How to join the US army: American immigration law offers multiple options for foreigners who want to live in the U.S. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service has all the options online. One can easily apply for a green card and ultimately become a U.S. citizen.
Once you acquire U.S. citizenship there are many benefits and privileges you can enjoy. Among them is becoming a U.S. army. It’s important to note that holding a green card alone cannot qualify you to join the U.S. army.
You must be able to speak and write in English fluently. Here are some of the requirements for joining the U.S. army;
Requirements for Joining the U.S. Military
To join the enlisted ranks, in general, you must:
- Be a U.S. citizen or Green Card holder
- Non-citizens must speak, read, and write English fluently.
- Non-citizens must currently live in the U.S.
- Be in good health
- Be 17 to 40 years old (different branches have different age requirements)
- View a chart of age requirements by service
- Have a high school diploma (some branches will accept a GED)
- Pass the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) test
To join as an officer, you must also have attended college.
Waivers for Conditions that May Disqualify You
A recruiter may ask a military command to overlook a condition that would otherwise disqualify you. Types of waivers include:
- Medical
- Mental Health
- Criminal
- Education
- Moral
- Age
However, there are no guarantees you will get a waiver.
Military Service Academies and Other Ways to Become a Military Officer
You can become an officer in the U.S. military by graduating from one of the U.S. service academies. The academies are colleges that train future commissioned officers.
Benefits and Commitments
- Tuition, room, and board are free.
- You get paid while you are attending.
- You must serve for several years in the military after you graduate unless you go to the Merchant Marine Academy —then you have other options.
Five Service Academies
There are five military academies:
- United States Military Academy — Army
- United States Naval Academy — Navy and Marine Corps
- United States Coast Guard Academy
- United States Merchant Marine Academy
- United States Air Force Academy
How to Get Into a Military Academy
To be accepted into any service academy except for the Coast Guard Academy, you must first be nominated to the school by either:
- A U.S. Senator
- A U.S. Representative
- The Vice President of the U.S., can nominate applicants to any academy except the Merchant Marine Academy.
How to Get Into the Coast Guard Academy
Submit an application directly. You don’t need to be nominated.
Other Ways to Become a Military Officer
You can also earn an officer commission through:
- Officer Candidate School (OCS)
- Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC)
- A direct commission from the enlisted ranks
- Certain legal, medical, or clergy professions
Contact a recruiter for the Department of Defense service branch you are interested in to learn more about these programs:
- U.S. Army
- U.S. Air Force
- U.S. Navy
- U.S. Marine Corps
If you are planning to join the US Army, the first thing to do is acquire citizenship, then apply via the military’s official website.
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