You have probably heard that the economy isn’t doing well, but did you know that there’s an organization that’s currently hiring thousands of Americans to fill positions around the world? Entry-level positions start with 30 days of paid vacation, full medical and dental coverage, and a minimum starting salary of nearly $32,000 per year, along with the opportunity to work on every continent, including Antarctica? If you qualify, you could get a Bachelor’s Degree on your way to technical training in a job with leadership opportunities throughout the world while serving and protecting our nation as an officer in the United States Army.

Who can qualify? In order to become an Army officer, you must also pass a background check and a physical, and must be an American citizen. You will need a Bachelor’s degree, or under certain circumstances, be able to complete it by your fourth year of service. The background check is used to make sure that you don’t have a criminal record, unpaid debts, or other damaging information in your past. The physical is to make sure that you’re medically fit to serve as a Soldier; most people who are generally healthy and don’t have any long-term issues (like serious asthma or physical limitations) can pass the physical. If you are not yet an American citizen, you can enlist in the Army (pay is much lower, but you still get the 30 days of annual vacation and full medical and dental benefits), become a citizen, and then apply to become an officer.

How do I become an officer? There are four basic ways to become an Army officer. The most common way is to attend college and join the Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC). In ROTC, you take military-themed classes, attend military training, and when you graduate with your Bachelor’s Degree, you can be commissioned as an officer in the United States Army. According to an article in the October, 2009, edition of AUSA News, the ROTC program is currently “available in 273 colleges and universities” across the United States and its territories, and 80% of the men and women who become officers use this method to do so. The biggest advantages to ROTC are that it’s relatively easy to join (a scholarship is harder to get), and that you can attend a regular college or university. The ROTC program offers competitive scholarships which can pay for your degree. (In 1988, my father earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice from the University of South Dakota. He was the first in his family to graduate from college, and his ROTC scholarship paid for almost all of his expenses.)

Another way to become an officer is to attend a federal service academy. The United States Military Academy (USMA) at West Point, New York is basically the Army’s university. (The Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard also have federal academies.) Also known as West Point, the one major drawback is that the school is extremely selective. Applicants generally need a high school GPA of 3.7 or greater, must also pass a background check, a physical (be medically fit), and fitness test (be physically fit), must not be married or have family to support, and must demonstrate active involvement in sports and community activities. About 800 graduates each year earn a Bachelor’s of Science Degree after completing four years of academic and military requirements. While it is much harder to get into than ROTC, the biggest bonus is that this program actually pays you to attend! Students, known as “Cadets”, earn half the salary of a new Army officer while in school, and use a portion of it to fund uniforms and books. Graduates complete an ivy-league style education without financial debt and with a guaranteed job. (My mother attended West Point, and because she didn’t come from a very wealthy family, this was the perfect way to get a great, free education and give back to the United States. Her mother grew up during the Korean War, and as an immigrant with little education, she was able to earn an honest living in America and retire from a large US company.)

A third way to become an officer is through Officer Candidate School (OCS). In order to qualify, you must be enlisted in the military, be recommended by your commander, and pass the 90-day OCS course located at Fort Benning, Georgia. To enlist, the requirements aren’t as strict-- applicants need a high school diploma, must pass a basic background check, and must sign a contract (at age 18 or have your parents’ permission at 17). This method’s major drawback is that you must begin as a very junior Soldier in the Army, and although you still begin with 30 days’ paid vacation and full medical and dental benefits, the initial salary is much lower and you must convince your commander that you should be selected to attend the OCS course (it isn’t guaranteed). Even though the course is short (only about 90 days), it is very intense, and if an applicant fails, he or she must serve the rest of their contract as a junior enlisted Soldier. (Sergeant Major Bradley, the Retention Non-Commissioned Officer for a unit at Fort Shafter, HI, explained that although this method actually produces more officers each year than West Point, it is a bit of a gamble.)

The fourth way to become an officer is by direct commission. The name explains the process—applicants are directly commissioned, meaning that they become officers immediately. The big drawback to this method is that in order to use it, an applicant must already hold a professional degree as a medical doctor, a lawyer, a clergyman, and some kinds of scientists. The biggest advantage is that it requires the least military-specific training, so it is very quick. Not surprisingly, this method produces the fewest officers each year.

How much money will I make? According to the official 2009 pay chart, the basic, taxable salary is the same for all new Second Lieutenants (abbreviated “2LT”), at $31,863.30 per year for 2009). However, there are many additional allowances which are not taxable, and if an officer has special skills or training, he or she can make a lot more. Non-taxable allowances include money for food, housing, and cost of living, and these allowances change depending on whether an officer has family members and where he or she lives. (In Hawaii, a new, single officer would get nearly $2600/month, non-taxable, for food, housing, and cost of living expenses. A married officer would get approximately $2900/month, non-taxable.) Certain officers with special skills (like doctors and pilots) also get additional, taxable pay. These amounts can be nearly 50% of the normal salary, and are based specific skill, length of time in service, and the danger involved in your daily work, among other factors.

What does an Army officer do? The military must accomplish nearly all the tasks that occur in the civilian world—they have medical professionals, scientists, pilots, logisticians (supply and maintenance people), engineers, and lawyers. As part of the Army’s mission, there are also jobs where you find and capture or kill enemy personnel. An officer’s specific skill is known as a Military Occupational Specialty (MOS). An officer’s MOS is very important because it determines the type and length of initial training, and can determine what kind of special pay can be earned. All officers with the same amount of time in service earn the same basic salary, but some can earn special pay for working in a dangerous job (like Explosive Ordnance Disposal), or in a dangerous area (like a combat zone), or in a very technical field (such as a doctor or pilot). Specialized skills can also help determine where an officer can work, but almost all fields can serve in the United States, Central America, Europe, Asia, or Africa. There are limited positions available in South America, Australia, and yes, even Antarctica.

Why should I join? Many of our most-distinguished leaders have served in the military before becoming leaders for America. Among them are Presidents, Senators, and Congressmen, as well as many of our friends, neighbors, and relatives. So, if you want a college education and help paying for it, you like to travel, and want job security, health benefits, a good starting salary at entry level, plus the opportunity to become a leader of character for the nation, the Army is for you!