Moving up in the Army without Military College

Hello all! I've heard a lot about the necessity of going to military college to advance in the army ranks. Is this entirely true, or can you rise in the ranks without attending military college?

One key thing to remember about the U.S. Army is that it offers several paths for career progression and advancement in ranks. It's not an absolute necessity to attend a military college to move up the ranks in the army.

There are indeed several ways you can advance in the army without attending a military college. First is through the enlisted route. As an enlisted soldier, you could ascend from a Private (E-1 rank) to Sergeant Major (E-9 rank) purely based on your performance, skills, leadership abilities, and time in service.

Another approach is becoming a Warrant Officer. This can be a fantastic way to advance if you have specialized technical or tactical expertise. You don't need a college degree to become a Warrant Officer. However, it gets competitive to be selected, so a degree may still make you a stronger candidate.

Then there’s also the avenue of becoming a commissioned officer without attending a military college. Officer Candidate School (OCS) is a 12-week program that graduates commissioned officers who have not taken the military college route. However, attending OCS does usually require a four-year degree from a civilian institution or time spent as an enlisted soldier or warrant officer first.

Remember though, that while these paths do not require military college, pursuing advanced education, whether it's civilian or military, can often make you a more competitive candidate for promotions and specialized positions. So while attending a military college isn't a requirement, it can potentially open several doors for you in your military career.