Joining the Army - What's Involved?

I’m leaning more towards the Army as a branch of the military to join after high school, but I honestly don’t know much about what exactly it'd entail. Can anyone shed some light on what joining the Army involves? How does it compare to other branches?

Joining the Army, like any branch of the military, is a significant commitment and there are a variety of factors to consider.

Firstly, you must meet certain qualifications: you need to be a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident, be at least 17 years old (with parental consent if under 18), have a high school diploma, have no serious criminal record, and meet physical, medical, and mental health standards.

Once you've determined eligibility, you'd go to a Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS) to complete aptitude tests (the ASVAB), a physical examination, and background screening.

If you pass these stages, you'll go to Basic Combat Training (BCT) which lasts about 10 weeks. Here, you'll learn fundamental soldiering skills, including physical fitness, first aid, and how to operate and maintain weapons.

After BCT, you will proceed to Advanced Individual Training where you'll specialize in a specific career field, which could be anything from combat support, intelligence, to medical services.

The Army, like the other branches, offers both enlistment and officer paths. If you're a high school graduate, you'd likely be looking at an enlistment path. If you planned to go to college, you could consider an officer path, which would involve either the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program while in college, or Officer Candidate School (OCS) after obtaining your bachelor's degree.

In comparison to other branches, the Army is the largest branch of the U.S. military and, as such, offers a wider variety of jobs and assignments. The Army is largely land-based, so if you're interested in sea or air operations, the Navy or Air Force might be a better fit. The Marine Corps share many roles with the Army but tends to focus more aggressively on combat roles. The Coast Guard is focused on maritime law enforcement and rescue operations.

In terms of benefits, military service offers, amongst other things, tuition assistance for education, healthcare, housing allowances, and the opportunity to retire after 20 years of service, regardless of age. However, it also requires significant commitment, often a minimum of eight years, with four years of active duty and four years of inactive duty, or six years active duty and two years inactive.

I hope this gives you a basic understanding of what joining the Army might involve. It's a commendable path you're considering and I urge you to continue researching and connect with an Army recruiter who can provide even more detailed information specific to your situation.