What is the difference between enlisted and officer in the army

The length and intensity of the training differ both between the enlisted and officer ranks and between the branches of the armed forces themselves. Typically, for both enlisted and officers, the training includes learning about their branch of the military and ensuring they're in peak physical condition before their first assignment. In most cases, the initial contract for enlisted personnel is four years, though that can differ depending on individual circumstances.

Officers do not have contracts in the same way enlisted personnel do, so their commitments also vary, though many begin with a four-year commitment. Enlisted personnel have an incredibly wide range of job options upon entering the armed forces, ranging from working in the dining facility to maintaining equipment like airplanes and tanks.

Officers, rather than training in a specific job, learn how to manage and supervise others, and do so in several different scenarios. There are exceptions, particularly for officers in specialty fields that require advanced education and training. Assignment lengths also differ between enlisted personnel and officer personnel.

For regular assignments, enlisted personnel can expect to stay in the same location for anywhere from a year to eight years. Officers, by contrast, usually move from one assignment to another every two or three years. Deployment lengths can also differ for enlisted personnel and officers, with enlisted personnel often deploying for a year or more, while officers more typically deploy for six months to a year.

The specific duties for individual enlisted personnel and individual officer personnel can and will vary depending on their specific assignment and job. There are some general differences between enlisted and officer job duties, however, across military branches.

Enlisted personnel tend to do more hands-on, job-specific work, while officers perform supervisory and operational planning duties in their roles. One of the biggest differences between enlisted personnel and officer personnel is their pay. While every grade and rank has a step-based pay structure for both groups, the enlisted salaries start much lower than the officer salaries, meaning over time, officers will earn substantially more in salary than enlisted personnel.

However, many of the benefits offered to enlisted and officer personnel on base, like childcare, are subsidized based on rank and grade, so enlisted personnel can expect to pay less for some services than officers. If you're interested in enlisting in the military, follow these steps to join:.

The first step in enlisting in the military is to speak with a recruiter. They can help you determine if enlistment is the right career choice for you and guide and advise you on the next steps in the enlistment process.

Your recruiter will likely help ensure you meet the basic requirements for enlistment for your specific branch of the military, which include:. Once you've established with your recruiter that you meet the basic requirements for enlistment, you'll attend MEPS, or a Military Entrance Processing Station, to complete initial paperwork and participate in a few tests and exams.

This process usually takes a day or two, during which the military will provide you with housing and meals. Some high schools administer the ASVAB to interested students, so bring your results with you if you already have them.

This usually includes measuring or administering:. You'll speak with a career counselor about the results of your ASVAB and your own personal career ambitions to determine what role will best suit you in the military.

The career counselor will also review important documents related to your potential contract and help you complete the necessary paperwork to complete your enlistment. After you've discussed and signed your paperwork, you'll take the oath of enlistment. Once finished, you'll officially be a new recruit and will receive instructions about your training and first duty station assignment. Aspiring military officers can commission through several different channels. Consider these methods for joining the military as an officer to determine which is best for your situation:.

Each branch of the military has a service academy or college designed to train and bring officers into the service. For example, and O-4 officer will make more money than an E-4 enlisted. Rank and pay grade also determine the amount of benefits a service member is entitled to such as housing allowance and educational benefits. You may hear that officers give orders, provide leadership, management, and guidance.

Others say enlisted personnel are the backbone of the military because they are the ones who execute or carry out the orders.

At the end of the day, enlisted and officers work closely together to accomplish goals and missions of the Army , Air Force , Navy , Marine Corps , and Coast Guard. Another difference you may not have noticed is how military members address each other daily.

In the civilian world, you may address people as Mr. For example, many service members are usually addressed by their rank combined with their last name. Finally, while enlisted military members are approaching commissioned officers, they must either render a hand salute to the officer or stand at attention in respect for the rank. This military custom and courtesy varies depending on the location and circumstance. Keep in mind, enlisted ranks do not salute each other.

While each role comes together to support and defend the freedoms that we have the privilege to walk in, knowing the difference can help you understand how each moving part of the military works. The differences between officer and enlisted we listed are ones that stand out the most and are the easiest to discuss. Now, you can spend less time focusing on those terms and more time connecting with your favorite military friends and family members on a deeper level.

We specialize in writing military resumes! He served as a Captain in the U. Air Force and was responsible for leading nuclear missile security.

Military Entrance Tests. Your email address will not be published. Every year, more than , people enlist in the armed forces, and nearly another 20, become officers.

Both enlisted and officer ranks provide rewarding career experiences, educational and training opportunities, and competitive compensation. The enlistment process will usually begin with speaking with a military recruiter and visiting a Military Entrance Processing Station. To complete the enlistment process, prospective soldiers are then required to take an oath of enlistment, complete Basic Combat Training, complete Advanced Individual Training, then they will be assigned a job within a unit.

But what do enlisted service members and officers do? Having the knowledge of the differences between enlisted personnel and officers helps to connect the dots of how the Military works. These jobs all require intensive training that develops skills that are highly transferable to civilian employment. In order to become an enlisted service member in the U. Once enlisted, many enlisted service members will train for jobs and learn skills and get hands-on experience in fields of employment such as transportation, human services, office administration, or mechanics.

These skills learned during their time in the military will usually prove to be an asset to veteran job seekers as this experience transfers well to civilian employment.