Join the Military | USAGov

The U.S. military has six branches of service: the Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, and Space Force. Skiptomaincontent Español JointheMilitary LocateMilitaryMembers,Units,andFacilities MilitaryandVeteransEducationBenefits MilitaryPayandPensions MilitaryProgramsandBenefits MilitaryRecordsandIdentification SelectiveService(theDraft) VeteransBurialandSurvivorBenefits VeteransHealthBenefitsandIssues VeteransHousingHelp VeteransJobsandTraining JointheMilitary LearnAbouttheMilitary Mostpeoplejointhemilitarybyenlistinginoneofitsbranches. Enlistedmembersmakeupmostofthemilitaryworkforce.Theyreceivetraininginajobspecialtyanddomostofthehands-onwork.Usually,you’llsignupforfouryearsofactivedutyandfouryearsinactive.Afteryou’vecompletedyouractivedutytime,youcaneitherextendyourcontractorre-enlistifyouwanttocontinueserving.Officersmakeupamuchsmallerpartoftheworkforce.To joinasanofficer,youtypicallymusthaveafour-yearcollegedegreeandcompleteanofficerprogram.Mostofficersaremanagerswhoplananddirectoperations.Othersareprofessionalslikedoctorsandlawyers.Officersgetpaidmorethanenlistedmembersandenjoycertainotherbenefits.Youdonot havetojoinasanofficertobecomeonethough.Youcanjoinasanenlistedmemberandattendofficertraininglateron.RequirementsforJoiningtheMilitaryTheU.S.militaryhassixbranchesofservice:the Army,Navy,AirForce,CoastGuard,MarineCorps,andSpaceForce.Therequirementstojoinaresimilarforallsix.Themaindifferencesareinagelimits,testscores,andfitnesslevels.Menandwomenmeetdifferentfitnessstandards.Besidestherequirementslistedhere,abranchmayhaveotherrequirements.AgeLimitsforEnlistingYoumustbeatleast17toenlistinanybranchoftheactivemilitary.Theoldestyoucanbetoenlistforactivedutyineachbranchis:CoastGuard:31Marines:28Navy:39Army:35AirForce:39SpaceForce:39Somebrancheshavedifferentagelimitsfortheirpart-timeReserveandNationalGuard.Visiteachservice'srecruitingwebsiteforitspart-timeagelimits.RequirementsforEnlistingIfYouAreNotaU.S.CitizenYoudonothavetobeaU.S.citizentoenlistinthemilitary,butyoumayhavefeweroptions.IfyouarenotaU.S.citizen,youmust:Haveapermanentresidentcard,alsoknownasaGreenCardCurrentlyliveintheU.S.Speak,read,andwriteEnglishfluentlyEducationalandTestingRequirementsforEnlistingYoumusttaketheArmedServicesVocationalAptitudeBattery(ASVAB)test.TheASVABhas10subtests.YourscoresonfourofthosemakeupyourArmedForcesQualificationTest(AFQT)score.Thisscoredetermineswhichbranch(es)youmayjoin.Eachbranchhasitsownlowestscoreforjoining.Yourscoresonall10subtestsdeterminewhichjobspecialtiesyouqualifyfor.YoucanpreparefortheASVABbytakingsamplequestions.YoumusthaveahighschooldiplomaoraGEDtoenlist.TheservicesacceptonlyasmallnumberofpeoplewithGEDseachyear.YoucanincreaseyourchancesofqualifyingwithaGEDby:EarningsomecollegecreditsandScoringwellontheArmedForcesQualificationTest(AFQT)HealthandFitnessRequirementsforEnlistingYoumustpassamilitaryentrancemedicalexam.Thisincludesaphysicalexam,hearingtest,visiontest,andheightandweightmeasurements.Eachservicehasitsownphysicalrequirementsandfitnessstandards.Thesedependonthedemandsofitsmission.Evenwithinthesamebranch,somejobshavetougherorextrarequirements.StepsforJoiningtheMilitaryStartbydoingsomeresearchaboutyouroptionsforjoiningthemilitary.Learnaboutthesixactive-dutybranchesand theirpart-timecounterparts.Knowthemaindifferencesbetweenofficersandenlistedmembers.Andexplorethecareerfieldsyoucanenterforeachbranch. Onceyouknowwhichbranchyou’reconsidering,contactarecruiter.Arecruiterwillgiveyouanoverviewandansweryourquestionsaboutthatservice.Ifyou’reinterestedinmorethanonebranch,contactarecruiterforeach.Ifyou’reinterestedinjoiningasanofficer,therecruiterwillexplainanyoptionsyoumaybeeligiblefor.Ifyoudecidetoenlist,youwillreporttoamilitaryentranceprocessingstation(MEPS).You’llspendadayortwocompletingpre-enlistmentsteps.TheseincludetakingtheASVAB,havingaphysicalexam,meetingwithacareercounselor,andifyou’reaccepted,takingtheoathofenlistment.Fromthereyou’llreceiveordersforbasictraining,usuallytostartwithinafewweeks.Ifyouenrolledinadelayedentryprogram,you’llgohomeandgetordersforbasictrainingwithinayear.ContactaRecruiterorApplyOnlineAirForceAirForce:1-800-423-USAF(1-800-423-8723)AirForceReserve:1-800-257-1212AirNationalGuard:1-800-TO-GO-ANG(1-800-864-6264)ArmyArmy and ArmyReserve:1-888-550-ARMY(1-888-550-2769)ArmyNationalGuard:1-800-GO-GUARD(1-800-464-8273)NavyNavyand NavyReserve:1-800-USA-NAVY(1-800-872-6289)MarineCorpsMarineCorps andMarineCorpsReserve:1-800-MARINES(1-800-627-4637)CoastGuardCoastGuardandCoastGuardReserve:Chatwitharecruiter orFindaRecruiterSpaceForceSpaceForce:1-800-423-USAF(1-800-423-8723) Getabriefoverviewofthesix servicebranchesoftheU.S.armedforces:U.S.AirForce(USAF) U.S.Army(USA)U.S.CoastGuard(USCG) U.S.MarineCorps(USMC)U.S.Navy(USN) U.S.SpaceForce(USSF)TheAirForceispartoftheDepartmentofDefense(DOD).It’sresponsibleforaerialmilitaryoperations,defendingU.S. airbases,andbuildinglandingstrips.Itsservicemembersareairmen.ThereservecomponentsareAirNationalGuardandAirForceReserve.TheArmyispartoftheDODandisthelargest ofthemilitarybranches.Ithandlessignificantgroundcombatmissions,especiallyoperationsthatareongoing. ArmySpecialForcesarecalledGreenBeretsfortheir headgear.TheArmy's membersareitssoldiers.ThereservecomponentsaretheArmyReserveandArmyNationalGuard.TheCoastGuard ispartoftheDepartmentofHomelandSecurity(DHS).ItprovidesnationalsecurityandsearchandrescueforAmerica'swaterways, seas,andcoast. It'sresponsibleforstoppingdrugsmugglersandothersbreakingmaritime law. Itenforces marineenvironmentalprotectionlaws.ServicemembersareCoastGuardsmen andnicknamedCoasties.ThereservecomponentistheCoastGuardReserve. TheMarineCorpsispartoftheDOD.Itprovideslandcombat,sea-based,andair-groundoperationssupportfortheotherbranchesduringamission.ThisbranchalsoguardsU.S.embassiesaroundtheworldandtheclassifieddocumentsinthosebuildings.MarineCorpsSpecialOperationsCommand(MARSOC)membersareknownasRaiders.AllservicemembersarecalledMarines.ThereservecomponentistheMarineCorpsReserve.TheNavy ispartoftheDOD.Itprotectswaterways(seaandocean)outsideoftheCoastGuard’sjurisdiction.Navywarshipsprovidetherunwaysforaircrafttolandandtakeoffwhenatsea.NavySEALs(sea,air,andland)arethespecialoperationsforceforthisbranch.Allservicemembersareknownassailors.ThereservecomponentisNavyReserve. TheSpaceForce isanewbranch, created inDecember2019fromtheformerAirForceSpaceCommand.TheSpaceForcefallswithintheDepartmentoftheAirForce.It organizes,trains,andequipsspaceforces toprotectU.S.andalliedinterestsinspaceandprovidespacecapabilitiestothejointforce. 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