SSG LEE, HO YONG · U.S. ARMY RECRUITER
You do not need to have decided to enlist.
Eligibility, careers, benefits, and family life.
Start with the questions on your mind.
Applicants across the United States, including those in Virginia, Maryland, Washington D.C., New York, New Jersey, California, Georgia, Texas, and other states, can receive Korean-English bilingual recruiting guidance and remote enlistment support.
Status · Education · Health · Height & weight
Work · School · Ways to serve
11 career fields · MOS Career Finder
Housing · Healthcare · Tuition · Retirement
Family life · Permanent residency · Citizenship
Practice · MEPS · Contract and shipping
Hello. I am Ho Yong Lee, a U.S. Army recruiter at the Fairfax Recruiting Center in Virginia. I enlisted at thirty while married and have served in the continental United States and Korea. I started as an 88H (Cargo Specialist) and now answer questions from applicants and their families.
As someone who has served, I want to distinguish what I can explain from experience from what requires checking regulations and individual circumstances. The Army was a good choice for me, but it does not have to be the same answer for everyone.
The principles that guide my consultationsArmy enlistment involves reviewing your status, age, education, test results, physical qualifications, and medical history together. Age or weight alone cannot determine your overall eligibility.
Use these tools to organize your circumstances and identify questions to ask. They do not replace an official eligibility determination, MEPS medical review, a waiver decision, or the actual enlistment process.
Citizenship or a Green Card does not mean every requirement is met. An uncertain item also does not mean you should conclude on your own that you cannot qualify. If you have foreign education or college credits, ask which documents are needed to verify them.
Enlistment Eligibility Self-CheckYou can start by asking what records and review are needed. The timing of surgery, diagnosis, treatment, and current condition may affect the documentation required. Medical reviews and waivers are evaluated individually under applicable standards; a consultation cannot guarantee approval.
MEPS medical examination guide“How should I check my medical history or qualifications?” — You can start with this question.
Rather than deciding which is better in general, compare them against your work, education, family, desired benefits, and future plans. Both are Army service, but everyday life and the way pay and benefits apply are different.
Military service is your primary full-time job. After training, you serve in your assigned job at your unit.
You generally combine civilian work or school with unit training. Initial training and certain periods of orders or mobilization involve full-time service.
Active Duty monthly pay is not directly comparable to regular Reserve drill pay. Conditions may change when a Reserve Soldier serves on active-duty orders. Do not base your entire service schedule solely on “one weekend a month and two weeks a year.”
Look beyond the shortest contract. Consider the obligations you would take on and whether you would meet the requirements for your education, housing, or retirement goals. Not every benefit begins on the same day or at the same level when you enlist.
Active Duty vs. Army Reserve Benefit Start Timeline“Which option is more realistic for my work, school, and family?”
MOS (Military Occupational Specialty) is your job in the Army. Career fields include combat, healthcare, technology, administration, logistics, and more. Select a career field to read its detailed guide.
It is fine if you do not know which job you want yet. Explore a field that interests you or use the MOS Career Finder to search specific jobs. Along with test scores, check status requirements, job-specific qualifications, service component, and actual vacancies.
Career-field guides introduce the kinds of work available. MOS Career Finder lets you search, filter, and compare individual jobs based on your interests and qualifications. Actual availability depends on current openings and eligibility reviewed during consultation.
Explore MOS Career FinderFind out what you will learn and do, how long AIT lasts, and what the contract requires. Jobs within the same field can involve different work. Job openings and bonuses are not a fixed list, and being interested in a job does not mean it is currently available to select.
Explore how military skills and experience may relate to civilian work and whether additional credentials or a degree are needed. College credit for military training, credentialing support, and transition employment programs each have their own requirements. A security clearance or military experience alone does not guarantee a job or salary.
Civilian credentials and career paths by military skill“Can I actually choose the job I am interested in?” Ask along with your status and test preparation details.
Pay can affect your monthly budget, housing support your rent, healthcare your family’s treatment plans, and education support your tuition and future career. What matters most is understanding which benefits apply to your circumstances.
Eligibility and coverage depend on Active Duty or Reserve service, duty status, rank, location, family circumstances, and qualifying service. Each program has its own conditions, so it is better not to think of everything as one fixed benefits package.
Distinguish base pay, housing support (BAH), and the food allowance (BAS). BAH supports housing, while BAS is a food-related allowance. Everyone does not receive the same amounts in cash.
Review rank, time in service, location, dependency status, and whether housing and meals are provided. Then calculate your budget after taxes, insurance, savings, and other deductions. Check the rules rather than assuming housing allowance keeps increasing with each additional family member.
Understanding BAH and living costsTRICARE is the military healthcare program. Enrollment and costs differ for Active Duty members, families, and Reserve members, and plans such as Prime, Select, and Reserve Select work differently. Look at out-of-pocket costs and available hospitals and pharmacies as well as premiums.
Family dental coverage and life insurance (SGLI/FSGLI) are separate from medical coverage. If a family member needs ongoing care or has special medical or educational needs, check continuity of care at a new duty station, EFMP, and related support.
Compare TRICARE plansTuition Assistance (TA) for college during service, Credentialing Assistance (CA), and the GI Bill are different programs. Rather than assuming enlistment makes all education free, check your intended program, timing, and eligibility.
Post-9/11 GI Bill tuition and living support, transfer to family members, Yellow Ribbon, and repayment of existing student loans each have conditions. For military training documented through JST, the college determines which credits it accepts.
Explore GI Bill, TA, and education benefitsPaid leave and parental leave exist, but this does not mean you can freely confirm any dates you choose. Duty status, missions, training schedules, and approval procedures matter. Understand the difference between regular time off and leave.
PCS means a change of duty station. Plan housing, moving support, your spouse’s employment, and your children’s schooling and care together. Whether family can accompany you and what is covered depend on the assignment and orders.
Duty stations and PCSEligible individuals may use a VA Home Loan toward buying a home. It is not a free house; review loan eligibility, costs, and repayment plans. Distinguish legal protections such as SCRA/MLA from benefits offered by individual financial institutions.
Commissary and Exchange access, travel offers, and everyday discounts depend on eligibility and provider terms. Compare the full cost of living and service obligations before making a decision based on discounts or credit card benefits.
Military discountsA military pension and TSP retirement savings are different. TSP involves your contributions and applicable government contributions; a pension has service and payment-start requirements. Active Duty and Reserve retirement structures also differ.
After service, education benefits, credentials, military experience, and transition programs may support your next career. Start by considering how a job that interests you now relates to what you want to do later.
Explore civilian career paths“Which benefits should I check for my family?” We can review them against your current housing costs, insurance, and education plans.
People with families also prepare to enlist. But having family benefits does not mean family routines will stay the same. Plan for time apart during training, housing and living costs, healthcare, moving, and caregiving.
I also enlisted while I had a family. When speaking with married applicants, I tend to consider housing, healthcare, education, duty stations, and family life together, rather than base pay alone.
If your spouse is worried, start by listening to the concerns rather than trying to persuade them. Parents considering their child’s enlistment can review these topics together as well.
Permanent residents may apply if they meet the other enlistment requirements. Available MOS choices can differ, including jobs that require citizenship. Review your residency status, expiration or renewal documents, and preferred jobs together.
There are also citizenship application pathways through military service, but enlistment itself does not guarantee naturalization. Eligibility, service certification, application, and review requirements apply, and timing can vary. Compare the actual service commitments of Active Duty and Reserve, not citizenship alone.
Army enlistment for Green Card holdersThe ASVAB assesses English, math, and other knowledge and aptitude areas. Some scores help determine enlistment eligibility, while others affect job options, so it is not simply a test to pass and forget. If you have an MOS in mind, check its score requirements too.
Different people find different parts challenging. Try a few questions to identify what you need to prepare, such as vocabulary, reading comprehension, or math. You can speak with a recruiter before taking the test.
PiCAT is an ASVAB testing option arranged through a recruiter and requires a prescribed verification process. Questions on a personal practice site are separate from official testing.
Read the ASVAB / PiCAT guideASVAB Practice Center is an ASK SSG LEE learning tool, not an official Army testing system. Practice results do not replace official scores or job qualifications.
MEPS (Military Entrance Processing Station) conducts examinations and eligibility processing during enlistment. It is separate from a recruiting station. You will receive guidance on required steps, including medical record review and the physical examination.
If you have a medical or surgical history or take medication, disclose it accurately in advance so you can prepare records, rather than raising it for the first time on examination day. Additional records or examinations may be needed. Medical and waiver decisions follow individual review under applicable standards.
Learn about the MEPS physical examinationDiscuss your circumstances, questions, and preferred service component. You do not need to have chosen an MOS or decided to enlist.
If you wish to proceed, you will receive instructions on required identity, education, medical, and other individual records and how to submit them.
Receive guidance on the testing method and schedule, then take the test. Results help assess preparation and job options.
Complete the physical examination and related review. Additional records or checks may change the timeline.
Review and decide on your MOS, contract length, options, and shipping date based on eligibility and actual openings.
Leave for training on the scheduled date. Prepare for departure and coordinate family and work arrangements.
Learn military fundamentals and complete basic training. Reserve applicants also attend initial training full time.
Learn the work of your selected MOS. Length and structure vary by job, and some jobs combine basic and occupational training.
There is no single timeline that can be promised to everyone. Documents, medical review, testing, job openings, contract options, and shipping dates all matter. If you have a preferred timeframe, share when you would like to leave and any school, work, or family constraints.
Detailed enlistment process guideTools and detailed guides open in a new tab.
Organize your basic qualifications and questions for a recruiter.
Enter your height and weight to review preparation guidelines.
Find jobs based on your interests and qualifications.
Use practice questions to identify areas to prepare.
Organize the benefits to review for your circumstances.
Start by reviewing your current English level and test preparation. If you are considering an English education program, check whether it is currently available and whether you meet its participation requirements.
Read moreReview the expiration date, renewal status, and documents you have. Eligibility should not be determined from the expiration date alone.
Read moreWhat needs review depends on your highest education level and credits. If you have foreign education or college credits, start by preparing the related records.
Read moreInitial BCT and AIT are full-time training. Do not plan work or school solely around weekend service; consider possible training and mobilization periods as well.
Read moreA noncombat job cannot guarantee freedom from risk or deployment. Your actual service depends on your unit, mission, and circumstances as well as your MOS.
Read moreYes. I work in Fairfax and consult online and by phone with applicants in other U.S. states. MEPS locations and schedules are coordinated individually.
Read moreIf you currently live in Korea and plan to process there, you need to work with the responsible U.S. Army recruiter in Korea.
Read moreI am organizing frequently asked questions and useful resources by topic, from enlistment requirements to military life, careers, education, benefits, family, citizenship, and life after service.
You do not need to read everything from the beginning. Think of it as a reference to turn to when a question comes up.
Explore the U.S. Army EncyclopediaYou may be comparing Active Duty and Reserve,
have no preferred MOS, or have never taken the ASVAB.
You can ask questions while still deciding whether to enlist at all.
Start with your circumstances and the question that matters most to you.
A consultation alone does not commit you to enlistment.
Nationwide Recruiting Support
Korean-English bilingual guidance and remote enlistment support are available to applicants across the U.S.
U.S. Army Recruiter
Fairfax Recruiting Center
11240 Waples Mill Rd STE 110
Fairfax, VA 22030
Text · 703-594-6878
hoyong.lee4.mil@army.mil
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