OFFICERS TRAINING IN THE US ARMED FORCES

Contents

1. 2.

Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 3 How to Become a Member of the Armed Forces ..................................................................... 3 Important Qualities ....................................................................................................................... 5

3. 4.

Officer Training ........................................................................................................................ 5 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................ 7

Bibliography ..................................................................................................................................... 7

1. Introduction
An officer is a member of an armed force or uniformed service who holds a position of authority. Commissioned officers derive authority directly from a sovereign power and, as such, hold a commission charging them with the duties and responsibilities of a specific office or position. Commissioned officers are typically the only persons, in a military environment, able to act as the commanding officer (according to the most technical definition of the word) of a military unit. A superior officer is an officer with a higher rank than another officer, who is a subordinate officer relative to the superior. Non-commissioned officers (NCOs) in positions of authority can be said to have control or charge rather than command per se; the use of the word command to describe any use of authority is often unofficial. Having officers is one requirement for combatant status under the laws of war, though these officers need not have obtained an official commission or warrant. In such case, those persons holding offices of responsibility within the organization are deemed to be the officers, and the presence of these officers connotes a level of organization sufficient to designate a group For many young Americans, the benefits of serving can be tremendous: training, honor, education, travel, pay and self-discovery. However, military service is not for everyone. It requires self-discipline, intense physical work and time away from family and friends while protecting America and its citizens at home and abroad. For some, these commitments impose too great a burden. Officers typically do the following: lead troops in ground combat operations; serve as supervisors and managers of enlisted personnel; operate and control aircraft, ships, or armored vehicles; serve as professionals for the military in medical, legal, engineering, and other fields. Officers are the Armys leaders. They plan training and lead Soldiers all over the world. Officer Candidate School provides an opportunity for graduates who desire a challenging management position in one of sixteen career fields. These motivated individuals earn their commission through the Officer Candidate School for service in the active component or Army Reserve service. Army officers are trained in career fields ranging from communication and personnel management to finance and logistics. Their training encourages the development of leadership and problem-solving skills that make them sought after by civilian employers. They also earn a salary and benefits that rival civilian corporations.

2. How to Become a Member of the Armed Forces

To join the military, applicants must meet age, educational, aptitude, physical, and character requirements.1 These requirements vary by branch of service and between officers and enlisted members. Members are assigned an occupational specialty based on their aptitude,

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former training, and the needs of their branch of service. All service members must sign a contract and commit to a minimum term of service. Those considering enlisting in the military should learn as much as they can about military life before making a decision. Potential applicants should speak to friends and relatives with military experience and weigh the pros and cons of a career in the military. The next step is talking to a recruiter, who can determine whether the applicant qualifies for enlistment, explain the various enlistment options, and tell which military occupational specialties currently have openings. Applicants should bear in mind that a recruiters job is to recruit promising applicants into his or her branch of service, so they are likely to stress the positive aspects of military life in the branch in which he or she serves. The military uses a placement exam called the Armed Forces Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) to determine an applicants suitability for various occupational specialties, and test scores largely determine an individual's chances of being accepted into a particular training program. Selection for a certain type of training depends on the needs of the service and the applicants general and technical aptitudes and personal preferences. Because all prospective recruits are required to take the ASVAB, those who do so before committing themselves to enlisting know in advance whether they stand a good chance of being accepted for training in a particular specialty. The recruiter can schedule applicants to take the ASVAB without any obligation to join. Many high schools offer the exam as an easy way for students to explore the possibility of a military career, and the test also lets students see which careers they show aptitude and interest in. The ASVAB is not part of the process of joining the military as an officer. If an applicant decides to join the military, the next step is to pass the physical examination and sign an enlistment contract. Negotiating the contract involves choosing, qualifying for, and agreeing on a number of enlistment options, such as the length of active-duty time, which may vary according to the option. Most active-duty programs have first-term enlistments of 4 years, although there are some 2-year, 3-year, and 6-year programs. The contract also will state the date of enlistment and other optionsfor example, bonuses and the types of training the recruit will receive. If the service is unable to fulfill any of its obligations under the contract, such as providing a certain kind of training, the contract may become null and void. All branches of the Armed Services offer a delayed entry program by which a person can delay entry into active duty for up to 1 year after enlisting. High school students can enlist during their senior year and enter service after graduation. Others choose this program because the job training they desire is not currently available but will be within the coming year, or because they need time to arrange their personal affairs. All branches of the Armed Forces require their members to be high school graduates or have equivalent credentials, such as a GED. In 2011, more than 99 percent of recruits were high school graduates. Officers usually need a bachelor's or graduate degree. Training varies for enlisted and officer personnel and varies by occupational specialty. Those who want to become an officer have several routes, including the Federal service academies (Military, Naval, Air Force, and Coast Guard); the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program offered at many colleges and universities; Officer Candidate School (OCS); and other programs.

Important Qualities
Mental preparedness. Armed Forces members must be mentally stable and able to withstand stressful situations that can occur during military operations. Physical fitness. Military members must be physically fit to participate in or support combat missions that may be difficult or dangerous. Readiness. Members of the Armed Forces must be ready and able to report for military assignments on short notice. Entry requirements for each service vary, but certain qualifications for enlistment are common to all branches. The following are typical enlistment requirements: At least 17 years of age; U.S. citizenship or permanent resident status; Never convicted of a felony; Able to pass a drug test. Applicants who are 17 years old must have the consent of a parent or legal guardian before entering the service. For active service in the Army, the maximum age is 42; for the Navy, 34; for the Marine Corps, 29; and for the Air Force and Coast Guard, 27. All applicants must meet certain minimum physical standards for height, weight, vision, and overall health. Officers must meet different age and physical standards, depending on their branch of service. Women are eligible to enter most military specialties; for example, they may become mechanics, missile maintenance technicians, heavy equipment operators, and fighter pilots, or they may enter into medical care, administrative support, and intelligence specialties. Generally, only occupations involving direct exposure to combat are excluded to women.

3. Officer Training
Officer training refers to the training that most military officers must complete before acquiring an officer rank. A potential recruit becomes an officer cadet, someone in training. An officer in training can either be trained in a military college like West Point, or taken from the enlisted ranks. After this training is complete, the recruit in question becomes a fully fledged officer, taking on a commanding position in his or her military branch. The United States Military Academy's mission is to educate, train and inspire the Corps of Cadets so that each graduate is a commissioned leader of character committed to the values of Duty, Honor, Country and prepared for a career of professional excellence and service to the Nation as an officer in the United States Army.2 The Academy provides a superb four-year education, which focuses on the leader development of cadets in the academic, military, and physical domains, all underwritten by adherence to a code of honor. Officer training in the Armed Forces is provided through the federal service academies (Military, Naval, Air Force, and Coast Guard); the Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) program offered at many colleges and universities; Officer Candidate School (OCS) or Officer Training School (OTS); the National Guard (State Officer Candidate School programs); the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences; and other programs. All are highly selective and are good options for those who want to make the military a career. Some personnel are
2

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directly appointed to attend one of these academies or programs. People interested in getting training through the federal service academies must be unmarried and without dependents to enter and graduate, while those seeking training through OCS, OTS, or ROTC may be married. Federal service academies provide a 4-year college program leading to a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree. Midshipmen or cadets receive free room and board, tuition, medical and dental care, and a monthly allowance. Graduates receive regular or reserve commissions and have a 5-year active-duty obligation, or more if they are entering flight training. To become a candidate for appointment as a cadet or midshipman in one of the service academies, applicants must be nominated by an authorized source, usually a member of Congress. Candidates do not need to personally know a member of Congress to request a nomination. Nominees must have an academic record of the requisite quality, college aptitude test scores above an established minimum, and recommendations from teachers or school officials; they also must pass a medical examination. Appointments are made from the list of eligible nominees. Appointments to the Coast Guard Academy, however, are based strictly on merit and do not require a nomination. Participants in ROTC programs take regular college courses along with 3 to 5 hours of military instruction per week. After graduation, they may serve as officers on active duty for a specific period. Some may serve their obligation in the Reserves or National Guard. In the last 2 years of an ROTC program, students typically receive a monthly allowance while attending school, as well as additional pay for summer training. ROTC scholarships for 2, 3, and 4 years of school are available on a competitive basis. All scholarships pay for tuition and have allowances for textbooks, supplies, and other costs. College graduates can earn a commission in the Armed Forces through OCS or OTS programs in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and National Guard. These programs consist of several weeks of intensive academic, physical, and leadership training. Those who graduate as officers generally must serve their obligation on active duty. Personnel with training in certain health professions may qualify for direct appointment as officers. In the case of people studying for the health professions, financial assistance and internship opportunities are available from the military in return for specified periods of military service. Prospective medical students can apply to the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences, which offers a salary and free tuition in a program leading to a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree. In return, graduates must serve for 7 years in either the military or the Public Health Service. Direct appointments also are available for those qualified to serve in other specialty areas, such as the U.S. Navy Judge Advocate Generals (JAG) Corps for those in the legal field or the Chaplain Corps for those in religious ministry. Flight training is available to commissioned officers in each branch of the Armed Forces. In addition, the Army has a direct enlistment option to become a warrant officer aviator.

4. Conclusion
In the U.S. military, officers without a university degree may under certain circumstances be commissioned, but are required to earn one before being promoted to Captain (USA, USMC, USAF) or Lieutenant (USN, USCG) (pay grade O-3). Officers without a degree are usually Officer Candidate School (OCS) graduates from the enlisted ranks and comprise less than 2% of all officers. Officers may also be commissioned through the Reserve Officer Training Corps, which is composed of small training programs at several hundred American universities.[2] Graduates from the service academies are commissioned immediately upon graduation and comprise around 20% of the Officer Corps. An officer may also be commissioned at a federal or state based OCS. These schools train and commission college graduates and enlisted personnel toward being promoted to Officer ranks. Another route to becoming a commissioned officer is through direct commission. Credentialed civilian professionals such as scientists, pharmacists, physicians, nurses, clergy, and attorneys are directly commissioned upon entry into the military or another federal uniformed service. However, these direct commission officers normally do not have command authority outside their specific branches (e.g., Medical Corps (United States Army) or Judge Advocate General's Corps). Such commissioning of civilians was widely used in World War II to bring industrial management expertise (for materiel production) and medical and surgical skills into the U.S. armed forces. William S. Knudsen, with the highest-ranking such commission, is possibly the most famous example.

Bibliography
1. http://www.bls.gov/ooh/military/military-careers.htm 2. http://www.usma.edu/SitePages/Home.aspx 3. http://www.goarmy.com/careers-and-jobs.html 4. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Officer_%28armed_forces%29