Enlisted vs. Officer in the Military

This may be obvious, but there are different ranks in the military! As you integrate into military life you will start to get to know these ranks and different jobs. Not only are there different ranks, there are different kinds of ranks, different jobs, and different paths to get to all of them! I will try and break it down for you here. 

First we will start off with the biggest difference- the difference between being an enlisted soldier and an officer. The best way to understand it (in my opinion!) is that officers are the ones who will manage enlisted soldiers, plan missions, give orders, and assign tasks. The enlisted soldiers complete the tasks and carry out orders. 

Path for ENLISTING:

1. Meet with a recruiter to talk about the career you are interested in. 

2. Take the ASVAB test (Armed Forces Vocational Aptitude Battery) which will determine jobs you are best suited for.

3. Physical exams (height, weight, hearing, vision, etc)

4. Take the Oath of Enlistment

5. Go to Boot Camp or Basic Combat Training

6. Attend AIT (Advanced Individual Training) or a tech school depending on the branch, where you get MOS (Military Occupation Specialty) specific training.

7. Join your unit!

There are 4 paths to become an OFFICER: 

1. ROTC Reserve Officers’ Training Corps: leadership & military courses in college. Every branch has its own ROTC.

2. OCS Officer Candidate School: The way officers are trained after completing a 4 year degree. This can be for graduates of college, transitioning from enlisted, or directly from commissioning. 

3. Military & Services Academies: the 5 service academies and 7 military colleges in the US (ex: West Point, Air Force Academy, etc)

4. Direct Commission: People from a professional field like medicine or law can directly commission into active duty or reserve. 

The biggest differences with enlisted personnel and military officers include the schooling required, basic training, pay and responsibilities. (responsibilities being the biggest difference) After differentiating between officer and enlisted, then you have different ranks for each of these. Some things to remember as a military spouse when it comes to rank is that spouses should not look at other spouses differently based on their husband’s rank. Unfortunately this can and will happen often.. But here is your reminder that we are all going through this military journey together and whether you are the wife of a General, Major, Specialist, or Private- we can all add something to the discussion and treat each other as equals.