Military Careers, Air Force Commissioning Programs

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Military careers

Want to get promoted? The best way to improve your chances is to learn how the system works, so you know what you need to do to make the next rank. From promotion board calendars to re-enlistment bonuses and Guard and Reserve service options, you can start learning your service’s promotion system here.

The artists of war
If the role of a journalist is to paint a complete picture of war, then the role of a war artist is to paint just a small sliver of it.
Which airmen deployed the most in 2007?
The surge in Iraq and a stepped-up air campaign over Iraq and Afghanistan had an impact on which airmen were away from home most often in 2007.
Coast Guard adopts Navy CPO principles
Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (SW/FMF) Joe R. Campa’s year-old policies are so popular, they’re being adopted by other services.
Do I document my tattoo?
It’s been two months since the Corps banned certain large tattoos on arms and legs. The rules protect Marines who already have those tattoos.
New transition help site available to troops
Service members now can access transition assistance information through the Defense Department’s new TurboTAP Web site.
Marines selected for appointment to limited duty officer captain
Marines selected for appointment to limited duty officer captain, along with their projected appointment dates:
End-strength
Defense planners want to stand up three new Marine infantry battalions and pay for them with emergency wartime dollars, according to the Pentagon’s new spending wish list.
Inspired by a legend
You’ve taken enemy fire in Iraq and Afghanistan. Now the Air Force will recognize you for it.
The Air Force Combat Action Medal
Source: Directorate of Airman Development and Sustainment
Judge won’t block chaplain’s discharge
A federal judge has refused to stop the Navy from discharging an evangelical chaplain convicted of disobeying a lawful order by wearing his Navy uniform to a press conference outside the White House...
Navy sets Jan. 31 discharge for convicted chaplain
An evangelical chaplain convicted of disobeying a lawful order by wearing his Navy uniform to a press conference outside the White House last March says he has received written notice that the Navy...
Use the Web to find your perfect job
Employment Web sites have made job hunting easier than ever, placing hot opportunities from around the globe just a few clicks away.
11 expert tips
We asked job-search experts to share their tips for success on the Web. Here are 11 of their best hints:
Protect your ID
Posting a résumé on employment Web sites boosts your exposure, but including too much information can put you at risk.
Cutoff scores
Sergeant, staff sergeant promotions
Senior NCO promotions
Officer promotions
Forecasts
Selection boards
Miscellaneous selection lists, charts
Promotion digest
Phone interviews — don’t get caught with your guard down
Say your job hunt is in full swing. You’ve dropped off résumés, done some networking and sent query letters to job postings.

Commissioning programs

Commissioning programs: Navy
Sailors can earn commissions in the Navy via five routes, three of which are also open to civilians.
Commissioning programs: Air Force
U.S. Air Force officers are commissioned through three programs: U.S. Air Force Academy, Reserve Officer Training Corps and Officer Training School. The best method for a particular candidate will...
Commissioning programs: Marine Corps
The Marine Corps’ regular enlisted to officer commissioning programs:
Commissioning programs: Army
There are four routes to obtaining a commission as a U.S. Army officer: West Point Military Academy, Reserve Officer Training Corps, Officer Candidate School or a warrant officer application.
Don’t get out — go officer
Charles Bayorek has been tracking budgets as a hospital corpsman second class. Now’s he’s tracking an officer career path.

Enlistment & re-enlistment

Re-enlistment rules: Air Force
It is never too early to start thinking about re-enlisting.
Enlistment rules: Marine Corps
Each year, the Corps must recruit about 36,000 enlisted Marines to maintain its personnel levels. Locating and contracting applicants who are mentally, morally and physically qualified is the mission...
Enlistment rules: Air Force
The Air Force is hiring — That’s the message Air Force recruiters have for men and women thinking of joining the service.
Re-enlistment rules: Navy
The Navy is getting smaller and, as a result, it’s getting tougher to stay in. First term sailors must apply to re-enlist and that could expand to second term sailors in the future, officials...
Enlistment rules: Navy
The Navy currently offers enlistment bonuses to those who agree to train in critical skills. The pay-outs currently range from $2,000 to $40,000. The bonus is not paid upon initial enlistment, but...
Re-enlistment rules: Marine Corps
The Corps’ re-enlistment policies are intended to retain the most qualified Marines in each military occupational specialty and often lead to fierce competition in some job fields over who...
Re-enlistment rules: Army
The Army generally allows qualified soldiers to re-enlist when they are within 24 months to three months of their expiration term of service (ETS) date.
Enlistment rules: Army
Those who want to join the Army must be at least 17 years old and not have reached their 42nd birthday. Most applicants must have a high school diploma or equivalent, though a small number of...

Guard and reserve careers

Should you join the Guard or reserve?
If you think leaving active duty to join the National Guard or reserve means no more deployments, think again. Prior service and prior deployments won’t keep you on home turf.
Beyond employment: Other Guard and Reserve rights
Courts are prohibited from entering a default judgment against a service member for failure to respond to a lawsuit or appear at trial. The only exception is if the plaintiff can provide the court...
Foreclosure
Service members are protected against foreclosures on mortgages, as long as the following facts are established:
Health Insurance
Reinstatement of health insurance after returning from military service is now automatic.
Installment Contracts
Reservists who entered an installment contract to purchase real or personal property prior to entering onto active duty are protected under the law if their ability to make payments is...
Interest Rates
Before entering active duty, service members who incurred a loan or obligation — including credit cards and mortgages — with an annual interest rate of more than 6 percent can petition...
Life Insurance
Private life insurance is protected against lapse, termination and forfeiture for nonpayment of premiums for the period of military service plus two years. Professional liability insurance of persons...
Stay of Execution of Judgments
For a member who is in military service, or was in service within the past 60 days, a court may stay the execution of judgments, court actions, attachments and garnishments.
Stay of Proceedings
A civil court proceeding can be stayed when the requirements of military service prevent service members from being present to protect their legal rights. The stay provisions remain in effect during...
Taxes
The states in which service members legally reside can tax military income and personal property.
Servicemembers’ Civil Relief Act
This law, a revision of the Soldier’s and Sailor’s Civil Relief Act, allows service members to suspend or postpone certain obligations so they may devote their full attention to military...
Termination of Lease
Leases on businesses or homes may be terminated by a Guard or reserve member if these conditions are met:
Guide to Guard and Reserve employment rights
Reservists’ rights are protected under state and federal law, whether the service members are in drilling or active status. These rights include employment, financial and legal protection.
Basic Protection
The Uniformed Services Employment and Re-employment Rights Act applies to all employers, regardless of size, including U.S.-owned or U.S.-controlled companies overseas.
Enforcement
The Uniformed Services Employment and Re-employment Rights Act has enforcement provisions. Monetary remedies usually are limited to what a reservist lost in seniority pay or status. The law also...
Health Insurance
Employers must keep health insurance in place for employees who are serving in the reserves for less than 31 days. Reservists pay the normal employee cost, if any, for this coverage.
Leave
Service members must give employers spoken or written notice of military service. Employers then are required to grant time off. Examples include:
Notification
To be protected under the law, reservists must notify employers of an upcoming military absence as soon as possible. This should be done in writing, but spoken notification is acceptable.
Pay
Employers typically are not required to pay employees on military leave, although some do. Others make up the difference between the employee’s military and civilian salaries if they earn less...
Re-Employment
A service member who receives a dishonorable or other type of punitive discharge is not entitled to re-employment.
Protected Status
The law provides a period of protection for reservists returning from active duty to prevent “bad-faith” re-hiring, in which companies hire reservists to comply with the law and then fire...
Guard and Reserve redeployment checklist
Like the activation process, it’s a good idea to make sure your paperwork is in order when you redeploy or return from active duty.
DD Form 214
Every reservist leaving active duty in support of contingency operations will get a new DD Form 214. Review it to make sure awards or decorations for which you are eligible are listed, as well as...
Evaluations and Awards
A reservist on active duty for any period will get one or more evaluations or fitness reports and may be eligible for awards. However, many awards are not processed or approved until after...
Leave
Most members complete active duty with accrued leave. You can take that leave or be paid for it.
Medical
Everyone receives a health assessment upon mobilization and again before leaving active duty. This may be a simple screening or a full examination.
Pay
Under current procedures, you will remain in the reserve pay system up to partial mobilization. If you are not already on direct deposit or Sure Pay, you will be signed up during in-processing.
Re-employment
Whether you volunteer for or are ordered to active duty, you are protected from losing your civilian employment. Depending on the type and length of your deployment, you have different amounts of...
Thrift Savings Plan
Service members participating in an exercise for more than 31 days have the option to enroll in the Thrift Savings Plan or change deduction options.
DEERS
To have access to military benefits, all family members must be enrolled in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System. Reservists should ensure this information is up-to-date well before...
Dependent Care
Single parents and dual-military couples with dependents have unique circumstances. But that alone will not prevent single or dual activation.
Direct Deposit
Direct deposit of military pay is mandatory. Be sure your pay is going to a banking institution and account that authorized family members can access, and make sure the deposit and withdrawal process...
Legal Documents
Many reserve legal units can help write wills and/or powers of attorney. Check with your reserve center for details. Also ask your commander or unit administrator for a DD Form 1543 — Annual...
Guard and Reserve activation checklist
In light of the ongoing wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, reservists, including Individual Ready Reserve members, can continue to expect possible activation.
Types of Guard and Reserve activation
Most activations for war or other emergencies are inherently involuntary. Only the president or Congress can order reservists to active duty for an extended period.
Full Mobilization (10 U.S.C. 12301)
If a war or national emergency is declared by Congress, all reserve component units are eligible for involuntarily call-up. They can be kept on active duty for the duration of a declared war or...
Partial Mobilization (10 U.S.C. 12302)
If the president declares a national emergency, he can order a partial mobilization of up to 1 million Selected Reserve and Individual Ready Reserve troops.
Partial Mobilization (10 U.S.C. 12304)
The president can activate up to 200,000 members of the Selected Reserve, who can be kept on active duty for up to 270 days for any mission deemed necessary.
Voluntary Activation
Reservists can volunteer for activation. Volunteers often are needed for positions in active-duty and reserve units that are deploying. In many cases, these units are filled by members of the reserve...
Notification
A unit usually is put on alert before it is activated. Once on alert, activation can come within hours or days, but units often are alerted months before activation or deployment.
Retired Reserve
Service members collecting military pensions and benefits from active or reserve duty are placed in the Retired Reserve. This status includes:
Standby Reserve
These are reservists who maintain their military affiliation but are not members of the Ready Reserve. There are two types of Standby Reservists: Active Status and Inactive Status. Normally, these...
Guide to Reserve status designations
The Ready Reserve is the category of reservists most often called to active duty. Within the Ready Reserve, there are three categories: Inactive National Guard, Individual Ready Reserve and Selected...
Joining the Reserves
Air Force Reserve components are structured exactly like active-duty units, with the full range of job specialties. Squadrons and wings of the Air Force Reserve routinely are called to participate in...
Army
The Army Reserve is mainly a force of support troops in various military occupational specialties. The Army Reserve actively recruits and provides incentives to veterans who hold a combat service...
Coast Guard
The smallest of the reserve forces, the Coast Guard Reserve is actively looking for veterans from all services. In the current mobilization climate, a greater percentage of the Coast Guard Reserve...
Navy
Sailors who complete the active-duty obligation of their first enlistment may affiliate with the Navy Reserve for the remainder of that enlistment. Discharged sailors can come into the Navy Reserve...
Marine Corps
Marines on active duty who want to get into the Marine Corps Reserve should contact the “transition recruiters” located on every base. Their job is to match you with a position in the...
Joining the National Guard
The National Guard is made up of both active-duty and Reserve Guard members. Each state and U.S. territory has its own National Guard.
Joining a Naval Militia
Federal law allows for states to form Naval Militias. These arereserve organizations under the authority of a state government, usually composed of Navy and Marine Corps reservists and volunteers.
Part-time service: What you need to know before you join
For those leaving active duty, joining the reserves is a way to keep some military benefits and work toward retirement. All the services, including the Coast Guard, have reserve components, and each...

Uniform regulations

Uniform regulations: Navy
Lots of changes are underway for Navy Uniforms. Right now, the Navy is preparing to transition from its various “working uniforms” into a single battle-dress style uniform for all ranks,...
Uniform regulations: Marine Corps
Uniform regulations are under continuous revision by the Marine Corps Uniform Board, headquartered in Quantico, Va., as new items are introduced and Marines of all ranks provide feedback and...
Uniform regulations: Air Force
Air Force Instruction 36-2903 governs what airmen can wear — that is, their uniforms, awards, decorations, insignias and so on — and how they are allowed to wear it. During the summer of...
Uniform regulations: Army
The Army has made some radical uniform changes since the beginning of the 21st century.