How to Join the Navy
Be in the right age range., Meet the citizenship qualifications., Have fewer than two dependents., Prove that you can meet your financial obligations., Pass a drug and alcohol test., Meet the requirements for legal and moral standards., Meet the...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Be in the right age range.
To enlist in the Navy, you must be at least 17 but under 34 years of age.
If you're 17 years old, you will need your parents permission to enlist, otherwise you can wait until you turn 18 to self apply.
To become an officer, you must be at least 19 and no older than
35.
The age requirements vary according to specific positions; for example, some officer positions may require that you be older than 19 to apply.
In some cases, waivers are granted for certain positions that are in high demand, allowing people who are older than 35 to apply. -
Step 2: Meet the citizenship qualifications.
In order to enlist in the Navy you must either be a US citizen or have a permanent residence visa.
You may also have an Alien Registration Green Card with an established residence in the US.
To become an officer, you must be a US citizen. , In some cases the Navy will prohibit people who have 2 dependent children from enlisting.
Single parents of one child may enlist, but they must complete a special application process. , While the Navy doesn't require that you be free of debt to enlist, you may be asked to prove that you're in a position to make payments on time.
If you have bad credit, be able to show that you're on the path to improving it. , The Navy has a "zero tolerance policy" for drug and alcohol abuse, and you'll be required to pass a urine test to show that your body is clear of both substances.
You will also have to answer questions regarding past use or abuse of drugs and alcohol. , The Navy seeks to enlist only those with high moral character.
Your traffic record, criminal record, legal record, and character history will all be subject to review before you're accepted into the Navy. , Decide whether you want to be an enlisted member or an officer.
This distinction determines what type of job you'll do within the Navy and how much education you're required to have.
No matter what, you'll need a high school diploma or GED.
To be an Enlisted member of the Navy you don't need a college degree.
You must be qualified mentally, morally, and medically.
You will be given a chance to take a practice test called the EST (Enlisted Screening Test) to test your mental ability and a medical exam to determine if you will are eligible and what specialized field you are qualified to work in aviation, nuclear, electronics, medicine or other general area of work in the Navy. #**Most of enlisted Navy jobs are very demanding and they generally have lower salaries than officers.
Enlisted members have to go through 8 weeks of boot camp (8 weeks versus 13 weeks for OCS).
To be an officer, you typically must be in college and enrolled in the Naval Reserve Officer Training Program (NROTC), the Naval Academy (USNA) or have a college degree in a Navy approved area (i.e. engineering, science, math, etc.) and get accepted into Officer Candidate School (OCS), in addition to taking qualifying tests.
Officers get saluted, get paid more, and have more benefits (i.e. officer club privileges, officer's mess on carrier ships, better housing, etc.). -
Step 3: Have fewer than two dependents.
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Step 4: Prove that you can meet your financial obligations.
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Step 5: Pass a drug and alcohol test.
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Step 6: Meet the requirements for legal and moral standards.
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Step 7: Meet the educational requirements for your desired position.
Detailed Guide
To enlist in the Navy, you must be at least 17 but under 34 years of age.
If you're 17 years old, you will need your parents permission to enlist, otherwise you can wait until you turn 18 to self apply.
To become an officer, you must be at least 19 and no older than
35.
The age requirements vary according to specific positions; for example, some officer positions may require that you be older than 19 to apply.
In some cases, waivers are granted for certain positions that are in high demand, allowing people who are older than 35 to apply.
In order to enlist in the Navy you must either be a US citizen or have a permanent residence visa.
You may also have an Alien Registration Green Card with an established residence in the US.
To become an officer, you must be a US citizen. , In some cases the Navy will prohibit people who have 2 dependent children from enlisting.
Single parents of one child may enlist, but they must complete a special application process. , While the Navy doesn't require that you be free of debt to enlist, you may be asked to prove that you're in a position to make payments on time.
If you have bad credit, be able to show that you're on the path to improving it. , The Navy has a "zero tolerance policy" for drug and alcohol abuse, and you'll be required to pass a urine test to show that your body is clear of both substances.
You will also have to answer questions regarding past use or abuse of drugs and alcohol. , The Navy seeks to enlist only those with high moral character.
Your traffic record, criminal record, legal record, and character history will all be subject to review before you're accepted into the Navy. , Decide whether you want to be an enlisted member or an officer.
This distinction determines what type of job you'll do within the Navy and how much education you're required to have.
No matter what, you'll need a high school diploma or GED.
To be an Enlisted member of the Navy you don't need a college degree.
You must be qualified mentally, morally, and medically.
You will be given a chance to take a practice test called the EST (Enlisted Screening Test) to test your mental ability and a medical exam to determine if you will are eligible and what specialized field you are qualified to work in aviation, nuclear, electronics, medicine or other general area of work in the Navy. #**Most of enlisted Navy jobs are very demanding and they generally have lower salaries than officers.
Enlisted members have to go through 8 weeks of boot camp (8 weeks versus 13 weeks for OCS).
To be an officer, you typically must be in college and enrolled in the Naval Reserve Officer Training Program (NROTC), the Naval Academy (USNA) or have a college degree in a Navy approved area (i.e. engineering, science, math, etc.) and get accepted into Officer Candidate School (OCS), in addition to taking qualifying tests.
Officers get saluted, get paid more, and have more benefits (i.e. officer club privileges, officer's mess on carrier ships, better housing, etc.).
About the Author
Shirley Bell
Specializes in breaking down complex practical skills topics into simple steps.
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