People who want to be in the military often dream of serving in a specific branch of their country’s military. The Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, or Marine Corps, or their equivalents, may hold a special appeal for you. When it comes to preparing for a military career, there are several things you can do and avoid in order to achieve your goal.
The first thing to stay away from is anything that is illegal. People who want to be entrusted with the safety of their country have a much better chance of succeeding if they follow the law. Second, you should put forth an effort in school. Ability to communicate clearly and interpret documents, knowledge of one’s own culture, knowledge of history, understanding basic math and science concepts, and physical fitness are all important prerequisites for a military career.
A military prep school, also known as a military academy, is a school for people who want to pursue a military career. These schools emphasize academic achievement as well as leadership skills, and they may or may not introduce students to military hierarchy and concepts, depending on the school. There are both public and private military schools, and they are completely different from schools that use a so-called “military” approach to instill discipline in unruly young men and women.
Another way to prepare for a military career is to join a training corps or cadet group while still in high school. JROTC (Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps) is the equivalent in the United States, and while it is required at some military academies, it is also available in many public high schools. The Royal Canadian Air Cadets, Royal Canadian Army Cadets, and Royal Canadian Sea Cadets all exist in Canada.
Attending a summer program offered by one of the service academies, which train candidates for officer positions in the country’s armed forces, is another step toward a military career. Service academies can be found in high schools and colleges. Academic degrees are combined with specialized military training and a physical fitness program. The training will be influenced by the geography of the country. A landlocked country, for example, will not have a branch comparable to the United States Coast Guard.
There is another way to start a military career if you don’t want to be an officer. You can join whichever branch of the military you want. Of course, if there is a draft, you may find yourself in the military unintentionally. In this case, your compelled acquaintance with the military could end up being the training ground for what turns out to be a military career.