Military Pathways

Many recent graduates see the military as an escape from the life they've been living, but before enlisting and committing to follow all the orders of the Commander-in-Chief (the President) and entering into a zero tolerance space that requires strict adherence to orders and bureaucratic policies, there's some important first steps.

Choosing a career

There are many branches of the military and many positions within each branch, and some that overlap, so you will want to identify the branches and positions you are interested in.  Here are two government websites that will be helpful with your search:

• CareersInTheMilitary.com 

• TodaysMilitary.com 

Once you complete the ASVAB (see below), you can go to myASVAB and see what careers you are eligible for based on your test results.  

Determining Eligibility

Some eligibility is specific to the particular job (example: 20/20 vision to be a pilot) but here's the general eligibility for the military.

Age Requirements

If you are 17 with parental consent or 18 years old as of July 1st of the year of entry, you can enlist and join the military.  Each branch further has limits around service.

Physical Requirements and Exams

Almost all positions in the military will require a level of physical fitness to enlist so that way they have a predictor of whether you will be able to make it through basic training boot camp.  For example the army's current physical fitness chart (will be replaced in October of 2020) requires a minimum of 35 push-ups in 2 minutes, 47 sit-ups in 2 minutes, and the completion of a two mile run in less than 16.5 minutes.  

The medical professionals at a Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS) will administer tests for drugs, blood pressure, vision, hearing, HIV, pregnancy, and general orthopedic fitness, and help you complete other documents including medical history, and privacy.

Education Requirements

Having your HS Diploma is preferred, they'll accept a GED but it limits possibilities, and its nearly impossible to join the military without either.

Citizenship Requirements

You must be a U.S. Citizen or legal permanent resident

ASVAB

If you thought that joining the military meant you didn't have to do any standardized tests think again.   Though it is messaged as just an aptitude assessment, this is actually more critical for the military than the ACT is for college.  The ASVAB has 10 sections, and based on your scores in the different sections, they will tell you what careers you are eligible for.  It is possible to get a score so low that they will not let you enlist for any occupations.  Some recruiters will tell you that you do not have to study for it, but since a low score can disqualify you from your dream career, I highly recommend checking out some of these study materials:

• ASVAB Practice test online

• Union Test Prep: free practice tests, flash cards, and study guides

• Momentrix: Study guide and Test Prep

If you don't like your scores or they prevent you from the careers you want to select,  tell you school counselor or your recruiter that you want to re-take the ASVAB.

Meeting with a Recruiter

The recruiter's role is to get you to enlist, and as such, while they won't tell explicit lies, they are going to try and tell you what they think will convince you to sign up.  Because of this, I always encourage individuals when meeting with a recruiter to write down very specific questions in advance.  For example, "if I am a medic or nurse, are there any situations when I would have to fire a gun or have to kill someone?"  or "even though the national guard is primarily stationed in the U.S. are there any situations where I would be shipped overseas or be involved in combat?"

Also when meeting with a recruiter, I strongly recommend having an adult or someone else you trust to be in there who you know is comfortable asking follow up questions, because sometimes answers are intentionally confusing or vague.  By having that trusted ally with you, it's more likely that you will be able to all the answers to your various questions.

After meeting with the recruiter, I also encourage you to meet with a military veteran from the branch you are interested in to ask them questions as well, since they will not have the same job motivation to get you to enlist.   Its important to diversify your information and be a critical thinker to determine whether the military is the right fit for you given your values, your goals, and your other options.