Monday, September 3, 2007

Recruitment in the Army

To enlist for military service is a dream for many students. It involves a lot of discipline thorough the job training, advance study monetary assistance, the need to cultivate leadership skills, lead an adventurous life and above all the urge to serve the country. If you want to enlist yourself with the military services, you can opt for the online application procedure. The recently developed army enlistment process allows the candidate to first evaluate and match his interests and abilities and only then decide on which job category he fits into. It also helps candidates with the entire recruitment process.

The information collected by the army enlistment personnel is kept private and confidential until the candidate himself chooses to divulge it to a recruiter. You will first come across a set of questions that you can complete all at once or save it, to complete later. Once the questionnaire is completed, the enlistment process starts matching your profile and interest with a detailed list of services in the database of the army server and then it lets you know about the results. The questionnaire involves:

Step 1:

The first step enquires personal information. This is an important step and hence you need to provide all the information accurately, so that the database can provide a list of jobs best suited for you.

Step 2:

Next, choose the timeframe in which you want to apply for the service, so that the database can check for the available jobs within that time frame.

Step 3:

Searching for the availability of jobs may take some time and in that time you can review and select the jobs of your preference.

Step 4:

Once you get the list of jobs available, matching your profile, start prioritizing them as per your interests.

Step 5:

The online enlistment procedure has the Army Career explorer option that guides you in a simple way to begin your online enlistment procedure. After the first step, take the help of the career explorer and keep on providing information within the slots provided. Finally, when you have finished completing the application, send it to your military recruiter. To discuss the other details about the recruitment process, your recruiter will contact you.

The U.S military offers 4,100 jobs in various categories. Choosing from such a list is not easy and it is absolutely imperative that you choose the job that not only interests you, but also matches your skills. Read the brochure thoroughly and dont rely only on military recruiters. You can also log onto a chat room, one that caters to military personnel and ask the newly recruited candidates all the questions that bother you. A much better option would be talking to a person who has military experience, who is currently serving or has successfully completed both, the basic and advanced military training.

However, avoid talking to those who left the military under less-than-honorable services, like those who were discharged for non-compatibility. You need to take the entrance test for enlisting in the service. If you are opting for a service after secondary school education, you can opt for ASVAB, but if you desire the officer rank after finishing college, your ACT and SAT scores will have to be good enough. You can avail of additional choices in the military if you perform well and score well. Therefore, dont take the ACT or SAT scores lightly and study well, before taking the exam.


http://www.articleco.com/Article/Recruitment-in-the-Army/37312

The Navy Limited Duty Officer

The US Navy maintains the largest marine combat force on the planet. The US Navy trains and equips young men to prevent hostility and preserve the freedom of the seas. The US Navy is famous all over the world as a symbol of discipline, unity and power.

The naval department is divided into 3, the Navy Executive Department, the operating forces and the Shore Establishment. Among the operating forces, the navy has divided the commissioned work force into two fields of expertise, the CWO or Chief Warrant Officer and the LDO or Limited Duty Officer. The LDO and CWO officer programs both involve active duty and comprise of the Select Reserve Personnel.

The LDO is senior military personnel, who is of a higher skill rating and is favored to become a commissioned officer. CWOs differ from LDOs only on the scale of authorative responsibility. Personnel opting for the LDO job could be a CWO, Petty officer of first class or Chief petty officer. Active duty of 3 years is a necessity for a CWO applying for the designation of an LDO. Any Qualified person may apply for both LDO and CWO, simultaneously. The person needs to have leadership quality, basic required military qualifications and technical proficiency.

Separate selection boards, made up of veteran navy personnel, meet at the Navy Personnel Command, to consider candidates for the active and inactive duty LDO curriculum. If a commanding officer feels an individual is not qualified for the LDO designation, the commander simply does not forward the persons name.

The person is also required to have a good moral character and should have no record of penal action under Article 15 of U.S. military rules, no Court Martial expulsion or civilian conviction or conviction by a civil court for misdemeanors in the past 3 years, as on 1 October of the year of application. Any drug or alcohol abuse will result in disqualification and is liable to be considered as a criminal offence.

An LDO is also supposed to have the educational knowledge and experience in geological science, submarine warfare technology and aviation warfare. The LDO needs to exhibit resource-management qualities amidst staff corps and thus needs to be classified after sea warfare training, under CWO Surface Warfare, CWO Submarine Warfare, CWO Aviation Warfare and CWO Staff Corps. A CWO selected as a LDO is appointed in the permanent grade of LTJG of the Navy.

A newly recruited LDO is assigned as Division Officer or as a Technical Assistant, though a LDO cannot control a carrier or battleship. The LDO can also land in an onshore position. Warrant Officers or Staff Officers are always in their combat uniform, except in an offshore navy manuever. An Unrestricted Line Oficer and an LDO wear similar uniforms, with their ranks displayed on the sleeve.

A LDO and URL differ only in terms of age and combat experience. An LDO will often be seen wearing ribbons and warfare medals earned for his experience while on off shore warfare duty.The medals earned are not valour medals, but are good-will medals given to an LDO as a token of appreciation for his long term service.


http://www.articleco.com/Article/The-Navy-Limited-Duty-Officer/37457

Tuition Assistance While On Active Military Duty

The army recognizes the importance of education and therefore runs various educational programs and tuition assistance. In fact many of the youngsters, who join the army, wish to continue with their college education. The Army provides educational assistance to these youngsters via the military colleges and service academies, the ROTC program and the credit and tuition support programs.

All military recruits are offered four main tuition support programs by the army. The main support programs are within the tuition assistance and comprise of the Montgomery G.I bill, Loan Repayment program and the College Fund programs. The tuition support program was created with the intention of helping service personnel with the rising cost of higher education.

Tuition Assistance program: This is one of the best support programs that the army offers to its recruits. The program pays 100% of the tuition expenses, which sums up to $250 per semester, hour credit and a personal maximum of $4,500 per year for one student, the year being a fiscal year. However, only full-time duty members can avail of this program. The program is also extended to selected military reserves and the National Guards unit, though the benefits vary from unit to unit.

The Montgomery G.I Bill: This is another good support program that provides full-time duty members up to $37,224 for tuition, for a three-year commitment. Here, the service members have to contribute $100 a month, for a year and in return they receive $1,034 per month, for three years. However considering the amount of investment, the returns are handsome. The best part of the G.I Bill is that it can not only be used for college degree programs, but also for certificate programs, correspondence courses, apprenticeship or on-the-job training and flight training programs. Reserve members and National Guard members can also avail of the program at reduced rates.

College Fund Program or the Montgomery G.I Bill Kicker: Enlistees, upon honorable discharge from the services, receive $70,000 for college tuition fees along with the Montgomery G.I Bill. Marine Corps or Coast Guard enlistees receive additional funds, along with the total college tuition fee and that makes up for a significant or the total of the required funds.

Loan Repayment Programs: This particular army program was created to assist army service personnel in paying off their debts. On duty service men can get 1/3 of their loan paid every year, for each year of full time duty served, up to a maximum of $70,000. And all those soldiers who avail of educational loans can also enjoy a pay-back, provided they attend the schools approved by Perkins, Stafford or any other Department of Education guaranteed Student Loan.

In addition to the army, the other armed forces also help recruits by offering various educational programs. Full-time naval recruits are entitled to a $65,000 Loan Repayment Program and the qualifications do not include prior military service, but they do need a high school diploma and a loan guaranteed under the Higher Education Act, 1965. Similarly, the Air force provides its recruits a College Loan Repayment program or CLRP for all those full-time service men enrolled into college and in debt. The servicemen signed under CLRP get a repayment of up to $10,000, per recruit.


http://www.articleco.com/Article/Tuition-Assistance-While-On-Active-Military-Duty/37603