To serve in the US Military:
Eligibility rules can be a little confusing. There are different rules for enlisting and for officer programs.
Enlisting: Enlisted members do the hands-on work of the military. They need at least a high school degree (a GED may or may not suffice).
Officer: Officers are the managers of the military. Most officer programs require a college degree at minimum, and are very competitive. Many officers have master's or higher degrees.
Before you visit your local recruiter, be sure you meet the minimum qualifications for serving in the U.S. Armed Forces. Some qualifications are required by all five services:
· You must be a U.S. citizen or resident alien.
· You must be at least 17 years old (17-year old applicants require parental consent).
· You must (with very few exceptions) have a high school diploma.
· You must pass a physical medical exam.
For each branch, there are slightly different enlistment requirements:
| To join the... | You must: |
| Air Force | · Be between the ages of 17-27. * · Have no more than two dependents. · Pass the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude test. (Minimum AFQT Score: 50) |
| Army | · Be between the ages of 17-34. * · Have no more than two dependents. · Pass the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude test. (Minimum AFQT Score: 31) |
| Coast Guard | · Be between the ages of 17- 39* · Have no more than two dependents. · Pass the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery test. (Minimum AFQT Score: 45) · Have a willingness to serve on or around the water. |
| Marines | · Meet exacting physical, mental, and moral standards. · Be between the ages of 17-29. * · Pass the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery test. (Minimum AFQT Score: 32) · Women are eligible to enlist in all occupational exception of combat arms specialties: infantry, tank and amphibian tractor crew members. |
| Navy | · Be between the ages of 17-34. * · Pass the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) test. (Minimum AFQT Score: 50) · Women are eligible to enlist in all occupational fields, with the exception of serving in the Navy Seals or on submarines. |
To work at the Post Office:
Age Requirement
18 years at the time of appointment or 16 years with a high school diploma.
Citizenship
Employees must be a United States citizen, a lawful permanent resident alien (i.e., possession of a “green card”), a citizen of American Samoa or any other territory owing permanent allegiance to the United States. Individuals solely granted asylum status, refugee status or conditional permanent resident status are not eligible for Postal Service employment.
Basic competency in English
Selective Service
Males born after 12/ 31/ 59 must be registered with the Selective Service System.
Employment History
Applicants must provide the names of their current employer and all previous employers for the 10-year period immediately preceding the date of application or to their 16th birthday, whichever is most recent.
Military Service
Military service is treated as prior employment. Veterans must indicate service and submit Copy 4 of the DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty.
Criminal Conviction History
A local criminal check is required prior to employment. A more extensive criminal history check is completed at employment.
Drug Screen
A qualification for postal employment is to be drug free, and is determined through a urinalysis drug screen.
Medical Assessment
A medical assessment is conducted to determine medical suitability for a specific position. It provides the selecting official with information about an applicant's ability to perform the functions of a particular job.
Safe Driving Record
A safe driving record is required for employees who drive at work (i. e., city carriers, motor vehicle operators, etc.).
To work for the FBI:
To become an FBI Special Agent you must be a U.S. citizen or a citizen of the Northern Mariana Islands. You must be at least 23 years of age to apply and have not reached 37 years of age upon your appointment as a Special Agent. Age waivers may be granted to preference eligible veterans who have surpassed their 37th birthday. You must possess a four-year degree from a college or university accredited by one of the regional or national institutional associations recognized by the United States Secretary of Education. You must have at least three years of professional work experience. You must also possess a valid driver's license and be completely available for assignment anywhere in the FBI's jurisdiction.
All applicants for the Special Agent position must first qualify under one of five Special Agent Entry Programs. These programs include:
- Accounting
- Computer Science/Information Technology
- Language
- Law
- Diversified
More details about Special Agent Entry Programs.
After qualifying for one of the five Entry Programs, applicants will be prioritized in the hiring process based upon certain Critical Skills for which the FBI is recruiting. The FBI is currently recruiting for Special Agent candidates with one or more of the following Critical Skills:
- Accounting
- Finance
- Computer Science/Information Technology Expertise
- Engineering Expertise
- Foreign Language(s) Proficiency
- Intelligence Experience
- Law Experience
- Law Enforcement/Investigative Experience
- Military Experience
- Physical Sciences (e.g., physics, chemistry, biology, etc.) Expertise
- Diversified Experience
Candidates with these Critical Skills are essential to address our increasingly complex responsibilities. As such, candidates with one or more of these skills will be prioritized in the hiring process.
More details about Special Agent Critical Skills
All candidates that meet the Entry Program and Critical Skill requirements must also:
- meet the Special Agent Physical Requirements
- and pass the FBI Background Investigation.
To serve as a US Congressman:
No Person shall be a Representative who shall not have attained to the Age of twenty five Years, and been seven Years a Citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabitant of that State in which he shall be chosen.
To serve as a US Senator:
No Person shall be a Senator who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty Years, and been nine Years a Citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabitant of that State for which he shall be chosen.
To serve as the US President:
No person except a natural born citizen, or a citizen of the United States, at the time of the adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the office of President; neither shall any person be eligible to that office who shall not have attained to the age of thirty-five years, and been fourteen years a resident within the United States.
Conclusion:
And there you have it. Ever wonder why the USA has been having issues since 1776? Well, if you read the complete post, you now may have a clue. The ‘qualifications’ needed to be in the highest government offices have equated to skills relating to how to win popularity contests. You don’t need a degree. You don’t have to know how to spell. You don’t have to know the times tables. You don’t have to know squat about the constitution, law, economics, government, etc. You don’t have to pass a ‘wisdom’ or ‘knowledge’ test of any kind. All you have to know is how to appeal to a majority of other citizens. What exactly can you expect if that is the ‘primary’ qualification to being electable?
It might be time for a constitutional addendum. Some sort of a degree in law, economics, business, and government as an additional requirement sounds like a good starting point. What do you think?
