{"id":12885,"date":"2020-05-01T14:00:49","date_gmt":"2020-05-01T20:00:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.petersons.com\/blog\/?p=12885"},"modified":"2020-06-23T13:35:42","modified_gmt":"2020-06-23T19:35:42","slug":"how-to-become-an-officer-in-the-military","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.petersons.com\/blog\/how-to-become-an-officer-in-the-military\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Become an Officer in the Military"},"content":{"rendered":"

Becoming a military officer is common in the career progression of servicemembers. Assuming an officer position in the military requires advanced education, including a four-year college degree, and the ability to make decisions under pressure.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A promotion to the rank of a commissioned U.S. military officer comes with a variety of benefits, including a salary increase, educational benefits for advanced degrees, and the opportunity to hold a leadership position at an early age.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

To help you along in your journey to becoming a military officer, we\u2019ve created a guide filled with key points to consider.<\/span><\/p>\n

How to become an officer<\/span><\/h2>\n

Generally, there are four basic paths to becoming a military officer.<\/span><\/p>\n

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  1. The Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC<\/b>) is the most common way to become an officer. The program is offered at 1,700 <\/span>colleges and universities<\/span><\/a> across the country. Students are provided with leadership training and money for tuition in addition to a guaranteed job upon graduation.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Officer Candidate School (OCS)<\/b>, known in the Air Force as<\/span> Officer Training School (OTS)<\/b>, is a program designed for graduates who have a four-year degree, but did not participate in an ROTC program. Additionally, enlisted servicemembers with 90 hours of college credit can enroll in the program to advance to the position of commissioned officer.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. Service academies<\/b> are the most competitive pathways to becoming a commissioned officer. The Army, Navy, Coast Guard, Air Force, and the U.S. Merchant Marines all offer a high-quality, no-cost, four-year education equivalent to that of civilian Ivy League schools.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    The four military service academies are:<\/span><\/p>\n

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    1. U.S. Military Academy at West Point <\/span><\/a>(Army), West Point, New York<\/span><\/li>\n
    2. U.S. Naval Academy<\/span><\/a> (Navy and Marine Corps), Annapolis, Maryland<\/span><\/li>\n
    3. U.S. Air Force Academy<\/span><\/a> (Air Force), Colorado Springs, Colorado<\/span><\/li>\n
    4. U.S. Coast Guard Academy<\/span><\/a> (Coast Guard), New London, Connecticut<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      The U.S. Merchant Marine also provides a service academy, operating out of King\u2019s Point, New York. Graduates of the <\/span>Merchant Marine Academy<\/span><\/a> are committed to serving in the Naval Reserve, although many opt to enlist in active duty upon graduation.<\/span><\/p>\n

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      1. Direct appointments <\/b>are reserved for professionals, such as doctors, lawyers, and clergy. They receive abbreviated officer training and are then commissioned at a rank based on professional experience.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        Officer positions in the military fall within several categories, including:<\/span><\/p>\n

        Commissioned Officers<\/b><\/p>\n