Joining the Army

Army population demographics have shifted somewhat over the past several generations. Although the Army is by far the largest branch of the American military, there are fewer women in the Army than in the Air Force or Navy (Parker, Cilluffo, & Stepler, 2017). About 15% of enlisted army officers (both active duty and enlisted personnel) are women (Parker, Cilluffo & Stepler, 2017).
African Americans enlist in high numbers relative to their proportion of the population: comprising 17% of all active-duty army personnel but 13% of the total population. African Americans also tend to have the longest military careers of other ethnic groups (Lutz, 2008). A greater number of other non-white minorities like Hispanics, Asians, and other groups have been enlisting in the Army over the past ten years alone (Parker, Cilluffo & Stepler, 2017).
Geographically speaking, some states do garner more enlisted army personnel than others. The states with the highest percentages of newly enlisted personnel (aged 18 to 24) include Florida, Georgia, and Maine. The states with the lowest percentages of newly enlisted personnel include Colorado and North Dakota (Bender, 2014).
Army officers tend to be more highly educated than their civilian counterparts, but there is no evidence suggesting whether their educational attainment is a result of ROTC and army training (Parker, Cilluffo & Stepler, 2017). The vast majority of enlisted officers (92%) have completed high school or at least some college, and army officers are four times as likely to have completed a postgraduate degree program than their civilian counterparts (Parker, Cilluffo & Stepler, 2017). People who come from lower income backgrounds are more likely to join the military than people from high income backgrounds, likely due to the career and educational opportunities the Army affords young recruits (Lutz, 2008). However, those who enlist in the army tend to come from “more well-off neighborhoods than those who have not joined the military although the economic elite are underrepresented in armed service,” (Lutz, 2008, p. 167).
Enlistment is a complex process that involves a battery of tests and assessments, an oath and concurrent contract, and basic training. During enlistment, the new recruit also determines which career path (Military Occupational Specialty) one will pursue while in the Army. Contracts vary in length, and can be negotiable (“What is a Military Enlistment Contract?” n.d.). The contract will also include stimulations for job placement, salary, and promotion schedules (“What is a Military Enlistment Contract?” n.d.). The new recruit must also take an Oath of Enlistment. Once enlisted, the new officer will enter basic combat training at the rank of Private (United States Army, 2018). Basic training can begin immediately after taking the Oath of Enlistment (referred to as a Direct Ship) or enrol in the Delayed Entry Program (DEP), which allows the person to finish school or take care of other necessary business before basic training—typically no more than one year’s hence (United States Army, 2018). After basic training, the new soldier undergoes Advanced Individual Training (AIT) for their career specialty, and is then placed with a unit.
The Army deploys more than any other branch of the American military (Powers, 2018). However, deployment is not inevitable and depends largely on the unit to which the soldier is assigned and their role or job in the military. Deployment lengths vary, too, with twelve months deployed followed by twelve months at home a common formula (Powers, 2018). In some cases, the Army invokes the stop-loss clause, which means that a soldier can be kept in deployment passed their scheduled leave time (Powers, 2018). Soldiers who are deployed are eligible to receive family separation allowances for their dependents (Powers, 2018). Therefore, joining the Army represents a serious commitment and a legal contract, and should be taken seriously.





References

Bender, J. (2014). These 22 charts reveal who serves in America’s military. Business Insider. 14 Aug, 2014. http://www.businessinsider.com/us-military-demographics-2014-8
Lutz, A. (2008). Who joins the military? Journal of Political and Military Sociology, 2008, Vol. 36, No. 2 (Winter):167-188
Parker, K., Cilluffo, A. & Stepler, R. (2017). 6 facts about the U.S. military and its changing demographics. Pew Research Center. http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/04/13/6-facts-about-the-u-s-military-and-its-changing-demographics/
Powers, R. (2018). Army deployments. The Balance. https://www.thebalance.com/things-to-consider-when-choosing-to-join-the-army-3344765
“What is a Military Enlistment Contract?” (n.d.). http://military.findlaw.com/administrative-issues-benefits/what-is-a-military-enlistment-contract.html
United States Army (2018). About the army. https://www.goarmy.com/about/serving-in-the-army/types-of-soldiers/enlisted-soldier.html