US Army

The US Army offers a variety of career opportunities and extensive training in a number of fields. However, the Army is a challenging career that requires a high level of mental and physical fitness. Soldiers face disruption in their personal lives due to overseas deployments and must deal with high risk situations in battle conditions.

US Army enlistees must pass a health screening and get good scores on aptitude tests. Recruits cannot have any felony convictions. The minimum age at enlistment is 17 and the maximum is 42 years old. Men and women who enlist in the Army must sign a contract and agree to stay in the Army for a period of time. The length of the contract varies by the specialization the recruit chooses. Most initial contracts last from two to six years. Soldiers may be offered substantial bonuses for re-enlisting at the end of their contracts.

In addition to the direct combat careers, the US Army also offers specializations involving operating and repairing vehicles and machinery, healthcare, logistics, electronics, construction, data analysis and information technology.

Each soldier must go through basic training. This is an extremely demanding program that brings soldiers to a high level of physical fitness and mental toughness to prepare them for a career in the US Army. After basic training, individual soldiers move on to training in their specialties.

The entry level annual salary for enlisted personnel in the US Army as of 2010 is $17,366. This salary is discounted slightly for the first four months of service. Beginning officers earn $32,947. Salaries rise based on years of service and increases in rank. In addition to the salary, soldiers also receive housing, food, healthcare, educational and retirement benefits. Soldiers also earn 30 days of vacation time each year. Many of the benefits paid to members of the US Army are tax-free.

When US Army members leave the service, they are eligible for subsidized education benefits. The United States government and some other employers also offer a veterans preference in hiring. Some state and local governments give priority to companies owned by veterans when contracting for construction projects and governmental services.