what's the shortest enlistment?

Question

I am considering, among many other options, enlisting in the Marines. I am a high school senior and not sure what i want to do. I have been accepted into several colleges, but really feel a strong urge to serve my country. I don't, however, wish to make a career in the military. I have thought about reserves, but it seems like i would not be doing as much in the reserves as i could if i enlisted full time. I want to know what the limit is for a marine enlistment, and i have no problem with taking an enlistment where i know that i will get shipped off to Iraq. So, what's the shortest possible enlistment?

Answer 1

In the Air Force, it's 4 years. Not sure about the other branches, I think the Army offers a 2 year contract, but I'm not sure. BTW, if you come in the military, there is an active service commitment and an inactive commitment. For example, when I came in the Air Force, it was an 8 year commitment...4 years active duty...4 years inactive ready reserve. Which means they can call me up any time they wanted.

Answer 2

There are such things as 2 year enlistments but they come along very rarely. The 2 year enlistmnet comes with additional stipulations too i.e if you re-enlist then you have to enlist for 4 more years. You also have the option of extending for 2 years after the 2 year commitment. If you want the G.I Bill then you have to be in for at least 3 years so that would require you to extend or re-enlist. My best recommendation would be to go for 4 years and try to get a bonus. After for years active duty you'd be in the in-active reserve. If going in make sure to have a garunteed job or at least a garunteed top 5 job list. If you need any more help let me know.

Answer 3

If you are looking for a short enlistment then you are better off not enlisting at all. The contract requirement of 8 years is standard across the military - You can enlist to be active for only 2 years (in some branches) & then go to the Inactive Reserve - but they can call you back 2 days before your 8 years is up & keep you for a certain amount of time (I'm not sure exactly - but they kept my husband a year after his 8 year mark - involuntarily).

It sounds like you would be better off going to college & joining the ROTC... It will give you a start on your college education (really valuable these days) & also give you an idea of what the military is really like (without the service commitment - I don't think you are required to 'join' until your Junior year).

Please don't enlist without doing your homework... Talk to some current enlisted Marines (not recruiters) & see what they have to say. Also, be aware - if you are commissioned as an Officer after getting your Bachelor's degree in college - your options are much broader than just being enlisted.

Answer 4

Eight years. as little as three years of that could be Active Duty with the rest in Reserves or IRR, but job selection is very limited with that short of an AD commitment. Most are 4-6 years.

Answer 5

8 years is the minimum service committment.

Every branch has 2 year " national call to service enlistments "

But they are next to impossible to get.

They limit them to just a couple hundred a year.

So what your actually gonna see, is 4 years on active duty

Followed by 4 years in the inactive reserve.

Answer 6

my youngest son just signed with the Army, i think his is 4 yrs active, 2 inactive

Answer 7

2 years I think

Answer 8

If u join the terrorists it only takes a couple of minutes to learn how to blow up a bomb and off you go!

Answer 9

8 years.
4 years active
4 years inactive reserve

Sgt.
USMC