Don’t get out. Go officer. p1 - Military Career Advancement - Military Times Edge

Charles Bayorek was tracking budgets as a hospital corpsman second class in 2007. Now, he’s tracking an officer career path. In 2008, Bayorek was selected to the Navy’s Medical Enlisted Commissioning Program. In fall 2008, he entered the University of Memphis to become an officer and a nurse. Bayorek’s decision to take the medical commissioning path means he’ll keep his enlisted pay and allowances and stay eligible for promotions while he earns his nursing degree.

Think you’re officer material? Try one of these more popular programs to help enlisted service members embark on an officer career path. You just have to find one that fits.

Navy

• Seaman to Admiral-21 Program

Sailors stay on active duty, receive full pay and benefits and get an education voucher of up to $10,000 a year for tuition, fees and books. Students must be recommended by a commanding officer.

Best for: Junior sailors. This catch-all program combines seven fleet commissioning programs.

• Officer Candidate School

You must demonstrate leadership potential, pass the Officer Aptitude Rating exam, be serving on active duty and have at least six months of obligated service remaining on your enlistment.

Best for: Anyone with a college degree.

• Medical Service Corps In-Service Procurement Program

The Navy pays for tuition for E-5s to E-9s interested in becoming officers in health care fields with no break in service. Students receive full pay and allowances and must earn a degree and commission before their 42nd birthday.

Best for: Active-duty (and full-time support) sailors and Marines in any rating or military occupational specialty.

• Navy CWO Appointment Process

This program is open to active-duty and Reserve chief petty officers E-7 and above, E-6s eligible for E-7 and chief warrant officers applying for lieutenant junior grade who have completed 12 years of service.

Best for: Active-duty (and full-time support) chiefs in eligible ratings.

• Limited Duty Officer Appointment Process

The technically inclined earn a commission as an ensign based on experience in specific fields — no college degree required. The process is available to warrant officers with two years of service and first class and chief petty officers with 12 years of service.

Best for: Technical experts with management aspirations.

• Naval Academy/Naval Academy Prep School

For qualified enlisted members of the regular Navy, Navy Reserve, Marine Corps and other armed forces to embark on careers as officers in the Navy or Marine Corps. Candidates must be single and between 17 and 23 years old. Naval Academy Preparatory School accepts Naval Academy applicants who “could profit from an additional year of academic preparation,” according to the academy’s admissions board. Regular and Reserve Navy and Marine Corps service members compete for 170 appointments.

Best for: Career-minded sailors and Marines.

Marine Corps

• Marine Corps Enlisted Commissioning Education Program

Selected candidates attend a nine-week prep course offered once a year, enroll in any college affiliated with a Naval Reserve Officers’ Training Corps and participate in the NROTC program.

Best for: Young, motivated noncommisioned officers from 20 to 26 years old.

• Meritorious Commissioning Program and Meritorious Commissioning Program Reserve

Applicants are nominated by commanders based on leadership skills and the prerequisite 75 college credits. Selected candidates are assigned to Officer Candidate School and earn a commission as a second lieutenant upon completion.

Best for: Highly qualified Marines without a college degree.

• Enlisted Commissioning Program and Reserve Enlisted Commissioning Program

Leathernecks ages 21-30 on active duty or in the Active Reserve “who have demonstrated exceptional leadership potential” may qualify for a commission through the Enlisted Commissioning Program, according to Marine Corps Recruiting Command. Candidates must meet eligibility requirements listed in Marine Corps Order 1040.43A; requirements include having a bachelor’s degree and being a U.S. citizen “of officer caliber.” Selected Marines will receive assignment to Officer Candidate School and subsequent commissioning in the Marine Corps Reserve.

Best for: Hard chargers with bachelor’s degrees.

• Broadened Opportunity for Officer Selection and Training

This program provides education enhancement in math, science and literacy for Marines who need educational prerequisites in order to apply for enlisted-to-officer commissioning programs.

Best for: Young Marines who want — and need — a college degree.

• Warrant Officer Program (Regular, Reserve, Gunner and Recruiter)

Marines ranked sergeant or above and considered technical experts in their MOS may qualify for the Warrant Officer Program. Candidates with at least eight years of active naval service and no criminal offenses must be recommended by their commanding officer for appointment to warrant officer on active duty or in the Active Reserve. The program requires additional service and rank minimums for Marine gunner and career recruiter. Marine Corps Order 1040.42A includes eligibility requirements and application procedures.

Best for: Seasoned Marines with technical expertise.

• Naval Reserve Officers’ Training Corps

The Marine Option under the NROTC’s four-year scholarship program educates and trains candidates for careers as commissioned officers. Each Marine Corps recruiting district screens and selects applicants for the program. Selected candidates receive full tuition, books, fees and a monthly stipend at a college or university that hosts the program. Upon graduation and successful completion of required training, a midshipman is appointed a second lieutenant.

Enlisted Marines compete with civilians for selection to the program. While attending a university as a scholarship student, active-duty Marines are released to the Individual Ready Reserve and do not receive pay and allowances.

Best for: Marines looking for a taste of campus life.

• Officer Candidate School

College graduates who are selected attend a 10-week training program and are paid for their time, room and board, and training materials.

Best for: Degree-holding Marines.

Army

• West Point Military Academy

Applicants must have high SAT or ACT scores and a high school diploma or equivalent. Soldiers must have their commander’s endorsement. Applicants must be younger than 23, single and deemed to be of high moral character. Another path to West Point is to first apply for the Preparatory School at Fort Monmouth, N.J. West Point takes about 200 soldiers a year.

Best for: Young, single soldiers.

• Green to Gold

Soldiers can apply for a scholarship — or not. There are three Green to Gold options. All allow soldiers to use their GI Bill benefit to pay for college and, upon completion, attain a commission as a second lieutenant.

Best for: Soldiers who need their college degree.

• Officer Candidate School

Enlisted personnel who’ve earned a college degree can apply for the 14-week program. Active-duty enlisted personnel lacking enough service time to complete OCS training must extend their enlistment.

Best for: Degree-holding hard chargers.

• Warrant Officer Appointment Process

For E-5s or higher with four to six years of experience in a skill associated with a warrant officer MOS, selection requires personal interviews with commanders. If selected, participants attend 6½ weeks of Warrant Officer Candidate School.

Best for: Technical experts.

• Reserve Officers’ Training Corps

While earning a bachelor’s degree paid for by the Army, soldiers also earn a commission by attending military science courses during the academic year and infantry-skills training during breaks. Soldiers must be 22 years old or younger when school starts, have a high school diploma or equivalent (GED), have no criminal record, apply for and be admitted at the college, and earn a minimum score of 920 on the SAT or composite 19 on the ACT.

Best for: Soldiers wanting to head to campus.

Air Force

• Airman Scholarship and Commissioning Program

Candidates must separate from active duty, join an Air Force ROTC detachment and earn a degree as a cadet. Participants get tuition and fees up to $15,000 a year, a monthly stipend of $250 to $400 and a $750 book allowance.

Best for: Those who want out before coming back in.

• Airman Education and Commissioning Program

Airmen can stay on active duty, get full pay and benefits, and earn a degree to fill critical needs in nursing, meteorology, physics, math, engineering and languages. Participants get $15,000 for tuition and a book allowance.

Best for: Those who want a steady income.

• Leaders Encouraging Airman Development

Unit and wing commanders nominate those they think would make good officers. If selected, airmen enter the Air Force Academy or the Academy Preparatory School.

Best for: Those younger than 23 with less than six years of service.

• Scholarship for Outstanding Airmen to ROTC

The Air Force gives 50 scholarships each year. Airmen separate from the Air Force in exchange for $15,000 a year in tuition and fees and a $250 to $400 monthly stipend.

Best for: Those with little to no college credit.

• Professional Officer Course Early Release Program

For those who have two years toward a bachelor’s degree, the program offers early release from active duty to enter the Air Force ROTC and go to school full time. Graduates return to active duty for four years.

Best for: Those with at least two years of college.

Coast Guard

Pre-commissioning Program for Enlisted Personnel

If you’re currently enlisted in the Coast Guard and are within 24 months of completing your bachelor’s degree, officials say, you may qualify to have the service pick up the tab for finishing your degree. This program allows selected enlisted coasties to attend college full-time for one or two years to meet degree requirements. The service will provide full funding for tuition, books and lab fees, and PPEP students continue to receive full pay and allowances for their enlisted pay grade while attending college full time. Upon graduation, students attend Officer Candidate School. OCS graduates receive an ensign’s commission.

Best for: Applicants ages 21 to 32 with at least four years active service in any military branch. At least two of those years must have been with the Coast Guard.