Members of the U.S. military service train for and perform a variety of tasks in order to maintain the U.S. national defense. Service members work in occupations specific to the military, such as fighter pilots or infantrymen. Many other members work in occupations that are equivalent to civilian occupations, such as nurses, doctors, and lawyers. To explore your options, visit Bureau of Labor Statistics • MyFuture • Today's Military • U.S. Air Force • U.S. Army • U.S. Marines • U.S. Navy • U.S. Coast Guard • U.S. National Guard

Enlisting in the Military

Familiarizing yourself with the enlistment process can be helpful, as there are a few things that you will likely go through no matter which branch and course you choose. Before you do anything else, do a little research. Great places to start are listed above or we encourage you to get in contact with a recruiter (check our calendar for up coming military visits). Once you make the decision to enlist, the Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS) is the place where recruits go to finish the enlistment process.Potential recruits must do the following at the MEPS: (1) Pass the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB), which is a multiple-choice exam that helps determine which kinds of careers an individual is best suited for, (2) Pass the Physical Examination, (3) Meet With a MEPS Career Counselor and Determine a Career, and (4) Take the Oath of Enlistment (swearing in). For more information, please visit MyFuture or Today's Military.  For more information about recruitment, please visit the guidance office.

What to Expect and Questions to Ask Recruiters

Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) is a college program offered at more than 1,000 colleges and universities across the United States that prepares young adults to become officers in the U.S. Military. When enrolled in ROTC you learn and develop leadership skills and prepare for a career as an officer in the U.S. Military. In exchange for a paid college education and a guaranteed post-college career, cadets commit to serve in the Military after graduation. Each service branch has its own take on ROTC. For more information please explore the websites provided below:

• ROTC within the UW System

• U.S. Air Force ROTC 

• Army ROTC 

• Navy ROTC

• Coast Guard Pre-Commissioning Initiative Program

• National Guard ROTC

• ROTC Scholarships and Benefits

• Wisconsin and Michigan Upper Peninsula ROTC contacts

Service academies & Senior Military Colleges (SMCs) offer a four-year higher education experience while fully immersing students in military culture. The academies offer full scholarships (tuition, housing, textbooks) in return for a five-year service commitment after graduation. In comparison, SMCs combine higher education with military instruction through mandatory ROTC programs. However, only students that receive military scholarships are required to serve upon graduating.

Service Academies

• U.S. Air Force Academy (Air Force) in Colorado Springs, Colo.

• U.S. Military Academy (Army) in West Point, N.Y.

• U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, N.Y. 

• U.S. Naval Academy (Navy/Marine Corps) in Annapolis, Md.

• U.S. Coast Guard Academy (Coast Guard) in New London, Conn.

Senior Military Colleges

• Texas A&M Corps of Cadets

• Norwich University

• The Virginia Military Institute

• The Citadel

• Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets

• University of North Georgia

• Mary Baldwin Women's Institute for Leadership

Maritime Academies

• Massachusetts Maritime Academy

• Great Lakes Maritime Academy

• Maine Maritime Academy

• California Maritime Academy

• State University of New York Maritime College

• Texas Maritime Academy

Officer Candidate School (OCS) (known as Officer Training School in the Air Force) is the officer program for recruits who possess a four-year degree with no prior experience in the Military. It teaches leadership skills, military culture and physical training over a 9 to 17 week period, depending on the Service branch.

• Air Force OTS

• Army OCS

• Marine Corps OCS

• Navy OCS

• Coast Guard OCS

Direct Commission--Civilians who have special skills in demand by the Military can also become officers through a process called direct commission. Direct Commission Officers (DCOs) typically possess advanced degrees in medicine, law, religious studies, engineering or intelligence. Contact a recruiter for more information about DCOs. Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) is a college program offered at more than 1,000 colleges and universities across the United States that prepares young adults to become officers in the U.S. Military. When enrolled in ROTC you learn and develop leadership skills and prepare for a career as an officer in the U.S. Military. In exchange for a paid college education and a guaranteed post-college career, cadets commit to serve in the Military after graduation. Each service branch has its own take on ROTC. For more information please explore the websites provided below.