As a college student, the thought of being sent to war to fight overseas unnerves you, if not scares you.
If you are reading this story, then it probably scares you. The odds are that if you read this story, your parents or guardians would not care if you were drafted into the U.S. Army or any other military branch. Then how? Let get started.
Can a College Student Be Drafted?
The draft is never entirely a bad thing. It’s one way for people who want to serve their country and defend their country from enemies to get that opportunity.
College students are eligible to be drafted into the military if they meet one of two criteria: male or female and have a physical or mental condition preventing them from performing their duties as a soldier.
The first step to becoming eligible for the draft is to enroll in college as a full-time student at an accredited institution.
Afterward, you’ll need to submit a physical examination and undergo a psychological evaluation. If you are fit for military service, you’ll be drafted into the army or air force reserve.
The United States has a volunteer service system where people can choose to leave school and sign up for military service as long as they are at least 18 years old.
Process of Joining the Military While in College
Joining the military while in college is not a new phenomenon. Many students take advantage of their education to become officers and earn competitive pay with many other careers.
The process of joining the military varies from branch to branch, but there are some common steps that most students follow when they make their decision.
The process of joining the military while in college can be long and complicated, but it doesn’t have to be. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you figure out what to do next.
1. Consult
Start by contacting your school’s career center or military recruiter. Ask them if they will help you with your application, and if they can give you information on how to join the military while in college.
2. Get a Job
Another step to joining the military is getting a job in your field of interest. While this is not required, it can help you decide if this is something you want to do long-term.
If you want to get paid while attending school, becoming an officer makes sense because it will allow you to continue working while taking classes and paying off student loans.
3. Apply for Officer Training School
Apply for officer training school (OTS). You must complete four years of college before being accepted into OTS.
After being accepted into OTS, you will need three additional years of college before being commissioned as an officer in your branch of choice. This process can take up to five years from start to finish depending on which branch and program you decide to attend.
4. Serve in the Military
You have several options:
- Applying directly to the military through an online application process
- Joining the Air Force through an ROTC program
- Joining the Army through a Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program
- Joining one of several other branches of the armed forces that don’t require a four-year degree but do require extensive training
Who Can be Drafted into the Military?
The United States military has specific requirements for who can be drafted into the military. These requirements vary from branch to branch, but here is a general overview of what you need to meet to be drafted:
– You must be between the ages of 18 and 26 years old
– You must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident alien
– Must have completed high school or its equivalent (usually your GED or some other form of higher education)
– You must have at least a qualifying physical profile (this includes height, weight, BMI, etc., depending on your branch of service)
– You must not have any medical conditions that would prevent you from fulfilling your duties as a soldier or sailor
Who Cannot be Drafted?
There are several reasons a person cannot be drafted into the military. Some of these include:
– Not being a citizen of the United States
– Not being eligible for citizenship
– Being under 18 years old
– Being under 5’9″ tall and weighing less than 90 pounds
– Having a physical or mental disability that makes it impossible to serve in the military
If Drafted, can a Student Go to War?
The U.S. government released general guidelines on what kinds of service members can be deployed to combat zones.
But there are no hard rules about whether students in college should be exempt from these guidelines.
If a student is drafted into the military, he cannot go to war. This is because the student has education and needs to finish school. If the student could not finish school, he would have no future.
If a student is drafted into the military and cannot go to war because of his education, then it would be better if he did not join at all because it would waste time and money that could have been used for other things that would benefit him more than joining the military.
However, he will be able to do something for his country. He may meet new people and learn new things that he did not know before. The Department of Defense (DoD) has issued regulations that stipulate when students can be deployed for military service:
- Students who enlist for active duty are generally eligible for deployment after completing basic training and any additional advanced training required by their branch of service;
- This would include Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) cadets who are ordered to active duty or must complete an approved extension of appointment or commissioning program;
- In addition, students who enlist in the National Guard or Air National Guard after high school graduation may be ordered to active duty with their respective state National Guard or Air National Guard;
- And finally, students who leave College early because the military has called upon them may also be eligible for deployment.
