One-stop shop for information on joining the US Military

August 12, 2009 5:33 PM

Is there a central source that will clearly, objectively explain all the different paths through the US military? Enlisting versus ROTC versus other routes to entry, different ways of becoming an officer, different ways to get an education/get your education paid for, the different schools offered within the different branches, what jobs tend to be combat-related and which ones don't, how choosing a career path works, etc?

I'd like to enter but am overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information on how to do so and the options available. Every servicemember I talk to seems to have a completely different experience and path. Every day I learn about a new school or track in a different branch. I want to make sure I know what all of my options are before I enlist so I'm not kicking myself wishing I'd picked something else.

Also: If you actually are interested in getting into a combat zone, is there a way to do so that's not just taking the "grunt" track? That is, taking a job that's more advanced or has opportunities for advanced education.

posted by anonymous to education (6 comments total)

The US Military page at About.com has a lot of good basic information laid out in a way that makes sense.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 5:46 PM on August 12 [1 favorite]

I found a few books while doing a quick search on Amazon. I can't vouch for any of them personally, but that might be a place to start.

I have been in for over 10 years (left out specifics on purpose). I have had the pleasure of meeting a lot of different people from a lot of different services and I come from a military family with family members serving in all of the branches. If you have any specific questions, send me a message. Granted I can't be completely objective, but I researched compulsively before I joined.
posted by Silvertree at 6:16 PM on August 12

Also: If you actually are interested in getting into a combat zone, is there a way to do so that's not just taking the "grunt" track? That is, taking a job that's more advanced or has opportunities for advanced education.

You could always do ROTC and apply to be an infantry officer when you're commissioned (or enlist, apply for OCS, and do the same thing). These would give you an education (or benefits for one), and the potential for advancement into leadership with civilian value. IANAMilitary; I just used to date one.
posted by a robot made out of meat at 7:02 PM on August 12

Have you taken the ASVAB? That's a good place to start, because with those scores you can get an idea of what you qualify for.
posted by C17H19NO3 at 7:38 PM on August 12

I seriously worked with recruiters on options for the US Navy back in my day, partly because I attended a summer session at the Naval Academy for National Merit Scholarship semi-finalists. What I settled on was ROTC as my route of choice, because I really wanted college and wasn't going to get into any of the academies. My top choice of specialty was navigation, because of the math and maps aspect and admiration for Sulu. In the end, though, I didn't go to a college where ROTC was an option and the whole area of interest dried up for me.

What I'm getting at is that I chose a path for myself based on what I wanted to get out of the military and the process of becoming qualified for the military. The many paths offered were not multiple choice for me, they were tailored for the different people who might want to join the military. I submit to you that thinking of all these options as ones for you to consider is looking through the wrong end of the telescope. If you don't start with some idea of what you want to maybe do once you get in, and what you want to get out of the whole experience, you may as well have been drafted.

The definition of "combat zone" is a lot more fluid in the COIN/occupation-type war such as Iraq and Afghanistan than in, say, the Battlefield Europe scenario. There are literally hundreds of specialities forgetting terms of art here that could place you in the thick of things -- assuming there is actually still a thick of things once you get through whatever training you need. But obviously you're going to want to pursue some sort of infantry job if combat itself is what you want. On the flip side of that, though, is that the military -- while desirous of offering its employees maximum career flexibility -- really likes to decide itself who is best for what task. If you don't want to be a grunt, think in terms of the Marines or the Rangers, if something like Special Ops doesn't grab you.

But as an Ensign told me at the Academy that summer, the military would rather use your whole mind if you have one. They're not training people to shoot, they're training people to understand strategy and tactics and be able to teach them to others as a culture.

So, think again hard about why you want to do this and what you expect. The options that are best for you should become pretty clear soon enough.
posted by dhartung at 12:50 AM on August 13

The forums at military.com can be useful.
posted by theora55 at 6:57 AM on August 13