Requirements to Join the Army

A lot of Americans are wondering about what is required to join the army off late, as more and more people are getting motivated to get enlisted. It goes without saying that a person must be in a good physical condition in order to be eligible to join the army. The basic necessities range from the physical, medical, and legal right to the temperamental faculties of the applicant being satisfactory.

The individual is put through a series of tests of different types in order to judge if he is worthy of being recruited. The following requirements to join the US army must be fulfilled by an aspiring candidate. He/she:

• must be an American citizen or a legal permanent immigrant who holds a green card.
• must be between 17 (parental consent required for 17 year-olds only) and 35 years of age.
• must mandatorily have a high school diploma or a GED.
• must not have more than 2 dependents. In case an individual has more than 2 dependents a waiver can be procured.
• must pass the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) test.
• must pass a Military Entrance Processing Station medical exam.
• must have a satisfactory credit report. The Army will check the individuals credit report, and in case it seems highly suspicious, the individual will be declared ineligible.
• must not be a single parent. Single parents are not allowed to enlist in the Army without giving up the legal custody of their children. Waivers in such a scenario are very rare and uncommon.
• must not be addicted to drugs and/or alcohol. The Army will carry out intensive drug and alcohol tests, and in case an individual is addicted to certain substances, he will be rejected.
• must fall into a certain height category. The height of males should be between 60 inches and 80 inches, and the height for female applicants should be between 58 inches and 80 inches.
• must meet required BMI and body fat levels. The Army also adheres to strict rules for body fat and body mass index, and anyone who does not suit their criteria will not be considered.

If these primary requirements to join the US army are fulfilled, a candidate will be eligible to enlist.

The ASVAB Test

One of the main mandatory requirements to get enlisted the army is to take and pass the ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery) test. This test covers a variety of topics, and checks the aptitude of an applicant. Some of the topics that are a part of this test are mathematics, comprehension, grammar, reasoning, general knowledge, general science, mechanical knowledge, electronic application, coding speed and auto and shop knowledge. These topics are extremely vast, but being a soldier requires one to know all these things. The test scores are divided into 3 sections - verbal, math and academic; and a candidate's final score is deducted from these individual scores. The test itself contains 200 multiple choice questions, needs to be completed in 180 minutes and only individuals with a score of 31 or higher will be considered further.

Unlike certain other civilian jobs that are governed by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act 1964 which mandates every employer to treat potential employees equally, the military is not obliged to recruit anyone who applies to them. Even though a person may meet all the desired requirements, the military may decide to reject that person's candidacy based on some grounds. The military is also not entitled to give a reason for that. The job that a soldier has to do in the US army is very different from a regular civilian job, and due to this fact everyone is not applicable to join. Some people just do not have the determination or the temperament to join the army, and the recruiters for the army are usually the best judge of this. It may happen in many instances that an individual has fulfilled all the conditions to join the army but does not have the requisite temperament to become a soldier and carry out the various army jobs.

Physical Requirements to Join the Army

As mentioned before, a person must be in good physical shape in order to join the army. All males who apply must be able to do at least 13 push ups and 17 sit ups. They should also be able to run a mile in 8 and a half minutes. Women are required to do a minimum of 3 push ups and 17 sit ups. They should be able to run a mile in 10 and a half minutes. There is no weight limit on the people who join, but the army is very strict with the body mass index and body fat levels. If criteria on BMI or body fat are not met, then the applicant is considered ineligible.

Benefits of Joining

Many people wish to make a career in defense for the sole purpose of serving their country. This is a noble concept and one that is highly appreciated. Along with being appreciated by his/her countrymen, a soldier receives many other advantages and benefits of joining the army as well. The pay is good and an individual receives his sanctioned pay twice a month. There is also tremendous scope for advancing in military rank and getting promoted, if an individual displays great efficiency. The career path of a person can be chosen based on his/her own preferences, and the positions are open to everyone. Life insurance and health care are also taken care of by the military, and this is a great boost for people from less affluent backgrounds. There are also, certain tax advantages and other additional benefits of joining the army, and all in all this is a very lucrative career choice for someone who has met all the primary requirements to join the army.

As one progresses further and further, the physical requirements go on increasing as well. A person has to have excellent stamina and buckets of strength to be eligible. At the end of the day, becoming a soldier is all in the mind. If a person truly wants to join the army, he/she will be able to meet all of these conditions and will be able to join the army with relative ease.