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Step 2: Choose the Right Path in the Army

When you join the U.S. Army you will work with other committed Soldiers as an Enlisted Soldier, Warrant Officer or Commissioned Officer. Together you will help protect America’s freedoms and preserve peace. Each category has its own specialized training, responsibilities and areas of expertise. They are all critical pieces to the Army’s ability to defend our country, freedoms and way of life.

Two Choices – One Army
In today’s changing global climate it takes a tiered force of highly trained, committed Soldiers to protect our freedoms and defend democracy. This force consists of Active Duty Soldiers and Soldiers in the Army Reserve. These two groups work in together to create the strongest fighting force in the world.

Active Duty – Serving Full Time
Active Duty is similar to working at a full-time, civilian job. There are hours when Soldiers are training or performing their jobs and then there are off-hours when Soldiers can do what they like. For an Active Duty Soldier, length of service can range from two to six years.

Army Reserve – Serving Part Time

The Army Reserve is like a part-time job that enables Soldiers to keep their civilian careers while continuing to train near home. In the Army Reserve one weekend a month is typically spent training, and there is a two-week Field Training Exercise (FTX) once a year. Army Reserve Soldiers may be called up to Active Duty (mobilization). Service durations will range from one to six years, depending on the soldier’s job in the Army and where their Army Reserve Center is located.

Enlisted Soldiers

Enlisted Soldiers work with Officers to achieve mission success even in the harshest of conditions. While Officers give orders, Enlisted Soldiers are encouraged to show initiative in order to get the job done.

Warrant Officers

Warrant Officers are highly specialized experts and trainers in their career fields. By gaining progressive levels of expertise and leadership, these leaders provide valuable guidance to commanders and organizations in their specialty. Warrant Officers remain single-specialty Officers whose career track is oriented toward progressing within their career field rather than focusing on increased levels of command and staff duty positions, like their Commissioned-Officer counterparts.

Commissioned Officers

Commissioned Officers are the leaders of the Army and direct Soldiers throughout missions. They make decisions quickly, always focusing on completing the mission successfully, and showing respect for their subordinates. To be a Commissioned Officer is to be respected as a Soldier, an inspiring leader and a servant of the nation.In addition to exhibiting self-discipline, initiative, confidence and intelligence, Commissioned Officers are physically fit and can perform under physical and mental pressures. They are judged by their ability to make decisions on their own and bear ultimate moral responsibility for those decisions.

ROTC
ROTC provides college students the ability to train to become Army Officers. Cadets take a curriculum of elective leadership and military courses that allow them to be ahead when becoming enlisted soldiers. Among the many other benefits to planning ahead and joining ROTC you have the opportunity to compete for up to $80,000 in scholarships.

Officer Candidate School (OCS)
Another way to become an Officer in the Army is to attend Officer Candidate School (OCS). After completing Basic Combat Training, candidates participate in rigorous training for 14 weeks and then attend the Officer Basic Course.

United States Military Academy at West Point
West Point is one of the country’s top universities. It’s a competitive environment that produces some of the nation’s best leaders. Many graduates of West Point become leaders in the military, in government and in the civilian world.

Direct Commission Officer
Each professional branch of the Army including: Judge Advocate General (JAG) Corps, the Army Chaplain Corps, and the Army Medical Corps have their own officer training program. These programs allow civilians with professional degrees to apply to receive a direct commission in their career field. Training time for direct commission officers varies depending on the career field and generally includes courses in military history, Army leadership, and career-specific courses designed to adapt civilian skills to Army practices.

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Filed Under: Army, Recruiting

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Army Unveils Lightweight Combat Assault Ration

JULY 25, 2025 – The Army’s new close combat assault ration features a 39% volume reduction and 17% weight reduction compared to existing field rations, allowing warfighters to carry five days’ worth of nutrition in a three-day footprint. The new, lightweight, energy packed, nutrient-dense, individual field ration, called the Close Combat Assault Ration, CCAR, is […]

Air National Guard Unveils New Bonus Program

MARCH 11, 2023 – On March 1st, the Air National Guard (ANG) launched a new bonus program to attract and retain personnel in critical specialties. The initiative offers significant financial rewards, with bonuses of up to $90,000 for eligible members, depending on their Air Force Specialty Codes (AFSCs). This strategic move aims to strengthen the […]

Education Benefits Make Stronger Service Members

APRIL 3, 2025 – Within the armed forces, a variety of educational benefits are available that allow service members to both improve themselves and make themselves more valuable to their service branch. One example is the Military Tuition Assistance Program. The program is available to enlisted personnel, officers and warrant officers in the Army, Navy, […]

Former Soldier Navigates Job Hunt

NOVEMBER 19, 2024 — In early 2017, Michael Quinn endured what he called the worst day in the worst year of his life. Quinn, then a sergeant major and 24-year Army Soldier, had weathered deployments in Iraq, Afghanistan and the Philippines. As an Army counter-intelligence agent, he said he learned to operate under grave circumstances […]

Financial Planning for Military Families

JUNE 25, 2025 – Have you ever wondered how military families manage their finances while dealing with deployments, relocations, and changing pay structures? Financial planning is a vital part of life for families who serve. With unique benefits, challenges, and lifestyle changes, military families must make smart financial decisions that protect their future and help […]

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