Military Pathways
There are many ways to serve your country in the Military. Service members are assigned jobs based on their abilities, test scores and service needs. Many of the jobs available have civilian equivalents and offer training that translates to a future civilian career. Each Service has a corresponding Reserve component, and most states and territories have an Army National Guard or Air National Guard unit.
Types of Service
Enlisted vs. Officer
In all military branches, service members are divided into two categories: enlisted or officer. Enlisted members are employed in almost every type of military career. They make up approximately 81 percent of the overall active-duty military workforce (this figure includes noncommissioned officers (NCOs), who, despite the title, are higher-ranking enlisted personnel).
Officers are generally employed in management roles or highly specialized fields that require more training (e.g., doctors, lawyers and chaplains). Commissioned officers account for approximately 20 percent of all active-duty service members.
As you might expect, training to be an officer vs enlisting as a recruit differs as well. Officers train to hone their management and planning skill sets, while enlisted recruits focus on a particular trained specialty.
Full Time: Active Duty
Part Time: Reserve
Reserve service members receive the same training as their active-duty peers but do so close to home, until they are needed to deploy. Although some reservists serve full time, most usually hold a regular full-time civilian job and typically train one weekend per month, plus two weeks of field exercises each year. Reserve service members are paid for all the time they spend training or deployed, and receive many of the same benefits as active-duty personnel.
Part Time: National Guard
The Army National Guard and Air National Guard are community-based and report to the governor of their respective state unless called to protect U.S. domestic interests in times of conflict or natural disasters. They may also be deployed internationally alongside full-time service members when necessary. Members of the National Guard hold civilian jobs or attend school while conducting their military training part time. They're required to train one weekend per month and perform two weeks of field exercises per year. National Guard units are found in most U.S. states and territories.
Service Branches
air force
The Air Force protects American interests at home and abroad with a focus on air power.
Following Basic Military Training, Airmen are given further training to prepare for career specialties. Some Airmen even attend the Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) and earn a two-year associate’s degree. There are plenty of Air Force jobs in fields beyond aviation, from public affairs to legal services and financial management. Like other Services, the Air Force uses the latest technology in its programs.
army
The Army protects the security of the United States and its resources.
As the oldest and largest military branch, the Army trains personnel in everything from business administration to food service, logistics and procurement. Following Basic Training, Soldiers receive additional training in job-specific skills, many using advanced technology. This training is not only essential for the demands of 21st century defense but also makes Soldiers more marketable in today's information-based society.
coast guard
The Coast Guard protects the public, the environment and U.S. economic and security interests in any maritime region, including international waters and America's coasts, ports and inland waterways.
After Recruit Training, Coast Guardsmen receive advanced training in specialties that support the Service's three roles of Maritime Safety, Maritime Security and Maritime Stewardship. Enlisted jobs include deck and ordnance, engineering and hull, administrative and scientific, aviation, port security and investigation. The Coast Guard has also worked closely with its counterparts in marine ecology and environmental studies to create transferable job skills
marines
Working closely with the Navy, the Marine Corps is often first on the ground in combat situations.
After Recruit Training, Marines attend the School of Infantry. Marines with a Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) classified under infantry are trained at the Infantry Training Battalion (ITB), while all non-infantry Marines are trained at the Marine Combat Training Battalion (MCT). After that, they receive either formal school training or on-the-job training. Emphasis is placed on practical skills application in every job.
Navy
The Navy defends the right to travel and trade freely on the world's oceans and protects national interests overseas.
After Boot Camp, Sailors are trained in hundreds of job specialties: traffic controller, information systems technician, intelligence specialist, interior communications technician, aviation and sonar technician, to name a few. You'll find plenty of jobs on the water, but not everything happens on ships. The Navy also needs health care workers, interpreters, pilots, chefs and hundreds of other specialists.
ROTC
The ROTC is a college program offered at more than 1,700 colleges and universities across the US that prepares young adults to become officers in the U.S. Military.
The Air Force ROTC mission is to produce leaders for the Air Force and build better citizens for America. The program is offered at more than 1,100 college and university campuses throughout the United States.
Air Force ROTC offers a four-year program and a three-year program, both based on Air Force requirements and led by active-duty Air Force officers. Courses are a mix of normal college classes and the Air Force ROTC curriculum, which covers everything from leadership studies to combat technique. Upon completion, a student enters the Air Force as an officer.
Army ROTC is one of the most demanding and successful leadership programs in the country. The training a student receives in Army ROTC provides leadership development, military skills and career training. Courses take place both in the classroom and in the field, and are mixed with normal academic studies. Additional summer programs, such as Jump School, may also be attended. Upon completion, an Army ROTC graduate is commissioned as an officer in the Army.
As the single largest source of Navy officers, the Navy ROTC program plays an important role in preparing young adults for leadership and management positions in the increasingly technical Navy. Offered at 77 leading colleges and universities throughout the United States, Navy ROTC offers a mixture of military training and normal academic study. Courses take place both in the classroom and in the field. Upon completion, an NROTC graduate is commissioned as an officer and has the ability to choose an officer career in surface warfare, naval aviation, submarine warfare or special warfare.
Aspiring Marine Corps officers can also participate in Navy ROTC. The ROTC academic curriculum for a Marine Corps–option student requires classes in national security policy and the history of American military affairs, in addition to the regular academic requirements for the student's degree.
US Military Academy (West Point)
The United States Military Academy, commonly referred to as West Point, is a federal service academy in West Point, New York that educates and trains cadets to become commissioned officers in the U.S. Army. The academy was initially founded by President Thomas Jefferson to train officers for the rapidly expanding army. The academy offers a rigorous academic and military education, focusing on leadership, discipline, and ethics. It's a full-time, four-year undergraduate program that emphasizes instruction in the arts, sciences, and professions. There are forty-five academic majors, the most popular of which are foreign languages, management information systems, history, economics, and mechanical engineering.
ASVAB Exam
The ASVAB is the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery. It is an aptitude test that measures developed abilities and helps predict future academic and/or occupational success.
- What's on the exam?
- What is an Armed Forces Qualifying Test (AFQT) score?
- ASVAB exam FAQ's
- ASVAB exam Prep Resource (study tool)
- ASVAB Practice
- ASVAB as a Graduation Pathway (ESD)
What's on the exam?
General Science
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Knowledge of life science, earth and space science, and physical science.
Arithmetic Reasoning
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Solve basic arithmetic word problems.
Word Knowledge
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Understanding the meaning of words through synonyms.
Paragraph Comprehension
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Obtain information from written material.
Mathematics Knowledge
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Knowledge of mathematical concepts and applications.
Electronics Information
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Knowledge of electrical current, circuits, devices, and electronic systems.
Auto & Shop Information
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Knowledge of automotive maintenance and repair, and wood and metal shop practices.
Mechanical Comprehension
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Knowledge of the principles of mechanical devices, structural support, and properties of materials.
Assembling Objects*
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Ability to determine how an object will look when its parts are put together.
(*Not a part of the 'paper-and-pencil' version; online only)
What is an Armed Forces Qualifying Test (AFQT) score?
Your scores in four areas -- Arithmetic Reasoning, Word Knowledge, Paragraph Comprehension and Mathematics Knowledge -- count towards your Armed Forces Qualifying Test (AFQT) score. Your scores in the other areas of the ASVAB will determine how qualified you are for certain military occupational specialties and Enlistment Bonuses.
The AFQT score determines whether you're qualified to enlist in the U.S. military.
Minimum AFQT Scores Required Per Service Branch:
- 31 = Army, Reserves and/or National Guard
- 31 = Coast Guard
- 31 = Marines
- 31 = Navy
- 31 = Air Force
ASVAB exam FAQ's
Are there two entrance exams -- ASVAB and AFQT?
No, there is only one exam, the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery, or ASVAB for short. The ASVAB has 10 tests. Your scores from four of the tests—Word Knowledge (WK), Paragraph Comprehension (PC), Arithmetic Reasoning (AR), and Mathematics Knowledge (MK)—are combined to compute your score on what is referred to as the Armed Forces Qualification Test (AFQT). Scores on the AFQT are used to determine your eligibility for enlistment in the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine Corps. Scores on all of the ASVAB tests are used to determine the best job for you in the military.
My AFQT score is 62. What does this mean?
AFQT scores are reported as percentiles between 1-99. An AFQT percentile score indicates the percentage of examinees in a reference group who scored at or below that particular score. For current AFQT scores, the reference group is a sample of 18 to 23 year old youth who took the ASVAB as part of a national norming study conducted in 1997. Thus, your AFQT score of 62 indicates that you scored as well as or better than 62% of the nationally-representative sample of 18 to 23 year old youth.
How often can I take the ASVAB?
After you take your initial ASVAB, you must wait one calendar month to retake the test. You must wait an additional calendar month to retest a second time. After that, you must wait six calendar months to retake the ASVAB. Your scores may be used for enlistment for up to two years from the date of testing.
I've heard that the ASVAB administered on the computer is harder/easier than the paper and pencil ASVAB. Is this true?
The CAT-ASVAB may seem harder or easier than the paper and pencil (P&P) ASVAB because the CAT-ASVAB is tailored to your specific ability level. The P&P-ASVAB contains some very easy and very hard questions, but most are of average difficulty. The CAT-ASVAB software adjusts to your ability level and administers questions that are best suited for you. If you are above average ability, you will receive questions that are above average difficulty. Hence, the CAT-ASVAB may appear more difficult than the P&P-ASVAB. If you are below average ability, you will receive questions that are below average difficulty. Hence, the CAT-ASVAB may appear easier than the P&P-ASVAB. Even though the questions differ in difficulty across the CAT-ASVAB and P&P-ASVAB, the reported scores are statistically linked across the two methods of administration. Thus, you would be expected to receive a similar score regardless of whether you take the CAT-ASVAB or the P&P-ASVAB.
I want to take the ASVAB, but the recruiter won't schedule me for a test. What should I do?
A recruiter’s primary job is to ensure that applicants meet all necessary qualifications. Before an applicant is allowed to test, the recruiter will conduct an interview looking for disqualifying factors such as too young or old, too many dependents, a medical problem, drug usage, or criminal history. If a recruiter has determined that you are not qualified to enlist, they will not send you to be tested. Sometimes, recruiters have applicants take a short pre-screening test to get an estimate of how they would perform on the AFQT portion of the ASVAB. Based on these results, the recruiter may choose not to spend time and resources to send you for full ASVAB testing. The only way to know for sure is to ask your recruiter.
Does the ASVAB differ if I take it at my school versus at a MEPS or a MET Site?
The ASVAB is given in schools as part of the Career Exploration Program (also called the Student Testing Program). The ASVAB is given at MEPS or MET sites as part of the Enlistment Testing Program. The contents of the ASVAB are the same across the Student and Enlistment Testing Programs, except that the Assembling Objects test is given in the Enlistment Testing Program but not the Student Testing Program. Different composite scores are reported across the Student and Enlistment Testing Programs. The composite scores are formed from different combinations of scores on the individual ASVAB tests. In the Student Testing Program, examinees receive three composite scores called Verbal Skills, Math Skills, and Science and Technical Skills. In the Enlistment Testing Program, examinees receive an AFQT score and Service composite scores, used for military job assignment.
I took the ASVAB at my school. Can I use those scores to enlist in the military?
Your scores can be used to enlist for up to two years after the date of testing, provided that they can be verified as being yours.
Why is there no Spanish version of the ASVAB?
There are many reasons why the ASVAB is given only in English. First, all military members need to be able to speak English. A Spanish version of the ASVAB would allow applicants that are learning English to show their general aptitude, but would not give any evidence of their ability to perform the same tasks in English. Also, there are many different dialects of Spanish spoken. If a Spanish ASVAB were given to native Spanish speakers, applicants speaking a different dialect of Spanish than the one used in the test might still have difficulty understanding the test. Finally, it is unlikely that Spanish and English versions of the ASVAB would measure exactly the same thing. Scores would likely not have the same meaning across the Spanish and English versions, and different evaluation standards would need to be used across the two different versions. Under such conditions, it would be difficult to make sure that all applicants are held to the same standards.
Why can't I use my ACT or SAT score to enter the military?
The ASVAB is designed for a different purpose than the ACT and SAT. The ASVAB is designed to predict success in the military, while the ACT and SAT are designed to predict success in college. As a result, the content of the ASVAB is different from the content of the ACT and SAT, and different examinee populations take the ASVAB and ACT and SAT tests. Therefore, performance on the ACT or SAT is not necessarily a very good substitute for performance on the ASVAB, or vice versa. In order to make sure that all applicants are held to the same evaluation standards, it is necessary for everyone to take the ASVAB.
ASVAB exam Prep Resource (study tool)
March2Success provides a FREE online study program to help students prepare for college and/or joining the military through standardized test prep (ASVAB, ACT and/or SAT).
Improve school work and more!
Available Courses:
- High School Math & Verbal Skills
- College Readiness
- SAT Online Course, SAT Practice Tests
- ACT Online Course, ACT Practice Tests
- STEM: Social Science
- STEM: Technology
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- STEM: Math
- Guide to College Financing & Admissions
- Student Planning Guide (for College)
Scoring high on the ASVAB will require study and concentration; this tool can help!
ASVAB Practice
Free Practice Test: https://nationalguard.
ASVAB as a Graduation Pathway (ESD)
A student may demonstrate career and college readiness by meeting standard in the armed services vocational aptitude battery by scoring at least the minimum established by the military for eligibility to serve in a branch of the armed services at the time the student takes the assessment. This graduation pathway option meets requirements in both English and math.