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U.S. ARMY 1
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CONTENTS About the Army Personnel Structure Composition Service Options • active duty & army reserve Active Duty: Serving Full Time Army Reserve: Serving When Needed • enlisted soldiers & officers Enlisted Soldier Warrant Officer Commissioned Officer Careers & Jobs Help Choosing a Career Become an Officer Army ROTC Direct Commission Officer Candidate School
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ABOUT THE ARMY
Personnel WHAT IS THE U.S. ARMY MADE OF? The strength of the Army lies not only in numbers but also in the individual Soldier. Because no matter what job they have or rank they hold — there is nothing stronger than a U.S. Army Soldier. The Army consists of more than 675,000 Soldiers: 488,000 on Active Duty, ready to respond immediately to any mission; 189,000 in the Army Reserve, who can be rapidly mobilized when their skills are needed in times of national emergency or global conflict.
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Structure
Because the Army is made of such a large number of Soldiers, it must be organized into units, each with its own leaders and reporting structure. Each unit—whether it’s a squad or division— was created to respond to any mission, regardless of size or complexity.
Composition
The Army is made of two major components: the Active Duty and Army Reserve. Those who serve in either component are Enlisted Soldiers, Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs), Warrant Officers or Commissioned Officers.
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Service Options
• active duty & army reserve TWO CHOISES — ONE ARMY With tensions building around the globe, it takes a multi-tiered force of highly trained, committed Soldiers to protect our freedoms and uphold democracy. This force consists of Active Duty Soldiers and Soldiers in the Army Reserve. These two groups work in tandem to create the most powerful, well-prepared fighting force in the world.
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Active Duty: Serving Full Time
Active Duty is similar to working at a full-time civilian job. There are hours when, as a Soldier, you will be training or performing your job, and then there are off-hours when you can do what you like. For an Active Duty Soldier, your length of service can range from two to six years. Typical deployments are 12 months in length, and after six months, Soldiers are usually eligible for a two-week Rest & Relaxation (R&R) leave.
Army Reserve: Serving When Needed
The Army Reserve is more like a part-time job that enables you to keep your civilian career while you continue to train near home and serve your country. As a Soldier in the Army Reserve, you should expect to spend one weekend a month in training and attend a two-week Field Training Exercise (FTX) once a year. In times of war, Soldiers in the Army Reserve may be called up to Active Duty (“activation”) as our country’s needs require. Service options for the Army Reserve range from three to six years, depending on your Army job and where your Army Reserve Center is located. 7
• enlisted soldiers & officers THERE IS NOTHING STRONGER THAN A U.S. ARMY SOLDIER. The Army has three categories of Soldiers: Enlisted Soldiers, Warrant Officers and Commissioned Officers. Each has its own specialized training, responsibilities and areas of expertise. Each and every Soldier is the pride of our nation. Together, they are critical to the Army’s ability to defend our country, our freedoms and our way of life.
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Enlisted Soldier
Warrant Officer
Well prepared and highly adaptable, Enlisted Soldiers are regarded for their sense of duty and the sacrifices they have made for their country. Much like employees at a company, Enlisted Soldiers perform specific job functions and have the knowledge that ensures the success of their unit’s current mission within the Army. An Enlisted Soldier’s rank can range from Private to Sergeant Major of the Army. A Warrant Officer is a highly specialized expert and trainer in his or her career field. Warrant Officers remain singlespecialty Officers — progressing within their career field.
Commissioned Officer Commissioned Officers are the managers, problem solvers, key influencers and planners who lead Enlisted Soldiers in all situations.
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CAREERS & JOBS
Help Choosing a Career There is no limit to the opportunities in the Army — so there’s no limit to what you can learn and achieve. The Army strengthens you with expert training in one of over 150 different jobs for Soldiers on Active Duty and over 120 in the Army Reserve.From working with computers to assisting physicians to fixing helicopters, there’s an Army job right for you — providing the experience that will give you an edge over those in the civilian world. GENERAL QUALIFICATIONS * U.S. citizen or permanent resident alien * 17-41 years old * Healthy and in good physical condition * In good moral standing * High school or Equivalent Education Some positions may have additional qualifications
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We’ve put part of the Army enlistment process online, allowing you to see if you qualify for jobs that match your interests and abilities. Simply follow the easy steps set up for you. Once all the steps are completed, we can compare your interests and abilities to a detailed database of Army jobs then share those findings with you.
STEP 1: TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF In this section you will be asked to provide information so that we can provide a list of jobs that are best suited for you. STEP 2: SEARCH FOR AVAILABLE JOBS Choose your search timeframe and let our system find the available jobs that you qualify for. Please note, processing may take a while. STEP 3: SELECT PREFERRED JOBS When the search is done processing, you can review and learn about the available jobs and choose the ones you prefer. STEP 4: PRIORITIZE PREFERRED JOBS You’re almost done now. All that’s left to do is prioritize the list of jobs based on which jobs best match your interests. STEP 5: APPLY ONLINE The Army Career Explorer can provide you with a simple way to start the enlistment process. After you have completed Tell Us About Yourself, continue here to provide more information and send your application to a Recruiter. Your Recruiter will then contact you to discuss further details. 11
Become an Officer INSPIRING STRENGTH IN OTHERS Honor, integrity and personal courage are three of the values Army Officers embody in their pursuit of mission accomplishment and personal excellence. By standing as examples of the leadership skills honed through centuries of Army achievements, today’s Officers set the standard. They serve our nation with distinction in peace and in war. As leaders, Commissioned Officers constantly validate themselves as Army Strong by having the strength to inspire strength in others. The four paths to become a Commissioned Officer in the world’s premier Army are highlighted below.
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Army ROTC Army ROTC is available at colleges and universities throughout the United States, as well as in Guam and Puerto Rico. Students enroll in ROTC’s elective leadership and military courses in addition to their required courses. Upon graduation, ROTC Cadets are commissioned as Army Second Lieutenants.
Direct Commission Direct Commission provides leaders in professional fields such as law, medicine and religion the opportunity to become an Army Commissioned Officer. Upon completion of their Officer training program, they are commissioned at a rank determined by their career branch.
Officer Candidate School OCS allows college graduates to gain the knowledge and skills necessary to be commissioned as an Army Officer. Through classroom instruction and training exercises, Candidates learn to become leaders. Upon completion of OCS, they are commissioned as Army Second Lieutenants.
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