10 Weeks
Basic Training
Your enlisted service contract won’t officially start until after you complete the necessary Basic Combat Training or job training required for your role.
While Army service can vary, there are three main aspects to your time commitment. See how a contract breaks down to determine if a career in the Army fits with your future.
SIGN.
SERVE.
SUCCEED.
SIGN.
SERVE.
SUCCEED.
Serving in the Army is a voluntary but contractual obligation. This means you make the decision to enlist as a Soldier or commission as an Officer to serve for a specific period of time.
Most enlistments require you to serve for a specified period of time based on things like your Army job, career goals, or personal aspirations.
When that time is fulfilled, you’ll work with a career counselor to help you decide what’s best for your future, like extending your service, joining the Army Reserve or Army National Guard, or starting your civilian career.
You’ll go through your options and the specifics of your contract, including requirements and obligations, as well as benefits, bonuses, and other details about your commitment.
Recruiters, guidance counselors, or other Army personnel will be there to help you through the process and answer any questions.
SIGN.
SERVE.
SUCCEED.
SIGN.
SERVE.
SUCCEED.
Serving in the Army is a voluntary but contractual obligation. This means you make the decision to enlist as a Soldier or commission as an Officer to serve for a specific period of time.
Most enlistments require you to serve for a specified period of time based on things like your Army job, career goals, or personal aspirations.
When that time is fulfilled, you’ll work with a career counselor to help you decide what’s best for your future, like extending your service, joining the Army Reserve or Army National Guard, or starting your civilian career.
You’ll go through your options and the specifics of your contract, including requirements and obligations, as well as benefits, bonuses, and other details about your commitment.
Recruiters, guidance counselors, or other Army personnel will be there to help you through the process and answer any questions.
SIGN.
SERVE.
SUCCEED.
SIGN.
SERVE.
SUCCEED.
Serving in the Army is a voluntary but contractual obligation. This means you make the decision to enlist as a Soldier or commission as an Officer to serve for a specific period of time.
Most enlistments require you to serve for a specified period of time based on things like your Army job, career goals, or personal aspirations.
When that time is fulfilled, you’ll work with a career counselor to help you decide what’s best for your future, like extending your service, joining the Army Reserve or Army National Guard, or starting your civilian career.
You’ll go through your options and the specifics of your contract, including requirements and obligations, as well as benefits, bonuses, and other details about your commitment.
Recruiters, guidance counselors, or other Army personnel will be there to help you through the process and answer any questions.
SIGN.
SERVE.
SUCCEED.
SIGN.
SERVE.
SUCCEED.
Serving in the Army is a voluntary but contractual obligation. This means you make the decision to enlist as a Soldier or commission as an Officer to serve for a specific period of time.
Most enlistments require you to serve for a specified period of time based on things like your Army job, career goals, or personal aspirations.
When that time is fulfilled, you’ll work with a career counselor to help you decide what’s best for your future, like extending your service, joining the Army Reserve or Army National Guard, or starting your civilian career.
You’ll go through your options and the specifics of your contract, including requirements and obligations, as well as benefits, bonuses, and other details about your commitment.
Recruiters, guidance counselors, or other Army personnel will be there to help you through the process and answer any questions.
As an enlisted Soldier, you’ll go through Basic Training before serving a combination of active duty and Individual Ready Reserve (IRR) depending on your specific contract details. Before Basic Training, you’ll agree to an initial eight-year service commitment, which typically works out to about four years of active duty and four years of IRR.
Your enlisted service contract won’t officially start until after you complete the necessary Basic Combat Training or job training required for your role.
New enlistments sign up for a Military Service Obligation (MSO). Contracts may vary from two to six years of service in active duty, Army Reserve, or Army National Guard.
Following your MSO, you’ll finish out your eight-year commitment in the Individual Ready Reserve (IRR)—a time when you’re not required to train or fulfill any duties, but you’re on call to return in case of an extreme, but rare event.
You’ll work with an Army career counselor to help you identify and pursue your career goals after your contract ends, whether you reenlist, move to the U.S. Army Reserve or Army National Guard, or begin a civilian career.
Continuing your service may open opportunities for promotions, retention bonuses, special assignments, and more. You can stay on your current career track or find a new path within the Army.
You can use your GI Bill benefits for college or national certifications in your field to gain an edge in the Army or elsewhere. The Army also has resources that may allow you to place out of pre-requisite classes based on your experience.
You’ll have access to Army career counselors and other resources to help you transition into the civilian workforce. This includes guidance on writing a resume, interview preparation, and job placement.
Find out more about becoming a Soldier and if a career in the Army is right for you.
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For enlisted service, your Army commitment officially begins when you take your oath at a Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS).
As early as a year before your contract ends, you will be assigned a career counselor who will help you navigate the next steps of your career whether you decide to reenlist in the Army or pursue the civilian workforce.
The Army’s Blended Retirement System offers a savings account similar to a civilian 401(k) with matching benefits. If you opt in to this plan, you will become fully vested after two years of service.
You will qualify for the Army’s pension plan after 20 years of service. Learn more about retirement and pension plans.
Yes. You are able to take the ROTC Basic Course in your first two years of college without any obligation to serve. However, if you accept a scholarship or enroll in the ROTC Advanced Course, you are committing to commissioning as an Army Officer after graduation.
It varies based on when and how you join the Army as a commissioned Officer. To learn about the different ways to commission and the service commitments for each, visit the Army Officers page.
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