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How do you join the military?
Hi! I'm Ms. Eldridge at the International Community School. My 5th graders have a few questions and I'd like to share your advice with them. Thanks in advance!
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Ryan’s Answer
Hello Ms. Eldridge's Class,
I served as an officer in the US Air Force from 2014 to 2018, and can help answer your questions!
As some of the others have said, every branch of the military divides its members into two groups: officers and enlisted. The details of the differences between the two can be confusing, but generally speaking officers tend to have big responsibilities and/or be in more supervisor / manager type roles. For example, all military doctors, lawyers, engineers, and pilots are officers! Officers hold ranks/titles like Lieutenant, Captain, and General. Enlisted personnel can still have big responsibilities though, like handling nuclear weapons! Their jobs tend to be more labor intensive, like maintaining equipment, weapons, and all the other hard behind the scenes work. They hold ranks/titles like Private, Sergeant, and Chief.
Since roughly 75% to 80% of the military is comprised of enlisted service members, I'll start with their process of joining. The first step is to meet with a local recruiter (each branch has their own), and most "big" cities have recruiting offices near local malls or shopping centers. After meeting with the recruiters and discussing your interests and goals, they will begin a lengthly vetting process - just like any other job application! They will do things like verify your citizenship status, conduct a criminal background check, examine your school report cards, make you take a fitness test, administer a drug test, and more to make sure you're healthy and qualified. After this intense months-long process, you will take an oath of enlistment, and go off to basic training. Basic Training varies by branch, but it is typically about 8-12 weeks, and there you learn all the fundamentals - how to march, dress, talk, and fight! After graduating Basic, you will go to an advanced or "technical school" which is specific to your job. These vary significantly, from a few weeks to a few months!
If the idea of being a commanding officer appeals to you, the process is slightly different. Because officers tend to have bigger responsibilities right-away, the military wants them to have a little more education first, so all officers are required to hold at least a Bachelor's Degree. Becoming an officer is also a little more complicated because there are 3 different ways to do it.
1) If you wait to join the military until after you have your 4-year college degree, you join by going to a recruiter just like enlisted service members! However, after being vetted and taking your oath, you attend something called Officer Candidate or Training School (OCS or OTS) instead of Basic Training. They're similar, but OCS/OTS includes a lot more leadership training, since you'll be expected to supervise others almost as soon as you graduate.
2) If you want to commit to join the military before having your degree in hand, you can attend a service academy. Service academies like the US Military Academy in Westpoint, NY, the US Air Force Academy in CO, or the US Naval Academy in Annapolis in MD, are all basically normal colleges...except run by the military! They are very competitive to get into, and very intense while you're there. In some ways, it will be like attending Basic Training for 4-years instead of 10 weeks!
3) The 3rd option is the most common, and is a mix of the two called the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC). ROTC programs are hosted by normal, civilian, colleges. While attending the college, you complete ROTC classes that teach you all the same things as OCS or the service academy, but on a more "part-time" basis. Each branch is different, but most require you to complete one or more intensive trainings during the college's summer breaks. For the Air Force, it's a 4-week "Field Training" that is similar to Basic Training, but almost 1/3 of the length because you'll already be trained how to march, dress, and talk before you get there!
Whether you attend OTS, ROTC, or an academy, after you graduate or "commission" you will also attend a technical school, just like the enlisted service members. Mine was 9 months long, some are mere weeks, and some - like pilots - will train for years before they're fully qualified to their jobs!
So, overall, the actual act of joining the military is fairly standardized - regardless of what branch or position you choose. The process usually begins with finding and talking to a recruiter, and is followed by a thorough vetting of your character and health. So, if you are thinking of joining the military, make sure you try hard in school, stay out of trouble with the law, avoid drugs and alcohol, and stay healthy, active, and fit.
If you have any more questions, please don't hesitate to ask!
I served as an officer in the US Air Force from 2014 to 2018, and can help answer your questions!
As some of the others have said, every branch of the military divides its members into two groups: officers and enlisted. The details of the differences between the two can be confusing, but generally speaking officers tend to have big responsibilities and/or be in more supervisor / manager type roles. For example, all military doctors, lawyers, engineers, and pilots are officers! Officers hold ranks/titles like Lieutenant, Captain, and General. Enlisted personnel can still have big responsibilities though, like handling nuclear weapons! Their jobs tend to be more labor intensive, like maintaining equipment, weapons, and all the other hard behind the scenes work. They hold ranks/titles like Private, Sergeant, and Chief.
Since roughly 75% to 80% of the military is comprised of enlisted service members, I'll start with their process of joining. The first step is to meet with a local recruiter (each branch has their own), and most "big" cities have recruiting offices near local malls or shopping centers. After meeting with the recruiters and discussing your interests and goals, they will begin a lengthly vetting process - just like any other job application! They will do things like verify your citizenship status, conduct a criminal background check, examine your school report cards, make you take a fitness test, administer a drug test, and more to make sure you're healthy and qualified. After this intense months-long process, you will take an oath of enlistment, and go off to basic training. Basic Training varies by branch, but it is typically about 8-12 weeks, and there you learn all the fundamentals - how to march, dress, talk, and fight! After graduating Basic, you will go to an advanced or "technical school" which is specific to your job. These vary significantly, from a few weeks to a few months!
If the idea of being a commanding officer appeals to you, the process is slightly different. Because officers tend to have bigger responsibilities right-away, the military wants them to have a little more education first, so all officers are required to hold at least a Bachelor's Degree. Becoming an officer is also a little more complicated because there are 3 different ways to do it.
1) If you wait to join the military until after you have your 4-year college degree, you join by going to a recruiter just like enlisted service members! However, after being vetted and taking your oath, you attend something called Officer Candidate or Training School (OCS or OTS) instead of Basic Training. They're similar, but OCS/OTS includes a lot more leadership training, since you'll be expected to supervise others almost as soon as you graduate.
2) If you want to commit to join the military before having your degree in hand, you can attend a service academy. Service academies like the US Military Academy in Westpoint, NY, the US Air Force Academy in CO, or the US Naval Academy in Annapolis in MD, are all basically normal colleges...except run by the military! They are very competitive to get into, and very intense while you're there. In some ways, it will be like attending Basic Training for 4-years instead of 10 weeks!
3) The 3rd option is the most common, and is a mix of the two called the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC). ROTC programs are hosted by normal, civilian, colleges. While attending the college, you complete ROTC classes that teach you all the same things as OCS or the service academy, but on a more "part-time" basis. Each branch is different, but most require you to complete one or more intensive trainings during the college's summer breaks. For the Air Force, it's a 4-week "Field Training" that is similar to Basic Training, but almost 1/3 of the length because you'll already be trained how to march, dress, and talk before you get there!
Whether you attend OTS, ROTC, or an academy, after you graduate or "commission" you will also attend a technical school, just like the enlisted service members. Mine was 9 months long, some are mere weeks, and some - like pilots - will train for years before they're fully qualified to their jobs!
So, overall, the actual act of joining the military is fairly standardized - regardless of what branch or position you choose. The process usually begins with finding and talking to a recruiter, and is followed by a thorough vetting of your character and health. So, if you are thinking of joining the military, make sure you try hard in school, stay out of trouble with the law, avoid drugs and alcohol, and stay healthy, active, and fit.
If you have any more questions, please don't hesitate to ask!
Updated
Ari’s Answer
What a great question! There are many ways to join the military:
1. Enlist on what's called "active duty" when you are 18 years old or older
2. Enlist in what's called "reserves/National Guard" when you are 18 years old or older
3. Become an officer through Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) through college OR by going to a service academy like the Naval Academy in Annapolis
4. Become an officer through programs for junior enlisted people.
The difference between officers and enlisted? Generally, the officers are the people who are entrusted with providing direction and orders, and the enlisted people are the those who carry out the orders (although officers do carry out orders AND some enlisted people do give orders).
For training, general basic training for enlisted people is up to 16 weeks. For officers, you could be training for up to 4 years (going through college) before you become an officer.
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I STRONGLY suggest you speak with someone who is/was in the military to discuss their experiences. Keep in mind, the military has literally thousands of different jobs (just like there are in society), so it's not just about firing a weapon or going in harms way all the time.
I also STRONGLY suggest you read up the military, either through sponsored websites OR books.
1. Enlist on what's called "active duty" when you are 18 years old or older
2. Enlist in what's called "reserves/National Guard" when you are 18 years old or older
3. Become an officer through Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) through college OR by going to a service academy like the Naval Academy in Annapolis
4. Become an officer through programs for junior enlisted people.
The difference between officers and enlisted? Generally, the officers are the people who are entrusted with providing direction and orders, and the enlisted people are the those who carry out the orders (although officers do carry out orders AND some enlisted people do give orders).
For training, general basic training for enlisted people is up to 16 weeks. For officers, you could be training for up to 4 years (going through college) before you become an officer.
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Ari recommends the following next steps:
Updated
Robert’s Answer
Joining the military is as easy as going to your local recruiting office and working with the recruiters to learn more. Each branch is a tiny bit different.