Joining the USAF with a Conditional Green Card?

[ty15 43]

Hey guys,

 

Was anyone here able to join the USAF or any other branch with their Conditional Green card? My husband serves and I would like to make it a career as well. I have a bachelors degree but since I’m not a US citizen I would have to join enlisted first and then switch over to be an officer.  I will go and talk to a recruiter as well but I was just curious if anyone here joined the military. Thanks in advance.

[GreatDane 366]

8 minutes ago, ty15 said:

Hey guys,

 

Was anyone here able to join the USAF or any other branch with their Conditional Green card? My husband serves and I would like to make it a career as well. I have a bachelors degree but since I’m not a US citizen I would have to join enlisted first and then switch over to be an officer.  I will go and talk to a recruiter as well but I was just curious if anyone here joined the military. Thanks in advance.

All branches accept those with conditional green cards. Having a degree isn't what separates enlisted vs. officers. Many become officers while in college through ROTC programs. There are four routes to becoming an officer. (Army shown below)

WHAT IS THE PROCESS TO BECOME AN OFFICER?

There are four paths to becoming an Officer:

Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) is a program in which undergraduate and graduate students enroll in elective leadership and military courses at colleges and universities in addition to the courses required for their degree. Enrollees receive a generous stipend and money toward books, tuition and more. At graduation, students are commissioned as U.S. Army Officers at the rank of Second Lieutenant.

Direct Commission provides leaders in professional fields such as law, medicine and religion the opportunity to become an Army Officer.

Officer Candidate School (OCS) is the main training ground for prospective Army Officers. Candidates must have completed a four-year college degree.

U.S. Military Academy at West Point is the oldest and most rigorous military training academy in the United States. Like ROTC, cadets earn a commission as a Second Lieutenant upon graduation.

[Starkilla09 366]

59 minutes ago, ty15 said:

Hey guys,

 

Was anyone here able to join the USAF or any other branch with their Conditional Green card? My husband serves and I would like to make it a career as well. I have a bachelors degree but since I’m not a US citizen I would have to join enlisted first and then switch over to be an officer.  I will go and talk to a recruiter as well but I was just curious if anyone here joined the military. Thanks in advance.

Unfortunately you can’t join the U.S. Air Force with a conditional green card. You’ll need a 10 year green card to do so, however; you can join the Army, Navy or Marine Corps with your conditional green card and get fast track citizenship on boot camp graduation. 

[Starkilla09 366]

52 minutes ago, GreatDane said:

All branches accept those with conditional green cards. Having a degree isn't what separates enlisted vs. officers. Many become officers while in college through ROTC programs. There are four routes to becoming an officer. (Army shown below)

WHAT IS THE PROCESS TO BECOME AN OFFICER?

There are four paths to becoming an Officer:

Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) is a program in which undergraduate and graduate students enroll in elective leadership and military courses at colleges and universities in addition to the courses required for their degree. Enrollees receive a generous stipend and money toward books, tuition and more. At graduation, students are commissioned as U.S. Army Officers at the rank of Second Lieutenant.

Direct Commission provides leaders in professional fields such as law, medicine and religion the opportunity to become an Army Officer.

Officer Candidate School (OCS) is the main training ground for prospective Army Officers. Candidates must have completed a four-year college degree.

U.S. Military Academy at West Point is the oldest and most rigorous military training academy in the United States. Like ROTC, cadets earn a commission as a Second Lieutenant upon graduation.

Not all branches. The Air Force strictly requires a 10 year green card for enlisting. ROTC is also reserved for U.S. citizens as well. OP will have to enlist in the other branches, naturalize (can be done at upon completion of boot camp during graduation), to be eligible then for the ROTC.

[mrs.hernandez189 0]

All the above is correct because I talked to an AF recruiter and he said I either have my 10 year GC or citizenship first then he can process further. so yeah, you need to have the 10 years GC or get naturalized before enlist. But for other branch as of now I contacted the Navy Recruiter, I am good to go with my 2 years GC. Hope that help.

[Londonergirl 133]

On 2017-10-16 at 10:43 PM, GreatDane said:

All branches accept those with conditional green cards. Having a degree isn't what separates enlisted vs. officers. Many become officers while in college through ROTC programs. There are four routes to becoming an officer. (Army shown below)

WHAT IS THE PROCESS TO BECOME AN OFFICER?

There are four paths to becoming an Officer:

Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) is a program in which undergraduate and graduate students enroll in elective leadership and military courses at colleges and universities in addition to the courses required for their degree. Enrollees receive a generous stipend and money toward books, tuition and more. At graduation, students are commissioned as U.S. Army Officers at the rank of Second Lieutenant.

Direct Commission provides leaders in professional fields such as law, medicine and religion the opportunity to become an Army Officer.

Officer Candidate School (OCS) is the main training ground for prospective Army Officers. Candidates must have completed a four-year college degree.

U.S. Military Academy at West Point is the oldest and most rigorous military training academy in the United States. Like ROTC, cadets earn a commission as a Second Lieutenant upon graduation.

Not true.
You can join the Army on a conditional GC but not Navy or Airforce.

[jarj 13]

On 12/23/2017 at 6:34 AM, Londonergirl said:

Not true.
You can join the Army on a conditional GC but not Navy or Airforce.

Not true. My husband has conditional GC which expires on march. He is enlisted since OCtober and was to ship out for bootcamp on March but then due to strict compliance on background investigation with the new POTUS, his ship date is moved to October 2018 until all investigation is done. 

He tried to speak with AF recruiter but requires a 10year GC. 

Army accepts conditional GC too.

[Londonergirl 133]

13 hours ago, jarj said:

Not true. My husband has conditional GC which expires on march. He is enlisted since OCtober and was to ship out for bootcamp on March but then due to strict compliance on background investigation with the new POTUS, his ship date is moved to October 2018 until all investigation is done. 

He tried to speak with AF recruiter but requires a 10year GC. 

Army accepts conditional GC too.

But I said that you can join the Army on a conditional GC! 
Yes, I must have been wrong about the Navy then but thats just what I have been told, that you need a unconditional GC for joining the Navy and Airforce. 

[Roel 7,192]

You need 2 years left on your green card to join  navy or air force. So, in theory, you should be able to enlist from the very moment you got your 2 year green card lol. 

 

But yeah. In practice they will want 10 year card. But even with that you need to look out for that "2 years left". 

[Bapt138 1]

On 10/16/2017 at 10:33 PM, ty15 said:

Hey guys,

 

Was anyone here able to join the USAF or any other branch with their Conditional Green card? My husband serves and I would like to make it a career as well. I have a bachelors degree but since I’m not a US citizen I would have to join enlisted first and then switch over to be an officer.  I will go and talk to a recruiter as well but I was just curious if anyone here joined the military. Thanks in advance.

 

[Londonergirl 133]

On 10/5/2019 at 11:45 PM, Bapt138 said:

 

It say on Airforce website that you need to have a unconditional GC to join the AF. However, you can join the Army on a conditional GC, also the Navy I think. 

[ohcoffeeeyes 120]

On 10/16/2017 at 11:40 PM, Starkilla09 said:

Not all branches. The Air Force strictly requires a 10 year green card for enlisting. ROTC is also reserved for U.S. citizens as well. OP will have to enlist in the other branches, naturalize (can be done at upon completion of boot camp during graduation), to be eligible then for the ROTC.

ROTC isn't strictly for U.S citizens, you can complete the first two years of ROTC on a student visa or on a green card but after that you have to be a citizen. Old post but I needed to correct this incase OP has read it since and is in college and wants to try ROTC out.

Edited December 17, 2019 by ohcoffeeeyes

[ohcoffeeeyes 120]

18 hours ago, Londonergirl said:

It say on Airforce website that you need to have a unconditional GC to join the AF. However, you can join the Army on a conditional GC, also the Navy I think. 

You can join Army, Marines or Navy with conditional green cards, the Navy and Army take the most, the Air force and Coast Guard are the only ones that don't take unconditional and if you enlist with a conditional GC in either you can get pinned with fraudulent enlistment. This isn't necessarily because of heightened joining requirements for both of them but because they generally prefer to enlist people under the six year option where the other branches only really go that far for specific rates and MOS'.

[Londonergirl 133]

1 hour ago, ohcoffeeeyes said:

You can join Army, Marines or Navy with conditional green cards, the Navy and Army take the most, the Air force and Coast Guard are the only ones that don't take unconditional and if you enlist with a conditional GC in either you can get pinned with fraudulent enlistment. This isn't necessarily because of heightened joining requirements for both of them but because they generally prefer to enlist people under the six year option where the other branches only really go that far for specific rates and MOS'.

I know this. Did I say something different in my post? 

Also, how would it even be possible to enlist in the AF on a conditional GC? They check the dates on the GC when you enlist which means that you wouldn't even be able to enlist in the AF with a conditional GC? I am referring to your comment that it would be fraudulent enlistment to join the AF or CG on a 2 year GC.

Edited December 17, 2019 by Londonergirl

[Londonergirl 133]

1 hour ago, ohcoffeeeyes said:

ROTC isn't strictly for U.S citizens, you can complete the first two years of ROTC on a student visa or on a green card but after that you have to be a citizen. Old post but I needed to correct this incase OP has read it since and is in college and wants to try ROTC out.

Could you please send me the information on that? I can't find anywhere online that it would be possible to enter ROTC training on a student visa or a GC.