A career as an officer in the army, navy, marines, or Coast Guard may be achieved through different methods: The Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC), the service academies, Officer Candidate Schools (OCS), the National Guard State Officer Candidate School, the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences; and other programs.
Women are eligible to enter almost 90 percent of all military specialties.
Places of employment and working conditions
Members of the US armed forces serve throughout the world. Although some effort is made to allow choice of location at the time of enlistment, assignments are not always to the location of choice.
Officers who receive their training at one of the service academies as well as officers who receive their training and college education through ROTC scholarships are obligated to serve on active duty for a stipulated period of time. Other officers serve various lengths of time on active duty.
Qualifications, education, and training
Leadership qualities are important for anyone interested in a career as an officer. Applicants must be between 18 and 28 years of age (there are a few exceptions), U.S. citizens, and in good physical condition. The service academies require a rigorous physical examination and have specific height, weight, eyesight, color vision, and hearing requirements. The academies also require cadets to remain unmarried until after graduation.
Women applicants to any of the programs cannot have dependents under 18 years of age.
High school courses should include English, science, and mathematics. Extracurricular activities that develop leadership qualities are valuable.
Ninety percent of the officers in the armed forces are college graduates, and it is very difficult to achieve this status without some college education.
ROTC programs are offered at over 150 colleges and universities; some scholarships are available. Most are four-year programs, but there are some two-year programs as well. Candidates must receive a passing grade on the Officers Qualifying Test at the end of the second year of college to continue the program. Information on ROTC programs may be obtained directly from participating colleges or from local recruiting offices of the various services.
Enlisted personnel in the various services may be appointed to Officer Candidate School through classification exams and interviews and grades received on specific aptitude tests and the Officer Candidate Test. Civilian applicants should apply at local recruiting offices where they may take the appropriate examinations. OCS training lasts from 9 to 39 weeks, depending on branch of service and previous military training.
Applicants for West Point, Annapolis, and the Air Force Academy must be appointed by their congressperson. The Coast Guard Academy does not require applicants to be appointed; the Coast Guard recruits through an annual nationwide competition. The army, navy, and air force academies require the College Board Entrance Exam, while the Coast Guard requires the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) or the American College Testing Assessment (ACT). High school guidance counselors can usually provide up-to-date information on requirements at the service academies, or interested students may write to the academies directly.
The Army Nurse Program is open to applicants between the ages of 18 and 24. A four-year program leading to a commission includes two years of college and two years at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. A one- to two-year Army Student Nurse Program is also available at some hospital and university schools of nursing.
The Naval Air Reserve has an 18-month program for naval aviation cadets. Applicants must have completed two years of college and must receive a passing score on the Aviation Qualification Test and the Flight Aptitude Rating Test.
Potential and advancement
The need for qualified officers in all of the services will provide career opportunities for applicants with a wide range of skills, and promotion to higher rank is possible for everyone.
Income
Depending on their pay grade level, officers with less than two years of experience earn monthly salaries ranging between $1,338.90 and $1,903.50. They also receive free room and board (or a housing and subsistence allowance), medical and dental benefits, 30 days' paid vacation a year, a military clothing allowance, military supermarket and department store shopping privileges, and travel opportunities. They may receive retirement benefits after 20 years of service.
Additional sources of information
High school and college guidance counselors and local recruiting offices can provide information on careers in the armed forces. Information is also available from:
United States Military Academy West Point, NY 10996
United States Naval Academy Annapolis, MD 21402-5018
U.S. Air Force Academy Colorado Springs, CO 80901
Naval Reserve Center Pensacola, FL 32509
U.S. Coast Guard Academy New London, CT 06320
