Military & ROTC Information

Are you interested in serving your country? There are many branches to the military and many career paths to get you there, and many benefits to serving.

Whether you choose to enlist or hope to be commissioned as an officer by participating in ROTC in college or attending a military academy, you should begin to do your research.

The following resources will help you understand the military process, careers available, and the related benefits.

Military Career Guide  https://www.todaysmilitary.com/careers-benefits

My Future  http://www.myfuture.com/

Students who enlist will be required to take the ASVAB: http://official-asvab.com/ to determine skill and ability to train for a job within the military. The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) assesses a student’s ability to learn new skills and is a predictor of success in training and education programs. It includes an interest inventory and other activities and resources designed to help students explore the world or work and gain confidence in making career decisions. Although this test can be taken by anyone, it is a requirement for military enlistment. (Please note that scores are good for 2 years.) For details visit www.asvabprogram.com . The College & Career Center offers this test once or a twice a year. Sign-up information will be emailed to students as the test dates get closer, but stop by the Career Center if you have questions. See the College Admissions Testing page for test prep information.

Work closely with your recruiters to understand your contract. Military Recruiters visit Oakton monthly. For more information, stop by their table in the cafeteria during their visits. The Career Center has sent visit dates out, but stop by if you need more information or dates.

To research the various branches, check out:

The Virginia National Guard provides educational tuition assistance to its members while they serve their monthly drill . The amount of tuition reimbursement varies at different stages of service (enlistment, basic training, or advanced training). For more information, contact the Virginia Army National Guard - Education Services Office at (434) 298-6222 / 3020 and at http://vko.va.ngb.army.mil/VirginiaGuard/

Although some enlisted personnel may pursue Officer Candidate School and advance to officer status after already serving, most officers in the Armed Forces are commissioned as an officer after attending a US Military Academy or participating in the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC).

Students may choose to apply and attend a US Military Academy to live a military life,  while having their your education paid for by the government. Attendance requires service upon graduating and commissioning.

Students may also participate in The Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) at various colleges, which may offer scholarships to cover your tuition while attending college. Accepting an ROTC scholarship requires service upon graduating and commissioning. Students must apply to both the ROTC program and the college(s) they want. Students should do research on the colleges of interest, as well as the ROTC programs available at each college. (Schools may have additional programs or requirements as well- for example, Virginia Military Institute is not a US Military Academy but has a military-feel. Students may commission with any branch after graduation. Some schools may have additional corps to participate in, ie. Virginia Tech’s Corps of Cadets.)

Both applying for a US Military Academy and ROTC scholarships are quite rigorous. It is recommended that students begin this process in junior year. Make sure to attend the yearly Fairfax County Military and ROTC Night. (Search FCPS’s website or look for information from your Career Center specialist)

Below are resources to prepare for and consider the military academies, ROTC programs, and ROTC scholarships.

Peterson’s ROTC Scholarships  http://www.petersons.com/college-search/getting-rotc-scholarships-college.aspx  Information on military financial aid

U.S. Air Force Officer Training

U.S. Army Officer Training

U.S. Coast Guard Officer Training

U.S. Navy & Marine Corps Training

U.S. Merchant Marines Officer Training

 

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