To the brave men and women who wear the uniform of the United States of America- thank you. Your calling is a high one- to be the defenders of freedom and the guarantors of liberty.
-George Bush, 41st President of the United States
Before we talk about the opportunities in the military, I want to give every visitor the chance to thank all of the men and women who are currently on duty serving our country. The Department of Defense has set up a site to give every American the opportunity to thank those in uniform for the job they are doing. Please take a moment to do this, then read this page to learn how you might become one of them!
Have you ever considered military service as a possible option after high school? If you've wanted to learn more about your options, maybe I can explain things a little bit here. Before I go on, I just want to add a personal note that I chose to join the United States Marine Corps following my high school graduation. It was an experience I would not trade for anything, and one that I am very proud of.
But I can assure you this: you are not taking an easy road if you choose the military, so make certain it is something you want to do deep in your heart. Serving and protecting our country is an honorable but oftentimes demanding job that requires sacrifice. If this does not interest you, then you will not benefit the military nor yourself by joining, no matter how wonderful the benefits are. That being said, here are some options to consider.
Many people think of the military academies when they think of military service. These are very competitive, very prestegious schools that train their students to be military officers upon graduation. Thus, there is an active duty military commitment beyond graduation in addition to the four years of education in a military setting. The academies consist of The U.S. Military Academy at West Point (NY), The U.S. Naval Academyat Annapolis (MD), The U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, and The U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, CT. If you are wondering about the Marines, they are actually part of the Department of the Navy, so one could become a Marine officer through the Academy in Annapolis. There are physical requirements, and they further require a congressional recommendation. Given that admission is so competitive, students should get an early start on their preparations during their junior year.
If you are looking to become a military officer but don't think an academy is for you, you may wish to consider Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC). In ROTC you will attend college full time at any college that has an ROTC program offered. Many of the colleges you are already looking at might have it. While you are a full time student, you will take a few military related classes while you are pursuing you intended major. You might have to dress in military uniform once a week. But the rest of the time you are dressed like the rest of the student body. There are competitive ROTC scholarships that pay for your tuition and even a monthly stipend. Of course there is a military obligation attached, but you will be commissioned as an officer in military, which will certainly help you advance your civilian career as well!You can enlist, which means you enter into the military right out of high school and serve in either the Reserves or Guard, or on active duty. If you enlist for a period of active duty, you complete basic training followed by a school that will train you for the job you have selected. From there you report to your first duty station and perform the job you were trained for. With the Reserves, you go through basic training followed by the training school. From there, you are assigned to a Reserve unit near your home and report there one weekend of every month. Every year you will attend annual training (AT) which is usually about 2 weeks long in addition to your weekend "drills". There is of course the possibility of your unit being mobilized which would result in more time served. But that is after all the purpose of our nation having forces in a reserve status, and a commitment you make when you join. While you do not have to become an officer, there are significant eduational benefits such as the The Montgomery GI Bill for enlisted service members in both active and reserve components, making the military a wonderful opportunity to advance one's education!
You should be aware that not everyone gets the training they hope for. You have to qualify for many of the more competitive programs by scoring well on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB). Your recruiter will take you to a test site, and probably has a practice one so you know what the test will be like beforehand. The best thing you can do for the test is relax and try your best.
The military needs good young people to carry on our nation's mission of peace and security. The military is not for everyone, but if you think it is of interest to you, start gathering information so you make the best decision for you!
U.S. Army
U.S. Navy
U.S. Marine Corps
U.S. Coast Guard
U.S. Air Force
Massachusetts National Guard
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