Making of an Officer
Wondering exactly what it takes to become an
Army Officer? CPT Nick Kolodziey, Assistant
Professor of Military Science at Jacksonville State
University, has the answers.
1.
W
hat’s the difference between
enlisted and Officer?
nlisted Soldiers are the backbone of the Army. They have spe-
E
cific specialties within an Army unit. Officers act as managers
to those Soldiers. They plan missions and provide guidance,
direction, and motivation to accomplish the mission and
improve the organization.
2.
hat is the process to become an
W
Officer?
There are four paths to becoming an Officer:
A. Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) is a pro-
gram in which undergraduate and graduate students enroll
in elective leadership and military courses at colleges and
universities in addition to the courses required for their
degree. At graduation, students are commissioned as U.S.
Army Officers at the rank of Second Lieutenant.
B. U.S. Military Academy at West Point is the oldest and most
rigorous military training academy in the United States.
Like ROTC, Cadets earn a commission as a Second Lieu-
tenant upon graduation.
C. Officer Candidate School (OCS) is the main training
ground for prospective Army Officers. Candidates must
have completed a four-year college degree, meet initial
entry requirements for enlistment, possess a 110 GT score
on the ASVAB, attend Basic Training, and complete OCS.
3.
ow long does it take to become
H
an Officer?
It depends on which path you choose. If you choose to become
an Officer through the ROTC or the U.S. Military Academy at
West Point, you will become an Officer after completing four
years of college. Through Officer Candidate School (OCS), you
are commissioned as an Army Second Lieutenant upon com-
pletion of the 12-week course, but you still must have earned
a four-year degree from an accredited university. If you join
through direct commission, you enter the Army as an officer,
but your commission may still hinge upon other requirements.
4.
o I need a college degree to
D
become an Officer?
es, the one basic requirement to becoming an Officer is that
Y
you must have a bachelor’s degree — not necessarily at the
start of the process, but by the time you are commissioned as
an Officer.
5.
an I be an Officer and still live
C
where I want?
Yes. If you are an Officer in the Army Reserve or National
Guard, you can commit to your country while you continue
your civilian career at home. However, you should expect to
spend one weekend a month and two weeks a year in training.
6.
What is the salary like?
Army Officer salaries are generally comparable with mid-to
senior-level corporate executives. When you factor in the sav-
ings from Army housing, food allowance, tax advantages and
health care, you come out ahead.
D. Direct Commission provides leaders in certain professional
fields such as law, medicine, and religion the opportunity
to become an Army Officer.
40 |
Winter 2018
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