Military Involvement/Military Service

Military service can range from a short-term commitment (e.g., two years) to a long-term career (e.g., 20 years). Individuals join the military either through enlistment or commission as an officer. Enlistment involves qualifying for and committing to military service. One becomes a commissioned officer by earning a college degree in combination with Reserve [Page 471]Officer Training Corps (ROTC), Officer Candidate School, Officer Training School, or military academy. Before the military became an all-volunteer force in 1973, persons also entered the armed services via the draft during times of military conflict. Currently, the military seeks to attract recruits by offering entry-level salaries and benefits that exceed those that can be secured in the civilian labor market, particularly by those who do not possess a college degree. ...