| There are two kinds of officers in the US Army, | | | | Training Corps (ROTC), the Officer Candidate School, |
| Warrant Officers and Commissioned Officers. Each | | | | United States Military Academy at West Point, and |
| category has its own specialized training, areas of | | | | Direct Commission Officer |
| expertise, and responsibilities. | | | | You must enroll in Army ROTC at the same time |
| Warrant Officer: | | | | you enroll in college. Army ROTC courses are |
| Warrant Officers are highly specialized experts in their | | | | available at more than 800 colleges and universities. |
| career fields, and function as trainers. They provide | | | | Cadets take a curriculum of military courses and of |
| valuable guidance to both commanders and | | | | elective leadership. The graduates automatically |
| organizations. People who are accepted into the | | | | become Second Lieutenant. |
| Warrant Officer Candidate School (WOCS) must | | | | Another way is the Officer Candidate School (OCS). |
| attend the Basic Combat Training (BCT). After BCT, | | | | After completing BCT, candidates train for a full 14 |
| they have to attend WOCS. Warrant Officers also | | | | weeks and then must attend the Officer Basic |
| pilot the ultra advanced helicopters on combat, | | | | Course. To apply for Officer Candidate School, you |
| reconnaissance and rescue missions, for which they | | | | must be a U.S. citizen and a college graduate |
| are trained with the Warrant Officer Flight Training | | | | between 19 and 29 years old at the time of |
| (WOFT) program, starting directly after the WOCS. | | | | selection. |
| To apply for the Warrant Officer Candidate School | | | | West Point is one of Americas top universities. Many |
| or Warrant Officer Flight Training program, one must | | | | past graduates of West Point are leaders in |
| have a high school diploma, be between 18 and 33 | | | | government and the military. An applicant to West |
| years of age and a citizen of the United States. They | | | | Point must be between 17 and 23 years old, a U.S. |
| have to score 90 or higher on the revised Flight | | | | citizen, single, not pregnant, and without legal |
| Aptitude Selection Test (FAST) and get at least 110 | | | | obligation to support any children. They must have an |
| General Technical (GT) score on the Armed Forces | | | | above-average academic record. They can be |
| Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB). They must | | | | congressionally nominated, or with a |
| also meet the height and weight standards and pass | | | | service-connected nomination, and must have high |
| a standard physical exam. | | | | SAT scores. |
| Commissioned Officers: | | | | Each of the professional branches, like Judge |
| Commissioned Officers lead Soldiers during every | | | | Advocate General (JAG), the Chaplain Corps, and the |
| aspect of a mission. They must make decisions | | | | Medical Corps has an officers training program that |
| quickly for successful completion of the mission. They | | | | trains educationally qualified civilian professionals, and |
| bear the ultimate moral responsibility for their | | | | provides direct commission into their field. The training |
| decisions. The four ways to become a Commissioned | | | | time for these direct commission officers generally |
| Officer in the US Army are the Reserve Officers' | | | | varies, depending on the career field. |