Military Career Planning

Background and Basic Information

Active Duty: Full-Time

Full-time service members
Live on base or in military housing
Stationed at a base either domestically or overseas for terms that typically last two to six years

Reserve: Part-Time

Part-time service members
Created to provide and maintain trained units at home while active-duty service members are deployed
Allowed to pursue a civilian career or college education while serving
Attend boot camp and participate in training drills one weekend a month
Can be deployed to serve alongside active-duty service members for special missions

National Guard: Part-Time

Army National Guard and the Air National Guard
Every U.S. state has its own separate Guard unit. Each National Guard group goes by its state name (for example, the New York National Guard) and reports to that state’s governor.
Focus is on homeland security and humanitarian relief (i.e. state emergencies like storms, floods, fires and other natural disasters).
Training drills one weekend a month and two full weeks per year
The president can federalize the National Guard, and its service members can be deployed overseas. National Guard members deployed overseas may see combat, but are also assigned noncombat humanitarian tasks, such as building schools and hospitals, training local peacekeepers and other community-building projects.

The Military is made up of seven branches, each with their own active-duty and part-time components

Each branch varies in commitment required and location

"This We'll Defend"

To fight and win the nation's wars through prompt and sustained land combat

There are two main service paths- enlisted service and officer service

The requirements, commitments, and responsibilities are different for enlisted personnel and officer personnel

It is possible to start on one path move to the other (i.e. start in enlisted service and then move to officer service)

Enlisted personnel

Do specific, hands-on jobs, and have general knowledge, skills, and abilities needed for their unit's success

Officer personnel

Manage enlisted personnel
Plan missions, give orders, and assign tasks
Role is in leadership as problem-solvers, influencers, and planners

Paths to Becoming an Officer

Military College or Service Academy

Highly competitive schools are virtually free
The government pays for each student’s tuition, room and board, uniform and books.
The student commits to serving as an officer for a set period after graduation, usually five years.

Officer Candidate School (OCS) Of Officer Training School (OTS)

After completing a four-year degree, graduates may enroll in OCS
OCS/OTS varies in length between Services, but generally lasts 9 to 17 weeks
The Marine Corps Platoon Leaders Course (PLC) is another alternative. It offers college students the opportunity to become commissioned officers in the United States Marine Corps. In each program, students can expect courses that focus on military subjects, physical training and leadership skills.

Direct Commission Officers (DCO)

Civilians who have earned professional degrees in fields such as medicine, law, religious studies, engineering or intelligence
DCOs are required to attend Officer Indoctrination School (OIS), Officer Development School (ODS) or the Direct Commission Officer Indoctrination Course (DCOIC), depending on which Service they join.
Regular age limits and requirements may be waived for some of these positions

Enlistment & Officer Training Process

If you're decided to enlist the first step is talk to recruiter

They will help you navigate the enlistment process, which starts at Military Entrance Processing Stations (MEPS)

Step 1: ASVAB

(Enlisted only)

See the ASVAB and AFQT tab

Step 2: Physical Exam

The physical is a regular medical exam

Examinations include:

Height and weight measurements
Hearing and vision examinations
Urine and blood tests
Drug and alcohol tests
Muscle group and joint maneuvers
Specialized test if required

Step 3: Career Determination

A service enlistment counselor meeting to find the right career

A few different factors contribute to career selection:

Needs of the Service
Job availability
ASVAB score
Physical requirements
Recruit preference

The service enlistment counselor will also go over the enlistment agreement - this agreement is your commitment to the Military! You will also be fingerprinted, which is required for background checks and security clearances

Step 3: Oath of Enlistment

A statement in which the applicant vows to defend the United States Constitution and obey the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ)

I, (name), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the president of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.

Step 4: After MEPS

Enlisted Personnel:

Direct Ship: Report to Basic Training after completing MEPS testing requirements
Delayed Entry Program (DEP): Commit to Basic Training at a time in the future, generally within one year

Some branches offer Officer Candidate Training or the equivalent instead of Basic Training for Officers

What is it?

A strategic assessment tool designed to evaluate strengths and find the jobs best suited to those abilities within the U.S. Armed Forces.
It determines both eligibility and career options

Content

Consists of subtests that test aptitude for both academic and technical skills in the following areas:

Arithmetic Reasoning (AR)
Word Knowledge (WK)
Paragraph Comprehension (PC)
Mathematics Knowledge (MK)
Mechanical Comprehension (MC)
Electronic Information (EI)
General Science (GS)
Assembling Objects (AO)
Auto Information (AI)
Shop Information (SI)

Types of ASVAB

There are two versions:

Military Entrance Processing (MEPS) during the enlistment process
Career Exploration Program (CEP) at high schools, community colleges, and Job Corp centers

Career Exploration Program (CEP) ASVAB

What is it?

A complete career planning program done via the ASVAB
Free to 10th, 11th, and 12th graders
Does not require a commitment to military service
Adds an interest assessment and planning tools for exploring both military and civilian career paths

How is it scored?

Score reports show how the student performed on each subtest area, and how the score compare with others who took the test
Three composite scores in verbal, math and science/technical skills and the AFQT score

Military Entrance Processing (MEPS) - ASVAB

The ASVAB at MEPS is part of the required enlistment process
Adaptive computer-based exam called the iCAT or CAT-ASVAB
The purpose is assess an applicant's skills for eligibility and match to available careers within the military

Counseling Department

Bethel Virtual Academy

Military Career Planning

Background and Basic Information

Active Duty: Full-Time

Reserve: Part-Time

National Guard: Part-Time

Paths to Becoming an Officer

Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC)

Military College or Service Academy

Officer Candidate School (OCS) Of Officer Training School (OTS)

Direct Commission Officers (DCO)

Enlistment & Officer Training Process

Step 1: ASVAB

Step 2: Physical Exam

Step 3: Career Determination

Step 3: Oath of Enlistment

Step 4: After MEPS

What is it?

Content

Types of ASVAB

Career Exploration Program (CEP) ASVAB

What is it?

How is it scored?

Military Entrance Processing (MEPS) - ASVAB

AFQT Score