How do I join the military?

Cool thanks stumason, I might check that out (well, I will)

Ive been looking into the sponsorship thing it does look like a good option.

In the US military there are 2 wasys to become an Officer. You have to be a college grad or work your way up.

In COllege you can join a ROTC program and once you are completed the military will send you off to a specail training area in the feld that in trest you. Once you have completed your specail training you will then go to basic training and be oncorparted into the officer ranks.

It is verry hard to work your way up from enlist to officer.

Before you can make any real decisons on the military you have to decide which branch you would like to go in. That is a first and fore most. You have saind you are in an Air Cadet program. you may wish to join the airforce or if you are in England the RAF. The military has a great use for enginers and odds are if you wish to be one you are going to have to go to college, and while in college you might as well join ROTC.

DO NOT GO TO A RECRUITER!

they may be helpful BUT recruiters know that most kids are ignorant and they try to butter the toast and make you eat it. They will give you all kinds of grat plans and stuff but iwll not tell you the commitments. They will preasure you into enlisting and not going into the officer program by telling you the enlist to officer program thingy.

Do not be fooled. If you go to a recruiter Know your facts and have you hed set on what you want.

I am an Air Cadet but I only joined them, not the Army cadets because in my area, the Air Cadets do much more then the Army cadets, stuff like flying and loads more tactical exercises, FIBUA and over seas operations. Pretty good in my opinion. Promotion is fairer in the Air Cadets as well, based on skill, not time you have been there.

I am really going to knuckle down and try to learn everything I can so I have a better chance at being on Officer, seems like a great career.

Mate

Take all the sponsorships etc you can and get all the qualifications you can now. You can join at 21/22 no worries. If you join too early you won't get another chance. You can join / be attached to local TA unit while studying so get best of both worlds.

I'd swap cadets ASAP & make sure you like the Army though!


If you're training on your own load up a rucksac with weight & run with that - good for stamina

HTH

Originally posted by Zanzibar
I am 15 and I have always wanted to join the armed forces, I have had mixed opinions on this and I admit I am not the fittest guy in the world, far from it.

I have found my clone at last. lol, jk. I took JROTC last yr, and plan 2 4 all through High School so if I don't get 2 go 4 ROTC, I'll at least b an E5 or E4 4 the Marines. when I join. The prob is that my Sgt. and Col. get on my last nerve. I don't do anything wrong, it's just I don't get what I deserve. With respect, but it's the same 4 many others 2.

Anyways, few things:

1. Yes, u can join the Army Reserve or National Guard at 17 with ur parents approval, but 4 the Marine Corp, Air Force, and Navy, u have 2 go in2 a delayed program that prepares u 4 basic when u turn 18.

2. The Army's PT Test is this: 55 Push Ups in 2mins, 62 Sit-Ups in 2 mins, and a 2-mile run in 15:06 or less. I can own the Sit-Ups. 1 of the best in my class, Push Ups....thank goodness it's 2 mins, I could make it...barely, but 2-mile run??? OH CRAP!!! When I did the mile run a few months ago, I got 9:40 I got a while 2 go: 7:33 is what I need per mile MAX.

3. Theres a way u could do training and collage at the same time. This is good so that the Army could help pay 4 collage and u can join ROTC 2 become an officer, the prob is, they split the training in half, so u also loose the morale that u would if u completed it like normal.

4. There's another way 2 become an officer, but much harder. OTC: Officer's Training Course or something like that. I don't remember much bout it cause it's harder than ROTC, but u get 2 do it right after Basic.

If I can't join a Spec Op Unit, I would prefer 2 command a Stryker Company. B sweat either way!

so if I don't get 2 go 4 ROTC, I'll at least b an E5 or E4 4 the Marines

Don't hold your breath!!! That NEVER happens in the Corps. The closest thing to it is that sometimes prior service (ie: used to be Army) will have guaranteed E4 after 9 months as an E3. So they will come in as an E3 and not have to compete for E4...it will be guaranteed.

There are many reasons for this. The best one I can think of is experience.
NCO (E4 and E5) are suppossed to be at thier A-game and very good at thier MOS......which a boot would not be. And also leadership....how in the hell can someone come in as an NCO and be expected to lead?????
No matter how much JROTC and whatever you got....unless you were a prior Marine....you're gonna come in as an E3 or below. 4 years of JROTC will get you E2....the Corps is the only branch that does NOT allow JROTC people to come in as E4's....and I understand why The only exception is the Marine Corps Band at the MArine Barracks....known as the The Presidents Own...they come in as E-6's.

but 4 the Marine Corp, Air Force, and Navy, u have 2 go in2 a delayed program that prepares u 4 basic when u turn 18.

I know many Marines that go to bootcamp and are on acitve duty when they were 17.....as long as your parents sign.

generally, and I believe always, you enter as an E3 ensign if you go in through ROTC there is not E5 when you enter who ever told you that is trying to sucker you.

I have a freind who is looking into being in the Presidents Own. He could do it to.

Originally posted by Mizar
generally, and I believe always, you enter as an E3 ensign if you go in through ROTC there is not E5 when you enter who ever told you that is trying to sucker you.

I have a freind who is looking into being in the Presidents Own. He could do it to.

Yeah...if you go through ROTC, you would enter as an O1 ensign...not an E3 ensign, an E3 is enlisted. and that's a Lance Corporal BTW. However JROTC (see the J) will get you E2 in the Marines.
Ensign is in the Navy....all other branches it's an Lt (I can't spell it).



[edit on 28/7/2005 by SportyMB]

I know I should really join the Army Cadets, but 3 of my COs at Air Cadets are ex-army, not ex-RAF and always take us out on military exercises, and teach us what its like to be in the Army, not the RAF.

Dude, I know if u go in2 ROTC and graduate you'll come out as an 2nd Lieutinant. I never said u would come out as an E5. "O1 Ensign"??? O1 isn't ensign, it's an officer.

I said E4? crap, bad typo. 4 yrs=E3 Lance Corpral****** My bad speedy typing there.

Anyways, I can't really trust many ppl's info in my city. Man, I had a teacher who told the class that Mercury spins on it's side. :shk: When I was in LET 2, we hardly did jack. It was sad. I really didn't learn anything new from LET 2 that I didn't learn on my own. :shk: One of my friends quit because of that 2. I can't blame him at all.

I feel so alone in my city sometimes. Surrounded by so many idiots. Me and my friends, some of the few sane ppl here, all agree on that we r. lol

yeah sorry about taht ensign stuff I am a navy man and I forgot we were talking about the armed forces...

"O1 Ensign"??? O1 isn't ensign, it's an officer.

An "01" is an ensign....and ensign is an officer....in the US navy at least.

sporty

Originally posted by Kamikazi
good advice wehrwolf, he is only 15, he has a 3 head start on it. That is the way to go. Train as much as you can with the time you have, that will definitely prepare your body and your mind. Try setting the alarm clock for 5am while ur at it.

5 am? your koking right?

ive been to air force boot and its get up at 430 and out side for pt at 445am getting up at 5 would be a luxury!

Originally posted by Mizar
In the US military there are 2 wasys to become an Officer. You have to be a college grad or work your way up.

In COllege you can join a ROTC program and once you are completed the military will send you off to a specail training area in the feld that in trest you. Once you have completed your specail training you will then go to basic training and be oncorparted into the officer ranks.

It is verry hard to work your way up from enlist to officer.

Before you can make any real decisons on the military you have to decide which branch you would like to go in. That is a first and fore most. You have saind you are in an Air Cadet program. you may wish to join the airforce or if you are in England the RAF. The military has a great use for enginers and odds are if you wish to be one you are going to have to go to college, and while in college you might as well join ROTC.

DO NOT GO TO A RECRUITER!

they may be helpful BUT recruiters know that most kids are ignorant and they try to butter the toast and make you eat it. They will give you all kinds of grat plans and stuff but iwll not tell you the commitments. They will preasure you into enlisting and not going into the officer program by telling you the enlist to officer program thingy.

Do not be fooled. If you go to a recruiter Know your facts and have you hed set on what you want.

there are 3 ways for every branch!

Air Force = AFROTC, The Acdemy, or AFOTS (officer training school)
Army= AROTC, West Point, or Officer Candidate School
Navy and USMC=NROTC, Navel Academy, or the Navy equivilent(sp) of OCS


people wanting to be marine officers will take the navy schools but then have the choice of going USMC or navy sence the USMC is a part of the departmen of the navy.

Originally posted by SportyMB

"O1 Ensign"??? O1 isn't ensign, it's an officer.

An "01" is an ensign....and ensign is an officer....in the US navy at least.

sporty

www.chinfo.navy.mil...

Navy? Yeah, ensign. I thought u meant Army. nvm.

[edit on 3-8-2005 by SEAL Trident]