Interested in a Service Academy Nomination?

U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY

U.S. COAST GUARD ACADEMY

U.S. MERCHANT MARINE ACADEMY

U.S. MILITARY ACADEMY

U.S. NAVAL ACADEMY

Contact your guidance counselor, and

Senator Kohl’s office, 608-264-5338 or Senator Feingold’s office, 608-828-1200

Basic Facts About Military Opportunities: The military trains young men and women so that they can protect the interests of our country. The United States military offers qualified high school graduates a good salary and free job training. The military also provides discipline and structure, as well as opportunities for career advancement and travel. The military is the nation's single largest employer, and it offers training in over 2,000 job specialties, 75% of which have civilian counterparts.

The four major branches of the military are the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, and the Marines. Military opportunities also exist in the Coast Guard, the National Guard, and the Reserve. Students who want to go to college before they enter the military should consider attending a college that has an ROTC program.

To enlist, young men and women must generally be high school graduates, earn a minimum score on the ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery), have good character and pass a physical exam. Through the delayed entry program, high school students can be sworn in during their junior or senior year and delay entry until after graduation. This enables students who want to receive training in a particular career field to have an opening in that field held for them.

Graduating seniors who would like to enter the job market immediately following high school can do so by joining a branch of military service. Students can enlist for as little as two years and as much as six years, depending upon the program they select. There are many opportunities for students to continue their post high secondary education while they are serving in the armed forces. Many students can complete as much as two years of college while serving in the military full-time. Those students who select to do so can also participate in the active duty college fund, which could give students $30,000 or more toward a college education.

National Guard and Reserve programs also provide considerable college education assistance. A student who joins the Wisconsin National Guard could receive free tuition at the university system's rate for four years. This tuition payment alone is about $3,000 a year. In addition, students are paid for their National Guard weekend drills as well as annual training, which is worth about $20,000 over a six-year period. National guard members can also receive the Montgomery G.I. Bill, which totals about $9,000. Select enlistment bonuses also can be as much as $3,000, These National Guard and Reserve programs are available to all students who meet the physical and psychological criteria.

There are also many other opportunities available through the U.S. military academies. All branches of service offer these outstanding opportunities. The U.S. military academies are known as some of the finest institutions in the country. Students receive a free four-year education including room and board as well as a stipend. They then have the opportunity to serve as an officer in the United States armed forces, a well-paying and very rewarding career. NOTE: If you intend to apply to one of the military academies, you must obtain a nomination from Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin or from Senators Herb Kohl or Russ Feingold. Congresswoman Baldwin's deadline for this is typically in mid October.

For more information, we recommend you visit the "Helpful Internet Links" below.

Probably the best way to learn about the military is to talk to a local recruiter or the Guidance Department military liaison, Mr. Arneson. Because the career, training, and educational opportunities are different for each branch of the military, interested students should talk to recruiters representing different branches. To locate the recruiters in your area, look in the phone book under U.S. Government and find the branch (Army, Navy, etc.) in which you are interested.

If you happen to be interested specifically in Air Force ROTC, you are invited to contact a local representative, Captain Paul L. Johnson USAF, who is the admissions officer of UW Madison's Department of Aerospace Studies. He can speak to all Air Force ROTC opportunities.  Call him at (608) 262-3440, or fax him at (608) 262-9504, or e-mail him at pljohnson@facstaff.wisc.edu.

HELPFUL INTERNET LINKS:

1. ARMY.COM
2. AIR FORCE.COM
3. MARINES.COM
4. NAVY.COM
5. AIR NATIONAL GUARD HOMEPAGE
6. MILITARY CAREERS HOMEPAGE:  Career opportunities in all branches of the service.
7. SELECTIVE SERVICE SYSTEM: 18 year olds must register. Details are here.
8. WISCAREERS: MMSD's preferred career exploration resource, taught grades 6-12.
9. STUDY FOR THE ASVAB TEST:
10 .MY FUTURE.COM: Another informational site on military careers.

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