If I have a 2 year degree and enter the Miltiary...?

Question

If I have a 2 year degree and Enlist in the Military, will I come out at a higher rank than E-1/E-2? Such as an Officer? What about a 4 year degree? Can someone give me some facts about entering the military WITH a college degree? Also I'm already in the military and earn a 2-4 year degree will I automatically jump rank?

Thanks

le VicSter:

I was giving a scenario. No need to be so rude; if you feel the need, then just piss off.

IF I'm already enlisted and get a degree**

Answer 1

You really need to talk to a recruiter, or retention officer to get a good idea of what you can expect.

You won't get rank just because you have a degree, whether it is an AA or a BA. Having a degree can qualify you for Officers Training. I don't know if the Army will commission a person with an AA now, but they did during the Vietnam War.

If you want to be an officer, I'd suggest you enroll in a four year university with an ROTC Program and enroll in ROTC and apply for a scholarship. Then the same day you get your diploma, you will get your commission as a 2nd LT ( of Ensign if you go Navy).

It is possible to enlist and apply for an ROTC Scholarship, but they are not easy to come by.

FWIW, if you are enlisted, it makes no difference what degree you hold. Your promotions will be based on time in grade and experience. A friend not only had a college degree when he enlsited in the USMC, but he had his law school degree. Lewis went in as a plain recruit and finished his enlistment as a corporal. He had no desire to become an officer.

Good Luck and thank you for serving our country.

Doc

Answer 2

They change the standards from time to time, so a recruiter would have the most up to date information. Most people enlist as an E-1. Last I heard if you have 24-29 credit hours at the college level you can enlist as an E-2. If you have over 30 credit hours you can enlist as an E-3. If you have a bachelor's degree you can enlist (as an E-3) and APPLY to go to OCS (Officer Candidate School). There is no guarantee that you can get in. If you graduate from OCS, you are commissioned as an officer (O-1). In the Army this would be called a 2nd Lieutenant.

While actually IN the military, having college makes you look better on paper, which will help you get rank, but in general, no one really cares much about education in the military, (despite what they claim).

You can also go through ROTC (Reserve Officer Training Corps) in college. Upon passing all your coursework you'll be commissioned as an officer, again an O-1. If your college does not have ROTC, you may attend the classes at a nearby college if one is around. An ROTC recruiter would be able to explain the program better. If you have two years of coursework left you can go through the program.

Answer 3

For the AF: If you have over 45 credit hours you will enter as an E-3. If you already have a Bachelor's degree you can apply to OTS (Officier Training School) and if you are accepted you will go to school to become and Officier. If you enlist and earn your degree while Active you will not obtain any extra rank. HOWEVER, in order to achieve the higher Enlisted ranks such as SMSgt (E-8) and CMSgt (E-9) a 4 year degree is required. The AF is cuurently changing the way they do EPR's (the annual Perfomance reports). Taking college classes or having a degree lets you score higher on your EPR's which gives you more points towards your promotions.

Answer 4

Talking Air Force-I do know that if you have 20 college credits (already), you will enter as an E-3 or maybe even an E-4, but in no way will you come out as an officer.

While in the military, whether you're earning a degree or if you already have one - you will not automatically jump rank. You take a test (when you do, depends on your current rank), just like the rest of us. If you pass you will recieve a line number, and when your time is up you will get promoted.

Don't cheat though-start out at the bottom and work your way up. You'll feel more accomplishment at the end of the day.

And....if you were already in the military, you should've known the answer to your question.

Edit- I didn't know it was a scenario, and I apologize for being rude....even though I wasn't.

Answer 5

It all depends on what service you are entering. I was in the Air Force so I can explain a little bit of how rank works. If you have a two year degree it is likely once you graduate from Basic Training you will become an E-3. You can check out payscales at af.mil and look under military payscale. In the Air Force once you reach the next rank you will start testing for promotions. You will compete against other people of your rank and if you meet the cutoff you will get promoted. Air Force is one of the hardest to make rank but also the hardest to lose it. If you want to be respected and make money my best advice will be to go into Officer Training School. Become a Commissioned Officer and get saluted rather than to be the salutee. Officers get much more respected than a regular enlistee. I think it is wrong but it is the military.

Answer 6

you will either come in as enlisted or officer. If you come in as officer you will still need to complete basic and AIT.

Coming in with some sort of college either 2 year or 4 years will let you come in probably as a E3. Talk to your recuriter about this. But you have to make sure that your contact states weather or not you are officer or enlisted. I believe that to be an officer you need a 4 year degree. Then after basic and AIt you will go on to Officer training.

Once you are in the military as enlisted, and you get a degree, it will not cause to you jump rank. It will give you more points and when you go to the promotion board they will look at that on top of other factors (and give points for all that you have) If you have enough points to move up in rank then you will get promoted. If not you will stay the same rank. Many factors play a role into promotions: civilian education, military education, PT, Weapons, and a couple of other things. From E1-E4 going up in rank is all on time, when you hit a certain number of months are have been good, then you will be promoted. To get to E5 and E6, it is done on points. E7 and above you need to put in a DA packet and get selected.

Officers donot do points they go by thier class they were in. Sort of like a time thing.

http://usmilitary.about.com/cs/armypromotions/a/armypromotions.htm
http://www.armystudyguide.com/content/army_board_study_guide_topics/promotions_and_reductions/promotions-and-reductions.shtml
http://www.army.mil/usapa/epubs/pdf/r600_8_19.pdf
http://www.armystudyguide.com/promotion-points/promotion-points.shtml
http://www.army.mil/usapa/epubs/pdf/r600_8_29.pdf
http://usmilitary.about.com/od/promotions/l/blofficerprom.htm
https://www.hrc.army.mil/site/Active/select/OfWoProm.htm

And you can come in as enlisted and be able to go officer later but I think it is harder to do then to just come in as an officer.

good luck to you.

Answer 7

If you have a two year degree you can upon enlisting apply for OCS. Earning degrees does'nt guarantee promotion, you have to earn it. You sure dont sound like you are in the military.

Answer 8

You need to start at the bottom E-1 recruit and if you make it through the rigorous Boot camp and Infantry training,then you can try working your way up thru the ranks! stripes are earned the hard way!

Answer 9

talk to a recruiter. get the info in written format.

Answer 10

You'll come out in a box.

Wait until SANE people are running the show.