Explore military options
Decide if military service is an option for you
Making a commitment to serve in the military is not one to take lightly. You may be interested in serving your country, but you need to understand what comes with that duty.
Consider the following questions to better understand why you want to join the military:
- Do you want to serve your country?
- Are you thinking of making the military a career, or are you wanting to join for four to five years prior to going to college?
- Do you want to learn a trade or get college benefits?
- Are you interested in travelling the world?
The more internal reflection you do while in high school, the better you’ll feel about signing a binding contract.
Understand your military commitment
Joining the military is a big commitment for both the service member and the military. Aside from special circumstances, the only way to leave the military early is by being discharged, which is not always a good thing.
Signing a military contract means committing to at least six to eight years of service. Some of this time may be spent in the Inactive Ready Reserve (IRR), where members aren’t taking part in military training or service. Even if you’re in the IRR, you’re still part of a binding commitment and you’ll have to serve if needed.
Commitment to the military extends to military careers, too. With a regular (civilian) job, you can "opt out" and forge a new career path if you discover the job you chose isn’t right for you. With a military career, you’re locked into your choice.
Depending on your skills and what jobs are available, you might be able to switch careers. Even if you switch careers, you won’t be able to break your service agreement.
Enlisted service members vs. military officers
Enlisted personnel and officers have different requirements, commitments, and responsibilities. When it comes to military careers, each path will have different options for career training and what jobs are available. Ultimately, all military careers can provide rewarding experiences, educational and training benefits, and competitive compensation.
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Becoming a military officer
There are multiple ways to become a military officer. As a member of the military, you can advance through enlisted ranks and then complete officer training if you’ve completed a four-year postsecondary degree. Otherwise, you can become a military officer through time-based promotions, and more rarely, battlefield promotions.
Before picking a path, think about the type of education and training you want, as well as how much time you’re willing to commit to earn officer status.
Connecting the military to careers
Unless you’re serving part-time with the Reserves or National Guard, a commitment to the military is a commitment to a lifestyle.
When you’re in the military, you’re not just a service member. You’re also a satellite operations officer, an electronics technician, or a family medicine physician. Some jobs may be specific to the military, but most have similar jobs outside the military. Even when you’re in high school and starting to think about your career goals, you can start preparing for a military role like any other career.
But what if you’re not sure what types of careers interest you? With Career Stories you can learn a little bit about what it’s like to work in the military. While each story shows you the daily life in a military career, it also shares a bit about each service member’s journey getting there.
Benefits to joining the military
There are many benefits to joining the military:
- A wide range of careers that help develop skills that are useful to employment after the military
- Opportunities for personal growth, such as developing confidence, motivation, and leadership
- Employment benefits like health care, life insurance, retirement savings, paid vacation, and more
- Competitive salary that often includes housing allowances and other additional pay