The Military: A Career Path Worth Considering?

Joining the military is not as easy as many may think it is. There is a lot of red tape that goes into enlisting in the military, and potential recruits have to do their research before deciding on a career path. That being said, there are some specific things you should know about enlisting in the military and how recruiters will approach you with offers for different careers. Serving in the military can be tremendously rewarding as there are many options for advancement, a plethora of career choices, job training opportunities, and a built-in network of people there to help you be successful.

The Recruitment Process

One of the first things you should know about enlisting in the military is that it’s not as simple as signing up and then being shipped off to boot camp. First, recruits have to go through a series of tests and medical examinations before they are even considered for enlistment. Recruits who can’t pass these tests will be denied enlistment; those with “defects” may need to wait until their condition or defect has healed so they can enlist (doctors do sometimes make exceptions).  Do you have any medical conditions or injuries to disclose that may impact your military career? The military takes every precaution so serious health conditions won’t impede a person’s ability to serve – but they need an idea about what these issues might be before enlisting.

Next, come the security clearance processes: recruiters must check both federal government databases AND local law enforcement records for potential enlistees… this process usually takes anywhere from two weeks to six months depending on how busy recruiting centers are at any given time. Recruits with lengthy legal histories are unlikely to be cleared to join the military so staying out of trouble is very important.

Recruiters may ask if you’re unsure what career would be best suited for your interests or skillset, but it’s important that you understand where these suggestions come from (i.e., who benefits most from your enlistment). What does this recruiter want? More importantly: what do YOU want? You need to make sure that enlisting in the military is a decision you are comfortable with for your entire contract because there will be consequences for any changes.

Recruiters will only enlist you into their specific branch of the military. This is a way for them to ensure that they’re getting the right person, and it also helps narrow down your career choices. The enlistment process can be rigorous because recruiters want to make sure they have selected the best candidates possible with appropriate mental health and other requirements that are necessary in order to join their chosen branch of service.

Your Contract

The enlistment contract will detail how long your term of service is set at (i.e., whether it’s a two-, three-, or four-year enlistment). The contract will also outline any commitments that come with signing up – like if there are monthly stipends in exchange for a servicemember being available on call 24/hrs per day. For enlisted roles, pay attention to rank qualifications within each branch. Military enlistments are not for everyone and enlistees should enlist in the military with intentionality to ensure that they will be happy with their chosen career path. 

The military does offer a number of programs that allow for enlistment while college students and these are both free as well as subsidized by the military itself to make sure that they’re affordable so you can achieve your goals when it comes to higher education without having to worry about finances. Some recruits enlist as officers while others enlist as enlisted members or specialists depending on what type of position they wish to take on within the military hierarchy. Recruits who enlist as specialists may find themselves choosing from different jobs such as infantryman, tank crew member, pilot, etc., depending on which specialty requires the enlistee’s experience.

Military Life

You should also take into consideration enlistment benefits, such as what does the military offer for health care? Some branches may provide their own medical insurance plans for spouses and children, while others are dependent on individual contributions to purchase private coverage. Be sure to ask your recruiter about the benefits of your contract as well as the terms.

You should enlist only if you are willing to be deployed overseas. This can happen without warning, which is why it’s so important that the military personnel are properly trained and ready for deployment at any time. It may also mean being away from family or friends for a period of time while they’re on active duty, but this sacrifice will help protect our nation as well as your loved ones back home.

If you enlist in the Air Force, Army, Navy, Space Force, or Marines (all branches), then enlisting is not a guarantee that you’ll always remain in these fields after enlistment has been completed; there may be jobs available with other agencies within the Department of Defense such as readiness forces and more. However while enlisted in one branch, enlisting in another branch is not possible.

Enlisted vs Officer

You should also learn about other aspects of being an officer (such as if it would suit your education level or not), so you can make sure this career path does make sense before enlisting. To enlist as an officer, a student must have a college degree. If you’re interested in enlisting as an officer and want to stay in that position throughout your enlistment, it’s important to know some basics about how different branches of the military operate: What branch do they work under? This can affect where your particular job assignment may be (i.e., what country).

If enlisting with either an officer or enlisted program, there will be commissioning ceremonies where the new recruit’s rank will be bestowed onto them officially before their final training begins – this ceremony is called “pass in review” but should not take place until after basic training has been completed successfully. In either case, you can choose to join right out of high school or go to college first and commission as an officer.

Before enlisting, make sure you do your research on the military to ensure that it is something you want as a career or not just for college credits or money. Shamrck can help you decide on the perfect career for your life, even if you are enlisting in the military. All branches are looking for students that are great leaders willing to work hard to represent their country. Is that you?

Go to  the Shamrck Dashboard  today for a personalized career plan and access to local opportunities that will help set you on the path for success.