Expert: Rod Powers - 3/25/2007

Question
Umm, I was kind of wondering if there is any part of the military at all that I could get into if I were to drop out of highschool right now. I guess what I'm asking is is there any part of the military that I could get into without a highschool diploma or ged?

I probably wont drop out but I still would like to know in case I do. Thank you.

Answer
Hi John,

Don't drop out of high school. Your chances of joining (any branch) of the U.S. Military go down the toilet, if you do.

For *all* branches of the U.S. Military you will need *at least* a GED. There are exceptions to this, but they are so rare, as to not even be considered.

If you drop out of high school and then later get a GED, at this time, your only realistic option is the Army (or Army National Guard or Army Reserves). These are the only services that will routinely consider someone with a GED, rather than a high school diploma. Even so, your job options will be limited, and you will not qualify for as many enlistment incentives as someone with a high school diploma.

The Navy and Marine Corps allows less than 10 percent of their applicants each year to have a GED (instead of a high school diploma). In order for them to even consider you, you would have to score *significantly* higher on the ASVAB (the entrance test for the military), than someone who had a high school diploma.

Your chances of enlisting in the Air Force with a GED is about the same as getting struck by lightening.

Look at it from the Military's point of view: If you can't hack high school, how in the Hell are you going to hack military job training? (Military basic training and job training is harder -- both mentally and physically than any high school you ever attended).

That's the way the Military branches look at it.

My advice? Stay in school, get your high school diploma, then enlist. Dropping out of school makes enlistment *much, much* harder.

Hope this helps!

Rod Powers
http://usmilitary.about.com