Expert: MARK A. HOWELL - 3/22/2009

Question
I am interested in pursuing a career as a Foreign Area Officer in the Army.  I have a BA in history and would like to enlist as a linguist and go to the Defense Language Institute (I know I would first have to obtain certain scores on the language battery, etc).  Once I've completed this training I hope to go to OCS, however I know FAOs are required to have an MA.  Is it possible to get an MA while still serving active duty?  Is one allowed to join the reserves, get the MA, and then resume active duty?  I don't want to postpone my enlistment for two or three years to obtain the MA before beginning my Army career.

Any advice you might be able to give would be greatly appreciated.

Answer
Melissa,
FAO training is for Captains in the Army.  The Army stresses the importance of doing well in your own branch before becoming a FAO so they usually take Captains who will most likely make Major shortly after becoming an FAO.

So since you have a B.A. you would apply for entry into OCS first.  The Army FAO school prefers you to have your Bachelor's degree in political science or social science, but OCS will accept any Bachelor's degree.  After you have completed OCS and have spent 5 to 6 years becoming qualified in your job, you can apply for FAO training.  You must also take the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) and have a high enough score to prove you can complete a Master's Degree while in FAO training.  You can enhance your chances for selection by learning a foreign language, and by taking the GRE before you apply.  If you want, you can start your Master's degree at any time.  It would definitely help you get into FAO school if you already had, or at least started, a Master's degree.

Yes, it's possible (and easy) to get a Master's degree while on active duty.  In fact the Army encourages it and even offers courses through the American Military University (AMU), which the Army pays for.  AMU structures it's courses especially for military work schedules.

It's very difficult to transition from the Reserves to Active-Duty.  It can be done, but not easily.  In your case I'd talk to a recruiter NOW, because there's a long waiting list for OCS.  Also, don't let them try to tell you to enlist now, and then become an officer later.  The odds of doing that are like winning the lottery.  It's great for him, but not for you.  Tell your recruiter you want OCS or nothing.  You're too well-educated to enter as an enlisted woman.

I hope that answers your questions.
Best of luck, and thanks for wanting to serve your country in the military.
Colonel H