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Understanding Armed Forces Commitments
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Step 4: Meet the recruiter
Understanding Commitments
Joining the military is a big commitment – by both you and the military. This commitment is not to be taken lightly. Most first-term enlistments require a commitment to four years active. But the services also offer programs with three- and six-year active duty or reserve enlistments. It depends upon the service and the job that you want.
1. Upon enlisting you sign an enlistment contract. This contract determines your initial commitment, bonuses, job training guarantees and other incentives; make sure it’s right.
2. Training commitments. The military offers a variety of advanced training programs. Some of these programs require additional service commitments. Some commitments run simultaneously with existing with commitments; some require additional active duty time.
3. You will move in the military. It’s part of military life. Moving a servicemember costs the government money. So be aware of this.
4. Re-enlistment. You will have plenty of opportunities to extend your stay in the military. Services offer an additional bonus to people who re-enlist with high-demand skills. The re-enlistment commitment will also vary with the size of the bonus.
5. Officer commitments. Like all other commitments, they vary. A standard commitment for service academy graduates who do not receive rated follow-on training is five years. Graduates who accept pilot training are committed to active duty for longer. Officers whom hold higher degrees can serve the full 22+ and be promoted into the upper echelons.
6. Getting out of your commitment. Getting out of a contract is difficult. The amount of difficulty varies with the needs of the nation and the availability of talent in your chosen career field. Simply put – you should plan on fulfilling any commitment you make. But after your initial service period (3-4 years) you can give notice but this normally takes 1 year.
7. Commitment phobia. You can serve your country without making any full-time commitment and receive many of the same benefits. In the Reserves and Territorials, your obligation is generally one 2 week training camp a year, plus a minimum of 4 training weekends a year.
