Military
Military recruiters frequently visit McKinley High School and students are welcome to meet with them on a voluntary basis. They are usually available during morning recess, lunch, and after school; as well as on scheduled days in the College & Career Center. (Please refer to the College & Career Calendar found on the Calendar of Events tab to view when a recruiter will be on campus.) If you are interested in contacting a recruiter or want to learn more on your own, you are welcome to contact them directly.
If you would like to connect with a recruiter through the College & Career Counseling Center, please complete the Google Form by clicking HERE.
INFORMATION FOR STUDENTS
For lots of individuals, the benefits of serving in the armed forces outweigh the negatives. Whether it’s offering benefits to free health care, financial assistance for college, or security of having your family taken care of, service members earn a wide range of benefits and perks that often match or surpass those that are offered by civilian employers. Although there are numerous benefits, the military for everyone. Before you decide to enlist into the military, there are a few things to consider.
War and Combat
The military exists to defend our nation, our allies, and our interests. Congress and the President (and Governor of Hawaii for National Guard soldiers) decide when to go to war or not. Service members do not get to choose whether to fight or not. There are no “safe” jobs.
No Job Guarantees
There is no guarantees in getting the specific job you want/select. The military fills positions as they are needed, and may require you to change jobs. You may have to select a job from a list in which none of the options are what you want or they may have the specific job available for you. Your job is based upon 1)your AFQT score and 2)your line score.
Talking with a Recruiter
Recruiters can be intimidating–they are often in military uniform, and may be much older than you. Don't be intimidated! If you aren't interested in the military, you do not have to talk to recruiters at all. You will have to speak with a recruiter in order to join. Here are some tips to help you interact with recruiters:
Don't be shy. Talking to recruiters might be a little scary at first, but your attitude will go a long way. It's important that you pay attention to the process. Recruiters are there to get you to join–not to take care of you or get you the best job.
Talk with your parents, guardians, counselor, etc. Have someone you trust come with you when you meet with a recruiter. But remember, the decision to enlist is ultimately yours to make. Ask recruiters to include their promises in your contract. Verbal promises don't exist in the military. If it isn't in writing, it won't happen.
Check out your options. Don’t just meet with one recruiter from one branch of the military. Get information about similar jobs and options that interest you from several branches before making any decisions. You might be surprised by what you find.
If you would like to schedule a meeting with a recruiter on campus, it may be done during recess, lunch, or after school ONLY. All meetings will be held in the College and Career Center or approved location (by Ms. Yoshioka). If you would like your parents to be present during the meeting(s), proper arrangements will need to be made.
What to Bring
To find out what jobs and bonuses you are eligible for, you will have to fill out some paperwork. Remember, you don't have to sign an enlistment contract when you meet with a recruiter. See what you're eligible for, and think it over. When you meet with a recruiter, bring the following:
Driver's License, social security card, green card (if applicable), passport, birth certificate, marriage license (or divorce papers, if applicable), legal records, credit report (if applicable), school transcripts, school diplomas and degrees, resume, and/or medical records for any major health issues.
Recruitment
Recruiters are paid to find and enlist quality recruits into their branch of service. You may have seen recruiters around your community or even at school. With the right attitude and right questions, you can get the information you need and the options you want. Use the list of questions below to help you get started.
How long must I enlist for this job?
What bonuses or incentives do I qualify for?
Can I negotiate a higher rank, E2, E3, or even E4?
What do I need to score on the ASVAB to qualify?
How is this branch different from other branches?
How is the job I'm interested in different from the same job in other branches?
Can I get a guaranteed Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) written into my contract?
What physical requirements do I need to meet?
Can I request my first duty assignment?
How much would I actually make in this job?
What benefits, special training, or college courses will I get in this job?
What could disqualify me from being able to enlist?
Am I disqualified from any jobs?
How long are combat deployments in this branch of service?
What are the average fatality rates for my proposed job?
What kind of training will I receive? Can I add additional training into my enlistment contract?
Does this job exist in the Reserve or National Guard?
What are the biggest challenges people encounter when joining the military?
Qualifications
To join the military, you must meet certain standards. It is very important that you are honest with your recruiter if you don't meet a certain requirement. Your recruiter may be able to have the requirement waived. If you lie about something that disqualifies you, you could end up in jail or receive a dishonorable discharge. Each branch of service sets its own enlistment standards for specific jobs. The Department of Defense also sets general standards for all services to follow. These standards apply to both enlisted personnel and officers.
Age
You can join at the age of 17 with the consent of a parent or legal guardian. If you are 18 or older, you do not need the consent of a parent or guardian. Each branch has a maximum age requirement.
Physical & Medical Exam
You must be healthy and meet minimum vision standards to join the military. While some past medical problems can be waived, physical and mental disabilities cannot. Other conditions that will prevent you from enlisting include diabetes, severe allergies, asthma, epilepsy, alcoholism, drug addiction, and other diseases. There are minimum and maximum weight limits depending on your gender, age, and height.
Citizenship
You must be a U.S. citizen or meet certain immigration standards to join. For more information, contact a recruiter.
Family Requirements
You can enlist whether you are single or married. If you are single and have dependents under age 18, you may only be eligible for certain branches of service. If you are single and have more than two dependents under the age of 18, you may not be allowed to enlist.
Education
Recruits with high school diplomas are preferred by the military. You may be able to enlist with a GED, but the armed forces have been allowing fewer and fewer GED-holders in. To become a commissioned officer, you must have a college degree.
Discipline & Character
The military is a disciplined organization and places a great deal of trust in each of its service members. Recruits must have good moral character. The military checks court records, juvenile delinquency, arrests, and drug use. Certain offenses can be waived, but do not lie about your record. You can be sent to jail and dishonorably discharged for lying about your past, years after you enlist.
Enlistment
Enlisted personnel are the workforce of the military. They are led by commissioned officers and senior enlisted personnel called non-commissioned officers (NCOs). Generally, you must have a high school diploma to enlist. To enlist in the military, you sign an enlistment contract. The military agrees to provide pay, benefits, occupational training, and a job. The military tries to place you in the job it trains you for. However, a specific type of job is not guaranteed. In return, you agree to serve at least 8 years. From 2 to 6 of those years are on active duty. The rest are in the reserves. The length of active duty depends on the service and the amount of training the military provides. For more information on what enlisted personnel do in the armed forces, visit Enlisted Personnel. Enlistment can be a long process with lots of paperwork. Consider each step carefully. Your decisions will affect the next 8 years of your life! Don't enlist if you are in a stressful situation, depressed, or pressured by friends or family. Be sure to talk to people who are or have been in the military. They can give you their view of military life, both good and bad. Ask advice from your friends and family and consider everything before making your final decision.
6 General Steps to Enlistment:
1. Meet with the recruiter
Military recruiters provide information about enlisting. Bring a friend or trusted adult with you to talk with a recruiter. There is a lot of information to take in, and your friend may have questions you didn't think to ask.
2. Take the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB)
The ASVAB is a multiple-choice test used by every branch of the military to determine what jobs you qualify for. If you are in high school, you may be able to take the test at your school. Otherwise, you can take it at MEPS. For more on the ASVAB, check out: The ASVAB.
3. Visit a Military Enlistment Processing Station (MEPS)
Your recruiter will make an appointment for you to visit MEPS. MEPS will complete your in-processing paperwork, background check, and physical exam. You will need to bring your medical records, any paperwork you have completed, and the items listed in What to Bring.
4. Choose a military occupation
By now, you should have some idea about what you want to do in the military. Each of your options will have an identifying code, often called a Military Occupational Specialty (MOS). Your choices may be limited by your ASVAB score and your physical exam results. The military tries to offer you the job it trains you for, but your job can change once you are in the military.
5. Sign an enlistment contract
Whatever you do, don't enlist the first time you meet with a recruiter. Get all the facts, research your options, and meet with recruiters from at least two similar branches. For instance, if you are interested in becoming an aircraft mechanic, every branch of the military offers this job. But certain branches may offer higher enlistment bonuses, more training opportunities, or civilian accreditation. If you decide to enlist, be sure to:
Get a copy of the enlistment contract before you sign. Take it home, look it over, and think about it.
Make sure all your recruiter's promises are in your enlistment contract; otherwise they don't exist.
Remember that the contract details are more binding on you than on the military. The military can change your terms, including pay, job, and benefits.
6. Get ready for basic training!
Basic training is physically and mentally demanding. The more prepared you are, the easier it will be. Your recruiter can give you materials to study and tools to help you prepare. You should get in shape physically.
INFORMATION FOR PARENTS
Parents play an important role in their child's decision about joining the military. As with any career choice, students need to understand what the commitment means and how it will affect their long-term options. Recruiting videos for combat positions may look exciting, but students considering the military should realize that is only one type of job available to them. The military offers many significant jobs that will provide students with lasting skills whether they continue in the military or return into the civilian work force or college. Parents can help students explore many of the different opportunities the military has to offer.
Helping Your Child Decide
Parents sometimes have strong emotional reactions when their children consider joining the military. Some parents may consider it their children's patriotic duty and push them to enlist. Others may have objections to U.S. foreign policy or armed service of any kind. No matter how you feel, there are many ways to help your children think about military service. Here are a few:
Ask about your children's interests and discuss how the military matches up with those interests.
Learn about the military yourself. Talk with recruiters and see what promises can actually be put in an enlistment contract.
Ask your children to discuss their reasons for joining and how military service will help them achieve long-term goals.
Help your children understand that the contract will affect the next 8 years of their lives and may change them as a person.
Support your children if they are feeling pressured by friends, recruiters, or other family members.
Help your children understand that they can make this decision on their own timeline, and don't have to rush into it. Remind them that the recruiting office isn't going anywhere.
Before enlisting, be sure they explore deferment options that allow them to graduate high school or complete any other obligations they may have.
Military Life
Basic Training
Basic training is your introduction to the military. You will learn to follow orders and work as a team. You will learn military history, customs, and the laws of warfare. You will also prepare mentally and physically for high-stress situations. Basic Combat Training, Recruit Training, Boot Camp. Each branch calls it something a little different, and each one teaches slightly different things. None are easy, but they aren't designed to make you fail. They train you to succeed, even in the most adverse conditions. There is a lot of yelling at basic training. Drill instructors have to teach you to work under stress, and yelling is an effective way to do so. You'll get few phone calls, and every minute of your day will be managed. Keep in mind that the military is not like this after basic training. Once you graduate, you will have the respect of your superiors and your peers as a member of the U.S. military. Men and women serve together, and in some branches they also train together for certain jobs. Although each branch has a different basic training program, day-to-day schedules are fairly similar:
5:00 - 6:30 - a.m Physical conditioning, showers, first formation
6:30 - 7:30 - Breakfast
7:30 - 8:30 - Prepare for inspection
8:30 - 11:30 - Classroom or field instruction
11:30 - 12:30 p.m. - Lunch
12:30 - 4:30 - Classroom or field instruction
4:30 - 5:30 - Dinner
5:30 - 6:30 - Mail, briefings
6:30 - 9:00 - Study, personal time, evening training activities
9:00 - Lights out
Each branch teaches slightly different skills and values during basic training. To learn more about each branch's basic training program, check out Basic Training by Branch.
Advanced Training
After graduating from basic training, Soldiers, Seamen, Airmen, Marines, and Guardians move on to advanced training. Each branch has a slightly different name for this period of skill instruction, but the purpose is the same for each. This is where the training for specific jobs in military career fields begins. There are dozens of schools covering the spectrum of military jobs. Like basic training, advanced training includes classroom instruction, hands-on learning, and training in the field. However, you will be treated as a full member of the military and not as a new recruit. Schools vary in length from a few weeks to more than a year. To learn more about jobs and schools available in each branch of the military, talk to a recruiter and/or visit the branch's website.
Military Experiences
Day-to-day life in the active duty military can be very different for each service member. Each branch of service, job, and duty station offers a different experience. It also depends on whether the country is at peace or at war. For some service members, especially those with administrative or support roles, the military is essentially a 9-to-5 job. Even those in combat positions often work a normal schedule when not deployed or training in the field. Young, unmarried service members usually live in barracks on a military base. Married service members may live in housing on the base or private housing off base. Most service members participate in annual trainings where they practice their specialty in a simulated combat situation, whether on land or on sea. For some specialties, such as mechanics, this simply means a higher work tempo; for others, such as battleship crewmembers, it can mean a several-week voyage. There are important differences between military and civilian careers. Like any job, you must follow orders and meet performance standards. You do not have the same constitutional rights as civilians, even though you are sworn to protect those rights. You must dress and conduct yourself according to military standards. If you commit a crime off base or against a civilian, you may be subject to a civilian trial and punishment and a military trial and punishment. Although certain jobs in each branch are very similar (aircraft mechanics, for example), and each branch maintains forces at overseas bases, experiences will be different from branch to branch.
Life in the Reserve and National Guard
If you serve in the Reserve and National Guard, you can live almost anywhere in the U.S. and have a civilian job. Once a month you travel to your unit's armory for training and are paid for those few days at active duty rates. You may attend additional training voluntarily or to meet promotion requirements. At least once a year you must train for two weeks with your unit. This is done to keep your skills sharp.
Deployment
Active duty, Reserve, and National Guard deployments can be to combat or non-combat zones. The U.S. military has operations all over the world, including peacekeeping and humanitarian missions. Military units often assist other countries during natural disasters. They also train the militaries of allied countries.
Combat Operations & War
The military exists to fight America's wars. This means killing enemy combatants, and often risking death to do so. All service members can be sent into combat, even those in non-combat positions. Non-combat positions exist to support combat positions, and often have to operate in combat zones to do so. Even cooks have to be ready to stand and fight. If you are not okay with this fact, the military probably isn't for you. There are also no "safe" positions in the military. The length and frequency of combat deployments differs by branch.
Selective Service System
Males are required by law to register with the Selective Service System (SSS) when they turn 18. The SSS is the government agency responsible for the draft if it is reinstituted. Nearly all males between the ages of 18 and 25 must register, including most non-citizens. Women do not register. For more on SSS, visit: sss.gov.