Which branch is best to join as an officer having no military experience and 2 degrees?

Brittany B — Sat, 11 Aug 2018 07:29:36 -0400

I’m currently a special education teacher, but I’m looking to join the military next year, hopefully as an officer. I have a bachelors (low gpa) and masters (high gpa) and 3 years teaching experience. I’m older so I’m not looking to start over complete which is why I wanted to try the officer route. I’m single with no kids so I don’t have anyone else to consider in this transition. Any information or advice on the best branch, finding the right recruiter, mental and physical preparation, etc. would be appreciated! Thank you for your time!!

Response by Brittany B made Aug 11 at 2018 7:31 AM

Brittany B — Sat, 11 Aug 2018 07:31:16 -0400

**start over completely (sorry for the mistake)

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 11 at 2018 7:43 AM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 11 Aug 2018 07:43:13 -0400

That is a very subjective question. You will be hard pressed to find anyone on here who has served in several branches let alone in multiple branches as an officer. I was enlisted in the Air Force and found it boring. I enlisted in the Army and ultimately became an Army Officer. It really all depends on what you would like to do. As a National Guardsman if you go that route try to serve in a capacity that is the polar opposite of what you do in the civilian world. Good luck

Response by SFC Robert Walton made Aug 11 at 2018 9:12 AM

SFC Robert Walton — Sat, 11 Aug 2018 09:12:43 -0400

I would say stay with education if you can. I would Look first at the ANG (Army National Guard) that would give a fair Idea if the Military is going to be something you like. Never kick out the Idea of Air force either. Speak with all the Recruiters and see who makes the best offer and if you can find a Current Officer to mentor you through and explain things your not sure about. JMT

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 11 at 2018 9:33 AM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 11 Aug 2018 09:33:23 -0400

It’s difficult to say which is better. If I were you, I would select the branch that has the career field I want and go for it. Are you interested in flying? Are you interested in planning/project management? Engineering? Healthcare? Logistics? Do you want to go to special schools like Airborne, Ranger, etc. ? Research each branch to find your interest and go for it. You may not get what you want at first but as your career progresses you will have options to change career fields...at least in the Army.

Response by Maj Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 11 at 2018 10:06 AM

Maj Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 11 Aug 2018 10:06:11 -0400

No matter which service you join or job you choose, you can rest assured that every part of the military is geared to entry-level training, no experience required. No assumption is made that you know anything at all about basic hygiene, rules and regulations, or even how to speak english. Everything is geared around the lowest common denominator. I wouldn’t worry too much about your lack of any prior experience. You should focus more on which service and job feels like a fit for you. The military will take care of the rest.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 11 at 2018 12:01 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 11 Aug 2018 12:01:57 -0400

For sheer quality of life - join the Air Force. Of course, the AF doesn't have jobs for everyone, so sacrifices may need to be made.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Aug 11 at 2018 12:44 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Sat, 11 Aug 2018 12:44:57 -0400

Do us a favor. Write down what you think you will be satisfied by a military career.

Response by SN Greg Wright made Aug 11 at 2018 12:51 PM

SN Greg Wright — Sat, 11 Aug 2018 12:51:38 -0400

Only you can answer that. Figure out what you want to do, what journey you want to make, and where you want to wind up. Then, research which branch will help you best achieve those goals.

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 11 at 2018 1:25 PM

Sgt Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 11 Aug 2018 13:25:22 -0400

Brittany B All the branches, including the Coast Guard, have something to offer. Research the opportunities that they each offer, and pick the one that seems to be the best fit. Good luck.

https://www.military.com/join-armed-forces/military-service-branches-compared.html

https://www.thebalancecareers.com/u-s-military [login to see]

Head To Head Comparison of the Military Branches

Get an overview of all the services and continue exploring details throughout the site.

Response by Maj John Bell made Aug 11 at 2018 3:12 PM

Maj John Bell — Sat, 11 Aug 2018 15:12:32 -0400

The vast majority of officers serve in military occupational specialties (MOS) that do not directly align with their college education. After you complete your commissioning program, you will attend some sort of officer basic course that will train you in your MOS. So the answer can only be determined by what you want from your military experience/career.

There are so many permutations that it is difficult to give you a meaningful answer. Any general answer will have some absolute exceptions completely contrary to the advice we might give.

You must prioritize:
Geographic stability
Travel
Post-military skill set/career
Service "corporate culture"
MOS "corporate culture"
Physical nature of the work
Intellectual nature of the work
Danger
etc. etc. etc.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 11 at 2018 3:57 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 11 Aug 2018 15:57:46 -0400

The question really comes down to your personal interests. The Air Force and Navy lean more toward the technical areas. From what I've seen and officers I've known, the Air Force is rather stratified by being a pilot or not. The Navy is rather old school and the Officers and Enlisted personnel have strict lines of separation. It's just the way it is. The Coast Guard pretty much follows the Navy model.
The Army and Marines are more blurred in terms of Officer/Enlisted mingling (eating, living conditions, communication...). But, there are still lines not to cross there. The Army is a mix of technical, skill trades and just plain 'grunt work'. A good all around service, but I'm somewhat biased.
The Marines take a lot of hits from the other services, but they are hard chargers and since they are a smaller service, tend to be more stringent and lower rates when it comes to promotion. That doesn't mean it's easier in the other services, but with larger requirements come relatively higher rates of promotion.
As for knowledge to have, once you pick the service, start learning some of the base line knowledge such as rank structures, common terms, service creed and ethos. If you can get ahead on those, you'll have a little less stress as you learn other basic knowledge.
Recruiter wise, ask to speak with either the detachment XO or Commander, then work on your contract.

Response by LTC John Griscom made Aug 12 at 2018 8:49 AM

LTC John Griscom — Sun, 12 Aug 2018 08:49:19 -0400

Recommend the Air Force.

Response by MAJ Hugh Blanchard made Aug 12 at 2018 1:52 PM

MAJ Hugh Blanchard — Sun, 12 Aug 2018 13:52:04 -0400

What sort of degrees do you hold? The subjects of your academic degrees would have some influence on what military service or branch might suit you best.

Response by CPT Robert Boshears made Aug 15 at 2018 1:11 AM

CPT Robert Boshears — Wed, 15 Aug 2018 01:11:39 -0400

Congratulations... you are taking a big step. What’s your Grad degree in? If you are a go, start running every day. Check out Adjutant (used to be at Ft. Benjamin Harrison). Public Affairs, Intelligence... there are a lot of career fields. Please let us know, this is a great career to follow.