How to Join the Military – Part 2: Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) Test

In the first post on this topic, I talked about the options available for a dependent teenager or young adult to become independent and live on their own. The options I discussed were:

• Getting an entry-level job
• Going to college
• Attending a certification program
• Joining the US military
• Starting a business
• Some combination of the above

In the most recent post, I discussed the pre-qualifications required to enter the military. For many, the military is the fastest option to income, housing, training, and other benefits. The armed services are not for everyone, but are an option that requires serious consideration for anyone starting the transition to adulthood and independence. There are several branches of the military, which are:

• Army and Army Reserve
• Army National Guard
• Coast Guard and Coast Guard Reserve
• Navy and Navy Reserve
• Marine Corps and Marine Corps Reserve
• Air Force (including a new Space Force)

In today’s post, I will talk about how pre-qualified teens and young adults can begin taking steps to join the Army branch of the US military. We’ll discuss how to obtain marketable training for military jobs, and how to prepare for the ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery) test.

Take a Test to Join the Army

After speaking with a recruiter, the next step is to take the ASVAB test. This is a multiple-choice test designed to pinpoint your strengths, and identify which Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) or Army job best suits you. The final score from the ASVAB test is called the Armed Forces Qualification Test (AFQT) score.

The ASVAB is a series of tests that were developed by the US Department of Defense. This test is used by the US Army to determine whether you have the mental aptitude to enlist. It is required for enlistment and is valid for two years. The ASVAB may be given in a computerized format at a Military Entrance Processing station (MEPS) or in a paper version at Military Entrance Test (MET) sites around the country. This test may also be given at high schools and colleges. The ASVAB helps identify what MOS you will qualify to hold.

How You Score Determines Your Initial Opportunities and Job Placement

ASVAB scores range from 1-99, and in order to enlist in the Army, you must pass with a score of 31 or more. In order to qualify for enlistment bonuses, the score should be over 50. Each branch has a minimum AFQT score, but the minimum score will not qualify you for some of the better-paying jobs. Therefore, it is necessary to check the website for jobs you’re interested in training for and then search to see what is the minimum AFQT score required to qualify for that position.

You Can Study for the Test and Know the Score of the Job Position You Want to Apply For

The ASVAB consists of different subject areas or subtests. Since the purpose of this test is to determine placement and qualifications for certain jobs, you would be wise to study for it to ensure that your placement is beneficial to you. I strongly suggest that you study and take sample tests before you talk with a recruiter if you think that going into the military is a real possibility. Taking the test ahead of time grants you more opportunity to fine-tune your knowledge than taking the test without the necessary study. If you don’t score well on the practice tests, you can get help assessing your weak areas and study to improve your score. You can then retake the test until you’re confident that you can obtain the score you need. Once you’ve gotten a better score, you can sit down with a recruiter and take the real thing. As with everything in life, practice will improve your performance. Some of the websites that have free online courses to study and take practice tests for the ASVAB are:

www.asvabpracticetestonline.com

This website offers tests broken down into every ASVAB category. This website has a focus on providing sample test for you take with little study materials.  Therefore, this site will help you practice test taking but not offer a lot in terms of studying for the test.  The site has study guides for sale, but if you have limited funds, the focus here is test taking which is an important part of preparation.

www.asvabpracticetests.com

This website provides practice tests along with a study guide to help prepare you for the actual test. These online tests are offered completely free of charge and don’t require any kind of subscription or membership. The study guide is limited, but it is a good place to get started to determine: (1) how the test is structured, (2) the subjects being tested, (3) a discussion around minimum scores and (4) take sample tests to determine your current level of skill and where you need to improve.

uniontestprep.com/asvab/study-guide

This website provides study guides for each section of the ASVAB test.  This site also provide flash cards and other study aids.

asvab-prep.com/free-asvab-study-guide/

This website also provides study guides.

You can review these websites to see if they meet your needs, but the point is that courses can be found online (some of which are free) to help you study for the ASVAB and take practice tests. Also available online is the PiCAT (pre-screening, internet delivered adaptive test), which is an unproctored test that provides recruiters the ability to determine an applicant’s qualifications before sending them to a Military Entrance Test (MET) site. To learn more about how the PiCAT pretest can assist you, read the following article on military.com; https://www.military.com/join-armed-forces/picat-asvab-pretest-available-for-applicants.html

It is important to note that these free websites vary in content and I recommend doing an internet search for other websites to gather more information and find a website(s) where the student is free and comfortable.

Subtest Areas and Army Line Scores

Knowing the subtest areas and army line scores will enable you to better understand your ASVAB scores. The subtest areas are: assembling objects (AO), arithmetic reasoning (AR), electronics information (EI), general science (GS), word knowledge (WK), mathematics knowledge (MK), auto and shop information (AS), mechanical comprehension (MC), verbal expression (VE) and paragraph comprehension (PC).

• AO: ability with spatial relationships
• AR: the ability to solve basic arithmetic word problems
• AS: knowledge of automotive maintenance and repair, and wood and metal shop practices
• EI: knowledge of electrical current, circuits, devices, and electronic systems
• GS: knowledge of life science, earth and space science, and physical science
• MC: knowledge of principles of mechanical devices, structural support, and properties of materials
• MK: knowledge of mathematical concepts and applications
• PC: the ability to obtain information from written material
• VE: the sum of PC and WK
• WK: the ability to understand the meaning of words through synonyms

These subject areas are combined in order to describe different army line scores.   Sometimes ECL (English Comprehension Level) tests will be administered alongside the ASVAB as well, in order to determine that non-native speakers of English are qualified for certain jobs.

A specific job title will require skills in different areas.  Here are some examples of what I mean:

Let’s look at two of these to show the difference high test scores make:

Infantryman

To become an Infantryman, you need an ASVAB line score of 87 for combat. You must undergo 14 weeks of One Station Unit Training, which includes Basic Combat Training and Advanced Individual Training. The average salary for an Infantryman is $32,045 (close to the US average of 24,000 USD, especially considering the increased risk to life and limb). Infantrymen serve in the field to defend the country, working together to capture, destroy and deter enemy forces.

Counterintelligence Analyst

In order to become a counterintelligence analyst, you need an ASVAB line score of 101 for skilled technical. In order to become a counterintelligence agent, you must undergo 10 weeks of basic training and 18 weeks at the Counterintelligence Special Agent Course. The average salary for a Counterintelligence Analyst is over double that of Infantryman, at $66,935 a year. Counterintelligence Special Agents conduct investigations and collect and process physical evidence to identify and detect terrorist threats, and plan countermeasures to neutralize them.

If any of the above descriptions are of interest to you but aren’t hyperlinked, you can find the job descriptions on goarmy.com. I hope that you will find this wealth of information helpful to you as you make the transition from teenager into adulting. As you can see, there are many options available in the military beyond infantry, and the more specialized fields also pay better and have the advantage of more relative safety than being in the infantry would. If you choose to pursue a career in the military, I hope that you will take the time to study for the ASVAB and take practice tests. Doing so will ensure that you get the best possible placement.

A Noble Career Choice

Performing a search like the one above (between Infantryman and Counterintelligence Analyst) will give you a clearer picture of the vast differences in wages for those who get high ASVAB scores and those who get lower scores. As in all aspects of life, preparation is key, so do your part to give yourself the best chance. Comparing positions you’re interested in ahead of time and studying will give you a fantastic jumping-off point both in terms of a lifelong career and a higher salary. An added bonus is that those who have highly specialized jobs are further from the front line and less likely to suffer from PTSD after their time in the service. To acquire optimal placement, it boils down to knowing exactly what career you’re looking for, what ASVAB line scores are needed in order to qualify for the job, and studying hard to boost your scores. As I said, there are plenty of ASVAB testing websites available to you, so there is no reason you can’t gain the skills needed.

In summary, take the following steps.  First, determine which types of jobs you are in interested in pursuing by researching the military websites.  Second, determine the minimum ASVAB score required for you to obtain those jobs.  Third, study and take practice tests of the ASVAB examination, until you can obtain the required score.  Fourth, take the actual ASVAB exam once you can obtain the minimum required scores.  This is a similar process teens take when preparing for college admission tests.  Good Luck.