THE MILITARY
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Requirements
Benefits
Training
American Soldier
5 Military Branches
Army
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The dominant land power.
Secures an area and instills order.
Largest branch.
In the war the longest.
Marines
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U.S. rapid-reaction force. (911 Force)
Fights by sea and land, usually the first "boots on the ground."
Every Marine is a Rifleman.
Department of the Navy.
Semper Fidelis – “Always Faithful”
Navy
• Missions primarily by sea, but also by air and land.
• Secures and protects the oceans around the world.
5 Military Branches
Air Force
• Air and space power.
• Primary mission is to fly planes, helicopters, and satellites.
Coast Guard
• Protects domestic waterways.
• Does rescues, law enforcement, drug prevention, and clears
waterways.
• Smallest branch.
• Department of Homeland Security.
Active Duty
Reserves
National Guard
All branches
All branches
Army and Air Force
Full Time –
2 to 6 years (or more)
Part Time –
Drill training one
weekend per month
and 2 weeks per year
2 to 6 years
Part Time –
Drill training one weekend
per month and 2 weeks
per year
Serve for 3, 6, or 8 years
Commanded by
President
Commanded by
President
Commanded by State
Government
*President may overrule
12 month deployments
May be deployed:
• Emergencies
• War
• Stateside or
Overseas
May be deployed
• Domestic emergencies
• Fires
• Floods/Storms
• Reconstruction
efforts
Live on or near base
May need to travel for
• Train close to home
Example Air Force Base
training
• Video
Basic training is the same for all choices
Military Entrance Requirements
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U.S. Citizen
18 years or older (17 years with parental consent)
High School Diploma or G.E.D. equivalent
Take the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery Test (ASVAB)
• A multiple choice test used to determine qualification for enlistment in
the United States Armed Forces.
• High scores must be obtained to become an Officer or Special Forces
• Helps determine your (MOS) Military Occupational Specialty
• To enlist – 31 or higher
• Officers/Special Forces – 100 or higher
• Physical Fitness and Human Lie Detector Test
• Drug Test
MEPS – Military Entrance Processing Station
• 3 hour medical exam
• Vision, Hearing, Physical
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Lots of Paperwork
ASVAB
Personality Test
Clean Record
Time with a Body Language Expert
• Can you be caught in a lie?
• Drug Test
• Oath
• Video
Military Training - Enlisted
• Attend Basic Training (commonly referred to as "boot camp")
• 7 to 12 weeks in length
• Rigorous physical fitness program
• Builds mental strength and knowledge of military history and tactics.
• After completing boot camp:
• Recruits receive additional training specific to their career field.
• Advanced Individual Training (AIT).
• Classroom instruction at skill-training school as well as field
exercises.
• Video
Basic Training by Service
Army
Marine
Navy
Air Force
Coast Guard
10 weeks
12 weeks
7-9 weeks
8.5 weeks
8 weeks
Fort Benning
Columbus, Georgia
Marine Corps Recruit
Depot, Parris Island
Parris Island, South
Carolina
Great Lakes Recruit
Training Depot
Great Lakes, Illinois
Lackland Air Force
Base
San Antonio, Texas
Cape May Coast
Guard Training
Center
Cape May, New
Jersey
Timed 1.5-mile run
or 500-yard swim
2 minutes of curl-ups
2 minutes of pushups
Sit-and-reach
flexibility test
Timed 1.5-mile run
1 minute of push-ups
1 minute of sit-ups
Abdominal
circumference
measurement
Timed 1.5-mile run
1 minute of push-ups
1 minute of sit-ups
Sit-and-reach
flexibility test
5-minute water tread
5-foot platform jump
into a 100-meter
swim
Duration
Locations
Fort Jackson
Columbia, South
Carolina
Fort Leonard Wood
Waynesville,
Missouri
Physical Fitness
Requirements
Fort Sill
Lawton, Oklahoma
Timed 2-mile run
2 minutes of sit-ups
2 minutes of pushups
Marine Corps Recruit
Depot, San Diego
San Diego, California
Timed 3-mile run
A pull-up count
2 minutes of
abdominal crunches
Note: Active Duty, Reserve and Guard personnel all attend that respective Service's Boot Camp.
Advanced Individual Training (AIT)
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Completed after basic training
Classroom instruction
Field Exercises
American Council on Education (ACE) provides the opportunity
for service members to convert their training into a degree.
Advanced Individual Training (5 Branches)
• Army Advanced Individual Training Schools
• 17 career fields
• Marine Corps Military Occupational Specialty School (MOS)
• 3 elements: ground, aviation, and logistics combat
• Navy “A” School
• Many fields from arts and photography to world languages
• Air Force Technical School
• Instruction on mechanical, administrative, general and electronic
careers
• Coast Guard “A” School
• Safety and law enforcement, maritime patrols, technology,
environmental operations, and business administration
Careers
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Administrative personnel
Combat specialty personnel
Construction personnel
Electronic and electrical
equipment repair personnel
Engineering, science, and technical
personnel
Environmental health and safety
specialists
Information technology specialists
Intelligence specialists
Healthcare personnel
Human resources development
personnel
Machine operator and production
personnel
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Media and public affairs personnel
Protective service personnel
Firefighters
Military police
Support service personnel
Religious program specialists
Transportation and materialhandling personnel
Aircrew members
Cargo specialists
Quartermasters and boat
operators
Vehicle drivers
Vehicle and machinery mechanical
personnel
Paths to Becoming an Officer
• You must obtain a 4 year Bachelor’s degree
• You must have an ASVAB score above 100
4 Pathways:
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Service Academy or Military College
ROTC at a Civilian College
Attend an OCS/OTS program after college
Direct Commission
Paths to Becoming an Officer
Service Academies
• 4 year Bachelor’s degree
• Fully immersed in military culture
• Full scholarships – includes tuition, room and board, books and a
monthly stipend
• Extremely competitive
• Requires a congressional letter of recommendation
(except the Coast Guard)
• Must participate in a sport
• 5 year service commitment
Paths to Becoming an Officer
5 Service Academies
• U.S. Military Academy – “West Point”
• Army – must serve 4 years active, 4 years reserve
• U.S. Naval Academy – “Annapolis”
• Navy and Marines – must serve 5 years
• U.S. Coast Guard Academy
• Must serve 5 years
• U.S. Air Force Academy
• Must serve 4 years
• U.S. Merchant Marine Academy
• Known as Mariners, Seamen, Seafarers, Sailors
• NOT Marines
Paths to Becoming an Officer
Senior Military Colleges (SMCs)
• 4 year degree
• Fully immersed in
military culture
• Combine higher
education with military
instruction through ROTC
• Only required to serve if
you received a military
scholarship
• Texas A&M University
• Norwich University
• The Virginia Military
Institute
• The Citadel
• Virginia Polytechnic
Institute and State
University (Virginia Tech)
• University of North Georgia
• Mary Baldwin Women’s
Institute for Leadership
Paths to Becoming an Officer
Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC)
• 4 year degree at a Civilian College
• Field exercises
• Hands-on leadership workshops
• Classroom instruction
• Free education in exchange for a service commitment
• NROTC, Army ROTC, Air Force ROTC
*There is no Coast Guard ROTC
Coast Guard Split Training.
• Enlistees train for two summers.
• Serve one weekend a month during the school year.
• Schooling continues uninterrupted.
• Receive pay for their weekend service and, after training is complete,
begin Reserve duty.
Paths to Becoming an Officer
Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC)
NROTC
For both Navy and Marines
• Freshman – 4 week cruise studying Navy and Marine Corps history
and missions
• Sophomore – 4 week cruise learning high altitude and cold water
movement, survival techniques
• Junior – attend OCS for 6 weeks
• Senior – graduate as Second Lieutenant in U.S. Marine Corps
• Attend The Basic School (TBS) – 6 months
Paths to Becoming an Officer
Officer Candidate School/Officer Training School
3 types of people who attend OCS/OTS:
• Graduates from a traditional four-year college or university
• Enlisted service members transitioning into officer roles
• Direct Commission Officers (DCOs) with specialized skills or
professional degrees
OCS
Army
Marine
Navy
Air
Force
Coast
Guard
Duration
Location
12 weeks
10 weeks
12 weeks
9 weeks
17 weeks
Fort
Benning,
GA
Marine
Corps Base
Quantico,
VA
Second
Lieutenant
Naval
Station
Newport,
RI
Ensign
MaxwellGunter Air
Force Base,
AL
Second
Lieutenant
Coast Guard
Academy,
New London,
CT
Ensign
Rank
Second
Lieutenant
Paths to Becoming an Officer
Direct Commission (DCOs)
• Civilians with special skills
• Typically possess advanced degrees in:
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Medicine
Law
Religious studies
Engineering
Intelligence
Military Benefits
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Free College Education
Opportunities for Advancement and Pay Increase
30 days paid vacation
Free Housing and Meals
Free Health Insurance
$250,000 Life Insurance for $16/month
Travel
Tax Benefits
Retire Young and with a Pension