Use your education and skills to be a leader

Officers in the North Dakota Army National Guard are decision-makers. They hold positions of tremendous authority and responsibility for their country, their troops and themselves.

As an officer in the North Dakota Army National Guard, you’ll have the unique opportunity to start your career as a leader. That’s because, in as little as 20 weeks, you’ll be trained with the skills necessary to lead a platoon and will have earned the rank of Second Lieutenant.

To achieve the honor of being an officer, you must possess strong leadership qualities along with the desire to improve yourself and your country. What you’ll get along the way is priceless. You can choose the commissioning routes of OCS, ROTC or direct commission (more on these on their respective pages). An officer can claim renowned leadership training including management and communication expertise, loads of hands-on experience in diverse locations, and problem-solving and strategic skills. Civilians and military personnel alike recognize the abilities and accomplishments that come with being an officer.

There are three different categories of officers:

Basic Branch Officer – Basic branch officers include officers in any of the 11 Combat Arms branches (like Infantry, Armor, Artillery and Military Intelligence) or Combat Service Support branches (such as Finance, Transportation or Quartermaster).

Specialty Officers – These include officers with specialized professional skills, including Judge Advocate General (JAG) officers, Chaplains, or Medical Professionals.
 
Warrant Officers – Warrant officers are commissioned officers who lead as experts in a specific area or field.

To become an officer in the North Dakota Army National Guard, you’ll need either a college degree or military experience. If you don’t already have your four-year degree, the North Dakota Army National Guard can help you get it with our educational benefits packages. You may qualify to enter the program with as few as 60 credit hours (or 90 hours to enter the accelerated program).

The North Dakota Army National Guard understands the value of its officers and treats them well. There are loads of benefits you’ll enjoy as an officer. Discounts are offered on or off military instillations for almost anything you need and for entertainment. Medical and dental care is available and is considered more than competitive.

As an officer, you will get paid for attending monthly unit training assemblies (UTAs). This part-time job can bring you a starting wage $22.88 per hour (O-1 with less than two years time in service). Working one weekend a month (weekend drill) and two weeks a year (annual training) can really add up!