Expert: Rod Powers - 8/8/2006

Question
Sir, I am a 22yr old male and i thinking about joining the military but before i do i was thinking about obtaining a college degree b/c that's my over all goal. My question to you is would it be better to get my degree first and try to be a officer or just join and obtain a degree while im enlisted.

Answer
Hi Brian,

I'm afraid that only you can answer that question.  The answer is different for everyone, based on their own individual desires, capabilities, and situation.

If you have the financial means and desire to go to college, that may be your best bet. Even if you decide to enlist (instead of going in as a commissioned officer), having a college degree will get you advanced enlisted rank (up to E-4 for the Army, up to E-3 for the other services).

It's certainly possible to enlist on active duty, then attend college courses while in the military. However, you must realize that in such cases you have a "full-time" job in the military, and are attending such courses on a part-time bases (on weekends, and after normal duty hours). On average, it takes an enlisted person (who is very dedicated to attending classes) about 8 to 10 years to achieve a bachelor's degree. Again, you're only attending part time (after duty hours), and your education will be interrupted for deployments, exercises, and other military necessities.

Another option would be to enroll in ROTC (either with, or without an ROTC scholarship) at the college of your choice. Keep in mind that ROTC scholarships are *very* competitive.  To qualify, you'll need a very high high-school GPA, and very high SAT/ACT scores. However, if you have the financial means to attend college on your own, you can enroll in ROTC without an ROTC scholarship.

Another option would be to enlist in the Reserves or National Guard, which is (normally) part-time service (one weekend per month, plus two weeks per year, after initial training). The Guard and Reserves have many education benefits, and you could always apply for active duty after you completed your degree.  However, in these times, the Guard and Reserves often find themselves activated and deployed for up to two years during their enlistment periods, which put a damper on education plans.

For more information about the United States Military, feel free to visit my military information website at: http://usmilitary.about.com

Hope this helps!

Rod Powers
http://usmilitary.about.com