problems to engage in but also so I could feel like I’m directing other people to solve the clerical and technical problems I literally don’t have enough time to solve by myself sequentially. But that would be after years of working under someone to know what’s realistic. Is this what being an economist is? I don’t expect to be able to simply solve any or every problem, but I want to make a greater impact on these communities than if I wouldn’t have been involved at all. Especially autistic communities and healthcare environments.

Am I looking at a good direction? Should I consider those initial career options more deeply instead?