Programs For Indigenous Peoples
Aboriginal Leadership Opportunities Year
A one-year educational program offered to Indigenous peoples through the Royal Military College of Canada
Summer training programs
Summer training programs for Indigenous youth on military lifestyle and cultural awareness. Apply online.
Canadian Forces Aboriginal Entry Program
A special three-week program for Indigenous peoples who are considering a career in the CAF.
Reasons To Join The Military
First: Think long and hard about why you want to join.
For some, joining the military is simply a smart way to get started in life: paying for college, having health insurance, or learning a trade are only a few reasons.
For many others, joining the military is a calling that they might find hard to describe. Maybe its the desire to become the toughest and most capable version of yourself. Maybe its a patriotic pull and a need to contribute to something bigger than yourself.
Whatever your reason , it is a huge decision, and it is one best made with as much information as possible.
Remember: The U.S. military is voluntary, and no one is twisting your arm to join it. Its very hard to turn back once you join, and there are serious consequences if you cant keep your commitment.
With that in mind, think about what is the most important thing that makes you want to join. Is it patriotism? Duty? Honor? Or is it that you need some help with getting on your feet after high school?
All are valid reasons, but only if you are ready to do the work once you start.
Whatever fears you have about joining the military, just remember this nugget of truth that my recruiter told me: You dont know anything about this life yet, and there is no way to know if youll enjoy it unless you really try!
Army Or Civilian Career
Whether you choose to remain in the Army after your five-year commitment is a decision you do not need to make now.
West Point graduates are highly sought after. Those choosing a civilian career have attained great success in different professionsas doctors, CEOs of major companies, and engineers the possibilities are endless.
Graduates who pursue an Army career do so because they feel the commitment and satisfaction of serving their country. The Army family takes care of its own during active duty and upon retirement after 20 years of service, you receive a generous guaranteed pension and reduced medical care for life, plus many other benefits.
For more information about careers and jobs, visit the following website:
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When Is It Too Late
Part of the enlistment process includes going to the MEPS for a physical and swearing in to the DEP and filling out part of the contract . People who have taken these steps can still get out of the DEP using methods described above.
Eventually a persons time in the DEP ends and the transition to active duty for training begins. On the date when a person is scheduled to report for basic training, they will normally be instructed to return to the MEPS and swear in a second time while they sign the last sheet of the military enlistment contract which states that the person wishes to be discharged from the Delayed Entry/Enlistment Program and enlisted in the Regular Component.
Up until that final point of the second swear in and signing of the last page of the contract, people have been able to get out of the DEP by simply refusing to go. Once a person has sworn in the second time as part of shipping out they may still be able to get out of the military, but it will involve much more time and energy. People who believe they are in this status can contact a GI Rights Counselor at 877 447 4487 to determine what options they have.
Join The Military As An Enlisted Member
Enlisted members make up most of the military workforce. They receive training in a job specialty and do most of the hands-on work. Usually, youll sign up for four years of active duty and four years inactive. After youve completed your active duty time, you can either extend your contract or re-enlist if you want to continue serving.
Officers make up a much smaller part of the workforce. To join as an officer, you typically must have a four-year college degree and complete an officer program. You compete for promotion to continue your career. Most officers are managers who plan and direct operations. Others are professionals like doctors and lawyers. Officers get paid more than enlisted members and enjoy certain other benefits.
You dont have to join as an officer to become one though. You can join as an enlisted member and attend officer training later on.
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Physical Requirements To Join The Military
What are the physical requirements to join the military? All services have general medical requirements that can disqualify you for service. For instance, there are hearing and vision requirements, medical disorders, or diseases like diabetes that can disqualify you from service.
There are also height and weight standards you must meet. Excessive body fat will disqualify you. You must also be able to pass a drug screening.
Each service also has unique physical fitness tests. Recruits must have a minimum passing score to ship to boot camp. Those joining as officers should already be in good enough shape to pass the physical fitness test with a high score, before even starting training.
Below are the basic physical fitness test requirements for each service.
Army Physical Fitness Test
- Max pushups: Two minutes
Standards, scores, and additional information can be found here.
- Three-mile timed run
- Max dead-hang pullups without dropping off the bar
- Crunches in a two-minute time limit
Each event is worth 100 points, for a total of 300 possible points.
Scores are based on age and gender and the tables and regulations can be found here.
- Movement to contact: 880-yard sprint in boots and utility trousers
- Ammo-can lifts: Max in two minutes
- Maneuver under fire: Timed course of various tasks
Scores are based on age and gender and the tables and regulations can be found here.
Coast Guard Physical Fitness Assessment
Details can be found here.
How To Join The Army Without Your Parents Supporting You
This article was co-authored by wikiHow Staff. Our trained team of editors and researchers validate articles for accuracy and comprehensiveness. wikiHow’s Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards.There are 9 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 24,974 times.Learn more…
The decision to make the army your career is a very serious and important choice to make, but it can be a difficult one if you dont have the support of your parents.XResearch source Not only is their support important for your overall experience, it is absolutely required if you want to join the army at seventeen. It is possible you can gain parental support with a bit of effort on your part.
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Your Career After West Point
As a West Point graduate, you can expect to have many exciting and rewarding opportunities open to you throughout your lifetime. Joining The Long Gray Line of West Point graduates is a mark of distinction, representing high achievement and the promise of outstanding, ethical leadership.
Upon graduation, you will be commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Army. You must serve a minimum of eight years after you graduate in a combination of Active Duty and Reserve Component Service. During your senior year, youll find out which specialized field, or branch, you will enter. Both the needs of the Army and your preferences will be considered.
Height And Weight Standards
For most of the military, male applicants need to be between 60 inches and 80 inches tall. For female applicants, the range is between 58 inches and 80 inches. The Marines have separate standards: Male applicants should be between 58 and 78 inches tall, and female applicants between 58 and 72 inches tall.
The services have body fat standards, which are only partly based on weight. During an initial screening, applicants are measured on a body fat chart. Those who weigh more than the limits on the chart are measured to ensure they fall within the service’s body-fat standards. Often physically fit and muscular/low body fat recruits can be over the height/weight standards but meet the body fat requirements.
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Submit Your Application 3aptitude Test
You will take an aptitude test to determine which military occupations are the best fit for you. Preparation is key so make sure you are well rested, healthy, on time, and careful with your answers. You will be tested on verbal skills, spatial ability and problem solving. It will take approximately 60 minutes to complete a series of three Canadian Forces aptitude tests. The following practice aptitude test will provide you with an example of the style and structure of what you will experience when you write the real test at a Recruitment Centre near you.
You will also complete a personality inventory which provides information on your personal characteristics and qualities. To learn more about your personality and how it can influence job choices, check out this personality assessment.
What Are The Educational Requirements To Join The Military
To enlist in the U.S. military, one must possess a high school education through either a high school diploma or a GED. To join as an officer, one must have a bachelors degree from an accredited institution.
You must also take the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery test. The minimum scores to join each service are:
- Army: 31
- Coast Guard: 40 or 50
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Age Requirements Are Supplemented By Education Requirements
In most cases, the minimum age a new recruit may enter military service is 17 . However, a high school diploma or GED is usually required. Some branches of service may, depending on recruiting issues at any given time, offer alternatives such as allowing a new recruit who has a GED with college credits. Having a GED may subject the enlistee to additional standards not applied to those who have high school diplomas.
If the applicant does not meet the stricter standards for GED holders without college coursework, it may be possible to enroll in college to earn additional credit hours. This may be required by the branch of service applied for so you will need to try again under different standards.
But Why Would My Recruiter Pressure And Coerce Me Or Lie About My Rights
Recruiters have a job to do. They have a certain quota they need to meet each month. You dont count towards the quota until you report for boot camp. If a recruiter consistently fails to meet this quota, they get poor evaluations, fail to advance through the ranks as required, and/or get transferred to less desirable job assignments. They might even be deployed to a war zone. It is in the best interest of the recruiter to get you to sign up and go to basic training.
The United States has an all-volunteer military. That means that no one should be forced to join the military who does not want to go into the military. This includes those who join the DEP and then change their mind.
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The Minimum Age Permitted To Join The Military
In all cases except for the Navy Reserve, the minimum age permitted is 17 with parental consent in writing. Those 18 and older are permitted to join the military without parental consent. The Navy Reserve minimum age is 18.
Military Maximum Age Requirements:
Did you know there is an upper age limit for all branches of military service?
Military Age Limits:
- Army Age Limit: 35 for active duty, Guard, and Army Reserve
- Navy Age Limit: 34 for active duty, 39 for Navy Reserve
- Air Force Age Limit: 39 for active duty and Guard, 38 for Air Force Reserve
- Coast Guard Age Limit: 27 for active duty, 39 for Coast Guard Reserve
- Space Force Age Limit: Contact an Air Force recruiter for eligibility requirements
Prior service military members may not be subject to the same age limitations as new recruits depending on age, the nature of military service, recruiting demand, and other factors.
Under federal law, the oldest recruit any military branch can enlist is 42 however each service may set their own policy below that age limit.
Us Coast Guard Age Limits
The United States Coast Guard has over 40,000 active-duty personnel.
There are a small reserve fraction of approximately 7,000 members.
The Coast Guard also employs a sizable civilian workforce.
Overall, the U.S. Coast Guard is the smallest of the military branches .
Here are the minimum and maximum ages required to join the U.S. Coast Guard:
Enlisted
Minimum Age: 17 years old Maximum Age: 31 years old
Officer
Minimum Age: 17 years old Maximum Age: 31 years old*
*Up to 32 if qualified for attending guaranteed A School.
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Applicants Married To Active Military Members
As long as there are no children in the household, spouses of active military members are eligible to enlist. But applicants should understand that there is no guarantee that spouses will be stationed in the same place.
But if there are children in the household, this will disqualify most military spouses from enlisting. The active duty services rarely waive this, while the reserve forces , often approve waivers, as long as the applicant can show a workable family care plan.
Physical + Moral Standards
Regardless of your age, you must have a physical to indicate that you are healthy enough to serve in case you are deployed. Where you take your physical depends on the program you want to enter. HPSP applicants will take a physical at a Military Entrance Processing Station near them, and USU applicants will take their physicals through the Department of Defense Medical Examination Review Board. You are also required to pass a security investigation and demonstrate the high moral standards expected of a physician and a military officer.
Waivers are available on a case-by-case basis. Depending on the program, you may want to apply early to give the Services enough time to approve your waiver.
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Asvab: Testing Mental Fitness
The Armed Service Vocational Aptitude Battery test is a multiple-choice test taken by all who aspire to become Marines. To pass the test, aspiring Marines must achieve a score of 31 or higher, and those with nontraditional degrees or a GED must score at least a 50. The test covers a range of subjects from arithmetic to electronics to mechanical comprehension. This measures the ability of aspiring Marines to adapt and overcome any threat or obstacle on current and future battlefields.
Becoming An Officer In The Military After College
While its common knowledge that basic training sets recruits on the pathway toward becoming an enlisted service member, those with a desire for leadership opportunities and a bachelors degree can take another route into a military career as a commissioned officer.
The Reserve Officers Training Corps program for college students and Officer Candidate School or Officer Training School for graduates are great options for those who want to earn a four-year college degree before joining the military. Each service branch offers both ROTC and officer schools as entry points to an officer commission.
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What Was The Minimum Age To Join The Military During World War 2
In the united states military it was 17 with parental consentbut starting with December 1942 only the navy and marine corpallowed 17 year olds to join, the army only allowed 18 year olddraftees no volunteers.That was in theory in practice under 18’sdid lie and manage to get drafted into the US Army some where evenkilled in action.I know a case of a 16 year old south dakotan whowas killed in Mindanao in 1945 after being drafted at 15 inNovember 1944.In other countries it depends,in the Soviet Union itappears they allowed 16 year olds to join although I’m not surewhether it was just ignoring how old they where or legally youcould join.The Indo-british army allowed boys as young as 15 toserve in combat.Most countries though had a minimum of 18 some even21 these rules where not always respected and some changed therules as the war progressed and they needed anyone who could servein combat regardless of how old they where.
Questions To Ask A Us Military Recruiter
Once you have decided which branch you want to join, your next move is to talk to a recruiter.
Before you talk to a recruiter, remember this, because its very important: The first rule with recruiters is to get everything from them in writing.
Dont think that you cant trust recruiters, but you do need to understand that being a recruiter is a joband their job has quotas they must meet. Its your responsibility if they verbally promise you the moon but end up doing a job you never wanted!
Now that weve got that out of the way, lets talk about the questions you need to ask:
- What are the physical requirements for joining?
- What are the disqualifying medical or physical issues?
- How long is my contract actually for?
- What tests are required for entry, and what scores do I need to qualify for specific jobs?
- Are there any specialized tests for certain jobs?
- If I have any disqualifying issues, do I qualify for any waivers?
- Can I join with a friend and stay together?
- Can you guarantee me a certain job or duty station?
- If joining the National Guard or Reserves, will I qualify for the same benefits? Also, will I qualify for the GI Bill?
- If I am married, what benefits are my family entitled to?
- If I am interested in Special Operations, can I sign a contract to go straight into their training pipeline or do I have to serve a minimum amount of time first?
- If I am in college or have a college degree, how do I join as an officer?
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