Joining the Military with a GED

Hey all, I got my GED instead of finishing high school. Can I still enlist? If yes, then which branches would let me in? Thanks in advance!

Hello there,

Firstly, congratulations on earning your GED. To answer your question, yes, you can certainly enlist in the military with a GED. However, it's important to note that each branch of the military has specific education requirements and equivalency standards that they adhere to.

Most branches, including the Air Force, Army, Navy, and Marine Corps, accept GEDs but often give recruitment priority to high school diploma holders over GED holders because the Department of Defense classifies education credentials into three tiers and a GED is classified as Tier II credential, while a high school diploma is a Tier I credential. To put it simply, the branches of service limit the number of Tier II candidates they accept each year. This is due to studies showing that individuals with a high school diploma traditionally stay in the military longer and perform at a higher level.

The Coast Guard rarely accepts GEDs, generally only considering applicants with a high school diploma or higher. However, they might make exceptions depending on the individual circumstances.

The newest branch, the Space Force, largely aligns their acceptance standards with that of the Air Force.

It's also worth mentioning that having other qualifications such as college credits or scoring highly on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) test could enhance your recruitment eligibility despite having a GED.

Remember that the exact policies can be subject to change and may also depend on the specific recruiting demands at the time you're applying, so it's worthwhile to connect with a local recruiter in the branch you're interested in for the most accurate and up-to-date information.

Best of luck!