The reason I'm asking is because I want to go into the Special Forces but not as an Officer, I want to go in as a Staff Seargent if possible. Is this possible?
2006-12-04 02:18:09 · 18 answers · asked by Mike 1 in Politics & Government ➔ Military
If you go into the Army as anything other than an officer, then you will enter as a Private and work your way up the same as everyone else!!
2006-12-04 02:22:15 · answer #1 · answered by Smoky! 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Hey Mike :-) The highest rank you could enlist at with a Bachelor's is in the Air Force is E-4 and I think that is the same with all branches. The reason behind it is that E-1 through E-4 are automatic grades. You make rank to E-4 based on time in service so with the bachelor's degree they basically count it as 4 years in service. So hence E-4. They will not give you E-5 because you have to test for Staff. You have to show your proficiency in your job and pass the massive written exam. You have to have all your certifications and take all the classes for your job. So they couldn't give you E-5. However you could easily make staff in about 18 months if you really buckled down and had a great unit working with you. My husband went in as an E-3 (he had an Associates) less than 3 years ago and he make Staff a couple months ago.
They will not force you to go in as an officer. A recruiter would never pass up the opportunity to recruit a highly educated person as an enlisted member. Kudos to you for wanting to join the as an enlisted member! We do all the work anyway! Good luck with Special Forces, but I suspect you won't have any problems :0)
2006-12-04 02:55:10 · answer #2 · answered by mustangsally76 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
No you will not enter as an E-6, you MIGHT get E-3. Why would you not want to go in as an Officer? As a 20 year Army Veteran, I'd say you should reconsider this choice. Officers make more money and are traeat much more decently than the Enlisted Ranks. Go Officer, you won't be sorry.
2006-12-04 02:43:00 · answer #3 · answered by SGT. D 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If you join the Army in the enlisted ranks with a BA you'll join in the rank of SPC E-4. That is the highest anyone can join, however if your lucky enough and can actually qualify for a Special Forces option (when I recruited there was none, only an airborne rangers option) then there might be other stipulations such as receiving E-5 after SUCCESFUL completion of the Q course. Ask a recruiter ( I am a former recruiter and things change)
2006-12-04 02:28:11 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Sure, I did it in the USN. Went in with a BS degree, enlisted. I wantted to be enlisted to see what the enlisted did/do before jumping on the officer wagon. I never did go officer though. I left the military. I had family issues. Had to make a choice.
As far as going in as a Staff Sergant. That will not happen the best you can hope for is E-3 which is Corprol. That is kinda like saying I have a degree, I want to be a CAPT when I sign up.
2006-12-04 02:53:23 · answer #5 · answered by devilduck74 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The army currently allows those with a bachelors degree to go in as a specialists E-4 in CERTAIN types of MOS. You can apply for SFAS, SF accessions if you are a E-5 (P), that means you are just waiting for the time requirement to become a E-6, you have completed Basic Non-Commissioned Officers Course, along wtih WLC, warriors leaders course formerly known as PLDC which is required for promotion to E-5. There was talk about bringing back the SF enlistment option back, a Command Sgt Major I had once ,was once of the First Sergeants for SF training. Lifelong action hero he calls it. And he joined back in the day straight out of college into that program, it went away because too many people were failing and it was too costly to run. There had been some chatter of having it brought back because there is a need to find more qualified individuals.
If it is still around it would be a minimum of a 6 year enlistment, you go through one of the few MOS choices, including basic, AIT, and whatever general needs you have including Airborne. You must pass all those things first time go, and with a minimum of Passing with no deficiencies at all. And you must pass the SF PT test before you are allowed to have the option, and once more before you start SFAS. And if you fail/drop out anywhere along the way before passing SFAS you will serve the rest of your term in whatever MOS you were trained on, similar to Navy SEALS. SFAS is a very difficult course for even the experienced soldier because it is technical as well as physical and no one screw-up. So you must bring a lot of skills with you already like land navigation with compass and map, and be able to transverse difficult terrain (breaking brush) for long, unknown distances while carrying lots a lot of weight in rucks that have not changed in more than 40 years. You must be able to pickup tactical knowledge very quickly because you dont learn it anywhere else besides the army.
Oh, and you dont pick your specialty either, depending on your MOS, your ASVAB score, a learning and deductive reasoning test, your SFAS performance which they measure hundreds of different things. Than they tell you the specialty you are going to be in.
Just for your information officers on active duty must wait a minimum of 2 years and be a O-2(P), captain's career course graduate before accepted. Guard and reserve component officers have slightly different requirements.
For some reason since I speak like 4 languages, two are listed as in demand languages or something SF NCOs I work with our always telling me "sir, give a thought/shot" no thanks my body has taken enough beating already, happy with Shall Never Fail My Breach.
2006-12-04 22:08:38 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
You can go in as enlisted as an E-4 with a four year degree first. Go enlisted first then go officer. From experince as enlisted you will gain more of an understanding. So you can be a better officer.
2006-12-04 11:22:56 · answer #7 · answered by shannon_szukala 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The highest rank you can hold upon enlistment is E-3. You'll have to work for the rest. And you don't ever have to go officer unless you want to.
2006-12-04 03:27:27 · answer #8 · answered by funnygrrl19 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i don't think you can go in as a staff sergeant, and don't think you would want to if you knew what all is entailed with doing that. you gotta earn your way up the ranks, especially if you want ANY respect from your guys. you do not have to go in as an officer, but you probably will be asked to do so, because of your degree.
2006-12-04 02:23:28 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
You do not have to accept a commision to join the military. But they will not start you out at SSGT either. Have to work your way up to get experience, so start out at E-3 at the most.
If go in as an Officer they start you out as an O1
2006-12-04 02:22:31 · answer #10 · answered by bubbles_grandpa 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋