How to Join the Navy With a GED
It is a well-known fact that the Navy requires a high school diploma or its equivalent in order to join its ranks. However, the Navy, and the military in general, does not see the GED as an equivalent and accepts only a small percentage of GED recruits every year. In order to enlist, GED holders must score higher on military entrance tests than their high-school-diploma-holding counter-parts. Essentially, the recruit must be trainable, and the recruiter must feel comfortable that the recruit will be able to follow through with his enlistment.
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Instructions
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Talk to a Navy recruiter and ask what you need to do to boost your chances of qualifying with a GED. Ultimately, the Navy is looking for trainable recruits, and the recruiter may be looking for someone with your work experience. Take the following items with you when you visit: birth certificate, Social Security card, work history, list of places you have lived and countries you have visited. Also include proof of an additional school courses, medical history, medications and dated information on criminal history, police records, personal contact information and character references complete with names, phone numbers and addresses.
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Attend a semester or two of college in addition to the GED. Having college credits of 15 hours or more can signal to the Navy recruiters that you are serious about your education and can set and achieve goals beyond obtaining a GED.
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Score a minimum of 50 on the AFQT (Armed Forces Qualification Test). All recruits take the AFQT regardless of education. Recruits with a high school diploma are only required a minimum score of 31. Scoring high on the AFQT simply means you are qualified to join the Navy and is not a guarantee of an enlistment.
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Tips & Warnings
Although education is a big part of the Navy's requirements, keep in mind that there are many reasons for the Navy to decide you are ineligible including medical history, number of dependents or criminal history.
Officers are usually required to have a bachelor's or Master's degree.
Study guides are available for the AFQT.
References
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