This is a new Ask a Tech Teacher series on College and Career with a focus on military options.
High school students contemplating a military career should research extensively, speak with recruiters, and perhaps participate in preparatory or introductory military programs to make an informed decision. Each branch of the military has unique offerings, so aligning personal goals with the branch’s culture and opportunities is crucial. There are several pathways for post-HS: opportunities for personal development, education, and professional training. Here’s an overview:
- Join directly from High School:
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Enlistment: Students can enlist in one of the six branches of the U.S. military: Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, and Space Force. This path typically requires passing the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) to determine suitability for specific roles. High school graduates can start as enlisted personnel, gaining hands-on experience in various military occupations.
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Benefits: Enlisting offers benefits like tuition assistance, health care, housing, and retirement benefits. The military provides training in over 150 career fields, many of which only require a high school diploma or GED.
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Programs for Experience: Programs like the Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) in high schools can provide students with early exposure to military life, teaching leadership, citizenship, and discipline.
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- Attend college before entering the military:
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Service Academies: High school students can apply to one of the U.S. military academies (e.g., West Point for Army, Naval Academy for Navy, etc.), which offer a combination of college education and military training. These are highly competitive and require congressional nomination. Graduates earn a commission as officers.
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ROTC (Reserve Officers’ Training Corps): This program allows students to attend college and receive military training simultaneously. Upon graduation, ROTC participants commit to a period of service as an officer. The program offers scholarships that can cover tuition, fees, and other expenses.
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This series will delve into making the military part of college-career choices. Here are some of the articles you’ll see with links to those already published:
- 5 Must-do Skills to Accomplish During High School
- 9 Secrets for Getting into a Service Academy
- 11 Ways to Become a Navy Officer and a Gentleman
- Apply for a Military Academy
- Average USNA Candidate
- ASVAB or a Service Academy? You Decide.
- College Bound: Take Inventory
- Didn’t get into a Military Academy? Try NAPS
- Goal Setting for a Fourteen-year-old
- OCS–an option
- STEM at USNA
- Successful USNA Graduates
- You’re a Sophomore and Interested in USNA
Here’s the sign-up link if the image above doesn’t work:
https://forms.aweber.com/form/07/1910174607.htm
“The content presented in this blog are the result of creative imagination and not intended for use, reproduction, or incorporation into any artificial intelligence training or machine learning systems without prior written consent from the author.”
Jacqui Murray has been teaching K-18 technology for 30 years. She is the editor/author of over a hundred tech ed resources including a K-12 technology curriculum, K-8 keyboard curriculum, K-8 Digital Citizenship curriculum. She is an adjunct professor in tech ed, Master Teacher, freelance journalist on tech ed topics, and author of the tech thrillers, To Hunt a Sub and Twenty-four Days. You can find her resources at Structured Learning.
