Military Careers

Pathways 10/18/2010

The Military

• Structure of the US Military– Current Structure Established 1947– Everything Military falls under the Department of

Defense, which is part of the Presidents Cabinet– Department of Defense is under the control of the

Secretary of defense (Robert Gates)• He answers directly to the President (Obama)

The Military

• 3 Military Departments- Headed by Service Secretaries

– Army– Air Force– Navy

• The marines falls under the Navy

Military

• Military leaders of the Branches– Army- • 4 star general (aka Army chief of Staff)• General George W. Casey, Jr

– Air Force• 4 star General (aka, air force chief of staff)• General Norton Schwartz

– Navy• 4 star admiral (aka, Chief of Naval Operations)• Admiral Gary Roughead

Military

• Military leaders of the Branches– Marines• 4 star general (aka Commandant of the Marine Corps)• General James T. Conway

– Coast Guard• Not in Department of Defense• Currently under Department of Homeland Security• But in War, all assets go to the Navy• Leader is Commandant- 4 star Admiral• Admiral Robert J. Papp, Jr

Branches

• The Army– The oldest– Provides the main ground forces for the US– Cool Stuff• Tanks, helicopters, guns, artillery, nuclear weapons

– Size• 76,000 officers• 401,000 enlisted members

Army

Branches

• Air Force- youngest– Originally part of the army, until WWII, when it

was recognized that air power was important– Space is part of the Air Force– Cool stuff-• Fighter jets, bombers, tanker, helicopters, satellites,

controls the nuclear ballistic missiles– Size• 69,000 commissioned officers• 288,000 enlisted members

Air Force

Branches

• Navy– Protect the seas for American Interests– Support the Army and Air Force by providing

transportation of equipment and personnel– Cool Stuff• Air craft carriers, fighter bombes, big boats with huge

guns, Navy SEALS– Size• 54,000 officers• 324,000 enlisted

Navy

Branches

• Marines– Infantry of the Navy– Take the beaches to provide a path from the sea

to the enemy– Cool Stuff• Fast, self-sufficient (fighter jets, helicopters), boats

– Smallest of the Forces• 18,000 officers• 153,000 enlisted

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Marines

Branches

• Coast Guard– Was part of the Department of Transportation– Now part of Homeland Security– Cool stuff• Law enforcement, boating safety, sea rescue, illegal

immigration

– Size• 7,000 officers• 29,000 enlisted

Types of Ranks

• Enlisted-– Backbone of the military– Do the primary jobs – Enlisted members become specialists• Trained to do specific tasks

Types of Ranks

• Different ranks for each branch– Enlisted officers are called non-commissioned– Highest rank• Sergeant Major- Army• Master Chief petty Officer- Navy• Chief Master Sergeant- Air Force• Sergeant Major- Marines

Types of Ranks

• Requirements to enter the military as Enlisted– High School Diploma• Less than 10% enter with GED

– Majority of enlisted have some college– Many have associate or bachelors degrees– Some even have masters or doctorates

Types of Ranks

• Have to take the Armed Forces Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB)

• 2 purposes– Check for mental ability to learn– Placement for military jobs

• Form 18/19- High School ASVAB– For high school– 900,000 a year take it

Types of Ranks• ASVAB– Qualifying score AFQT-

Armed Forces Qualification Score

• Air Force- 36- can go as low as 31– 0.5% with GED, but you

have to have a 50

• Army- 31- can go as low as 26– 17% GED

• Marines- 32- as low as 25– Less than 5% with GED- must

have a 50

• Navy- 35 as low as 31– No GED unless you get a 50 on

the ASVAB– No Drugs– 3 letters of reference

Jobs for the Enlisted Military

– Infantry– Artillery– Air Defense– Electronic Warfare– Cooks– Law Enforcement– Intelligence– Finance– Psychological Operations

– Civil Affairs– Religious– Medical– Chemical warfare– Transportation– Explosives and

Ammunition– Recruiting– Maintenance– Supply and Logistics– more

Warrant Officers

• Highly trained specialist• They differ from Commissioned Officers

because they stay in their primary job• Highly skilled technicians– Work on the complex battlefield systems like

• Outrank all enlisted ranks• College not required

Commissioned Officers

• These are the leaders• “Top Brass”- they have the most medals• They provide overall management and

leadership.• Not like warrant officers they don’t

specialize – Except for doctors, lawyers, pilots, etc.)

Commissioned Officers

• Promotion– Enlisted members stay where they are trained for

their entire career, unless they get more training– Officers move around a lot– This allows them a better understanding of the

whole picture– They start small, commanding a small group of

people, then gradually more and more, until they command an entire battalion

Commissioned Officers

• Minimum of Bachelor’s degree (4 year college)– Have to get more (masters) to be promoted

• Also can attend a military academy– West Point– Naval Academy– Air Force Academy

• Take ROTC in college– Reserve Officer Training Corps

• Officer Training School

Commissioned Officers

• 2 lines– Non-Line- Not for combat– Medical officers, chaplains, lawyers

• Line Officers– Combat officers

• Even though a Non-Line may outrank a Line officer, he still will not have any decision making ability in the combat arena

Commissioned Officers

• 10 levels– Lieutenant

• 2nd, 1st

– Captain– Major– Lieutenant Colonel– Colonel– Brigadier General –

(Rear Admiral- lower half)• 1 star

• Major General (Rear Admiral- top half• 2 stars

• Lieutenant General (vice Admiral)• 3 stars

• General (Admiral)• 4 stars

Pay

• Officers– $2,745 up to 16, 132 per month

• Warrant– $2,683 up to $7, 603

• Enlisted– 1,447 up to 6, 129 per month

Pay

• Housing allowances• Overseas allowances• Combat duty allowances

Website

• http://usmilitary.about.com/cs/generalinfo/a/military101_3.htm