Becoming an Officer

Many of Georgia’s colleges and universities produce commissioned officers (second lieutenants and ensigns) for the Air Force, Army, Navy and Marine Corps each year. Begin your exploration by watching this video:

Being a military officer presents a unique career option for you with exceptional benefits:

• Serving the State of Georgia and our nation by deterring conflict, responding to disasters or emergencies, maintaining peace abroad, securing U.S. national interests abroad, and when called upon, to fight and win our nation’s wars on land, in the air, on the sea, in space, and in cyberspace.
• Tremendous leadership experience. All junior military officers undergo world-class leader development in college through ROTC programs, then serve as leaders in the military following graduation and commissioning.
• Exciting career opportunities ranging from business, to medical, to intelligence, to law enforcement, to cyber, to aviation, to infantry and much more.
• Total starting regular military compensation is about $62,000 per year for those who entered active service in 2022 and increased to over $101,000 just four years after graduating from college.
• Part-time National Guard and Army Reserve lieutenants’ annual starting compensation ranges from over $6,700 to over $8,500 per year, and increases to over $12,000 per year, four years after commissioning.
• Free health care and low-cost dental care for the officer and their family members.
• Opportunities to earn master’s, doctoral, and professional degrees.
• Low-cost life insurance.
• Retirement Thrift Savings Plan: retirement benefits begin accumulating as soon as military service begins.

Visit each military branch’s career exploration page for additional information (Click on the images below)