The situation in the world seems to be increasingly delicate. We are in the middle of a terrible pandemic , but even something so atrocious has not deprived human beings of the desire to fight, threaten or go to war. Protection of the countries remains in the hands of the armies, but many of them have had to pitch in to solve complex situations caused by the pandemic. For many, the armed forces only serve precisely to go to war, and they see soldiers as soulless people who have been convinced to kill and die for a country. In reality, anyone who gives his life to the armed forces knows that he does so out of a vocation to protect others , to help them, to be there in the most difficult moments. This is what the army does, and this is how many are convinced to join it.
It is also a career with certain advantages compared to all the stability that we currently find in the markets. The pandemic has caused a large drop in investment, for fear that the situation will not improve. Millions of jobs have been lost around the world, and restrictions are still necessary due to the large number of people affected by the virus, so businesses remain closed. Against this background, it is not strange to see how more and more young people are interested in joining the United States Army , one of the most prestigious armed forces in the world. It is precisely because of this that the military sets the bar high enough for those who wish to join, and that means that certain essential requirements must be met before we even consider entering.
Be a US citizen
Having US citizenship is one of those mandatory requirements to be able to advance our career in the military. There can only be US citizens in the United States armed forces, although that does not mean that they do not also welcome foreigners born outside the country’s borders, as long as they have obtained citizenship. In the United States, to achieve this, one must spend a few years in the country , in a legal situation, and also face an examination on the country’s culture and history. If you were born in the United States or your parents have that nationality, all the better, since the procedures tend to be shortened in those cases.
Age limit and educational level
Many plan to join the military as soon as they finish high school, without even looking at the option of college. This is possible? In fact, even before. With only 17 years and parental consent one can enlist in the US Army. If you do not have that consent, we will have to wait until we are 18 years old, when we are of legal age and can decide on our own. Regarding studies, there are also certain requirements, such as having the title of Secondary Education , that is, finishing high school, or failing that, the title of Global Education , a kind of validation of studies for older people who dropped out before finishing high school. With this last title, the aspirations can be limited in some branches. In fact, it is common for many recruits to study for a university degree before or during their time in the military.
Physical condition
Much is said and speculated on this aspect, being also essential to be able to enter the army , as it is for any other job in which you need to be in shape, including the police departments. Basic physical condition is essential for any recruit, so different tests will be carried out, depending on the branch of the armed forces where we want to enlist, to determine if we meet the minimum parameters. Weight is very important and it is one of the first things they look at when we are going to take these tests, since being overweight will hinder us from being able to develop everything that lies ahead as recruits, with all the physical effort that is required.
Enlist in the army
Once we understand everything we need to enter the armed forces and we have researched enough to make that decision, which will be one of the most important of our lives because it will surely mark our future, our I work forever, we can contact an enlistment center . There are different branches of the armed forces: the army, the air force, the navy, the coast guard, and the marine corps. We must choose the one that interests us the most and report to a recruiter, who will usually ask us some questions to find out why we want to enlist, what is our interest in the armed forces, etc … The recruiter will also answer the questions possible doubts that we may have so that we can decide definitively.
If we want to move on, we will go on to enter the MEPS, the Armed Forces Entry Processing Center , where we will carry out a brief exam to find out what type of branch is best for us, and we will also face the < b> first physical examination . There we will also be interviewed by an army recruiter, to learn a little more about us. In case of being accepted, we will have to take the oath before entering to become part of the armed forces. We will then be waiting for the call so that we begin the basic training, which usually arrives in a few weeks. From that moment on we will become conscripts and we will have to comply with all the rules and requirements of the branch of the armed forces in which we have entered. It is the first step, but we have a long road of effort and sacrifice ahead of us to represent and protect our country always in the best possible way.