Going back to the early 2000s, as my graduate studies were winding down, I received a letter in the mail from an Air Force recruiter. After I graduated, I began my journey a few months later as a commissioned officer. It was not until years later, I wondered why I did not receive similar types of recruitment communications in my earlier college years, including my first two years attending community college. It seems an opportunity was missed and perhaps still is today to inform many community college students about the broad range of career options associated with being commissioned military officers. A defense.gov site provides a primer distinguishing the military ranks, also stating, “The commissioned ranks are the highest in the military. These officers hold presidential commissions and are confirmed at their ranks by the Senate.” With more students attending community college in recent years, it is an opportune time to consider expansion of programs and partnerships between community colleges and the military to pipeline students as future commissioned military officers.

Knowing approximately 1% of the U.S. population is currently serving in the military, one has to question how often military service or, in this case, service as a military officer is mentioned as a career option. As stressed in a 2024 Center for Community College Student Engagement report, 29% of survey respondents look to family or friends for career path guidance. As a result, students “may be making decisions about their future careers based on incomplete, inaccurate, or outdated information,” even if utilizing services of career counselors or other higher education officials. Additionally, the importance of talking to community college students early to guide their planning and ultimately save time and money is mentioned in the article, “The Time To Talk With Students About Transfer Is Now.” The same would apply to informing students who could become future military officers. Providing options earlier in students’ community college tenure helps ensure effective planning for earning the necessary four-year degree or higher degree required to become commissioned officers.

Another focus area centers around transfer agreements many community colleges have with four-year institutions. These transfer agreements could be set up to incorporate practices and programs for military officials to work with school career counselors to foster the handoff of students from two-year schools to four-year schools. Additionally, part of the community college experience for interested students could include military-related curricula and associate’s degrees. Presently offered at a smattering of community colleges, coursework related to military studies is an area ripe for expansion and could be a key step to establishing a system to develop future military officers.

Another route considers technical degrees offered by most community colleges. The Motimatic whitepaper, “The Rising Popularity of Community Colleges,” recommends that these schools offer “technical and vocation programs that are aligned with in-demand jobs. Provide strong career counseling and advising, and help students attain internships and work-based learning experiences in their fields of interest.” With the right resources and partnerships, all of these considerations could be designed with future military officers in mind. Many technical training programs have application and clear connection to functions throughout the Department of Defense, such as robotics, cyber fields, and health care. Imagine this, a student who earned an associate’s degree in a health-related field being informed about a collegiate avenue to a bachelor of science in nursing with the opportunity for an officer commission post-graduation as a military nurse. Moreover, there is an additional incentive for that student to later earn a military-funded graduate degree after being commissioned. The same considerations apply to many other military officer career fields. Moreover, for some rural area students, an added incentive is that a federal-level wage as a military officer may yield a more lucrative salary compared to local wage rates.

Another common route to a military officer commission is through the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC). Some community colleges have extensions or crosstown agreements with four-year host schools’ ROTC programs. In some cases, though, there are limitations of existing ROTC agreements. If the nearby school’s ROTC agreement is solely with the Army, students interested in the Air Force or Navy may be deterred. While there is room for improvement and expansion among ROTC offerings writ large, it will require resource commitment on both ends. Interested higher education officials should reach out to the services’ ROTC commands for options.

What else can community college officials do? As many already know, it is also “highly important to develop and maintain close ties with local employers to better understand the current needs of local industry.” With a focus traditionally on supporting local needs and requirements, schools near military installations could tap into this recommendation. Community colleges could also set sights beyond local needs to national service. Some of those who later separate or retire from the military return to serve local communities, so it is an eventual reciprocity win. Furthermore, the global leadership experience many military officers obtain can serve as a boost to local communities and job markets upon return. Alumni services or career counselors at schools could also offer services to welcome back their former graduates and assist with job placement in local communities. For interested school officials, it is recommended they work with willing recruiters and veterans services offices to assist with options and arrangements. Officials can look to student veterans, as well, who are often willing to get involved with military-related lines of effort.

While it requires time, effort, and resources, expanding agreements with the federal government brings the potential for increased funding, enrollment, and bolstered prestige. Because global and national security imperatives are not decreasing, developing programs and services to inform and prepare students as future leaders and commissioned military officers is important. With the right people, planning, partnerships, agreements, and marketing, community colleges hold great promise in broadening the development pipeline for future military officers in the U.S. Department of War.

Article Topics

Job Search Advice Military Friendly Institutions Serving Military in HigherEd Veterans Academic Success Women Veterans

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