How can you enter the military as a lieutenant colonel or a colonel

Question

I know that medical specialists can enter any branch of the military and get an advanced rank as a major, but is there any way to enter as a lieutenant colonel, or even a colonel.

Answer 1

Field Commission by the president or the Chairman of the joint chiefs.  In time of war a CO can give field commissions but only to ranks below theirs.  This is only a hypothetical answer this would not happen.

Answer 2

Ha! Join as a COLONEL!

you made my day alot better!

You can join up as a Captain if you're a doctor, but that's as high as it goes

Answer 3

That is simply a no. As an enlisted man with college credentials you would enter as an E-4! That is with ROTC credentials in a high school or collegiate level. Advanced rank is not unheard of! An officer still is joining as an enlisted man. Until he gets his butter bar he is an e-5 a Sergeant! A Lt. Colonel is an O-5 and it is IMPOSSIBLE to obtain this unless in a field environment where your superior officers die and you are in the next spot in your chain of command! If you want it EARN it! HOOAH

Answer 4

You can't enter at those ranks.

Answer 5

It is not possible.

Medical specialists enter as lieutenants, doctors enter as captains, NOBODY enters as a Major or above. It takes 20 years service to make LTC or full bird.

I was once  told that during World War II there were a few, very few, high level executives from large companies (such as GM) that were recruited into the service for the duration to run the logistical, supply, and war production projects the military was involved in. These men were recruited in as Generals so that they would have the rank necessairy to do their jobs.  That however was a highly unusual exception to the rule, and was mostly due to the fact that the Army needed their real Generals to run military units, not oversee war production.

Whoever told you that medical specialists can enter as a major or colonel is simply wrong.  The reason I say that is there is a maximum age to join the Army at. It is currently 42, before that it was 35. In order to come in as an LTC or full bird you would need a very high level of skill, and it would be difficult to obtain that level of skill before you hit the age cut off.

One of the other answers said that he ran across a case about 20 years ago where it was discussed. I have no doubt that he is telling the truth.  That being said, if the closest thing you have to "Yes" is "I heard about it being talked about in one case 20 years ago, but it didn't happen"....you can see that it a practical impossibility.

Answer 6

ONLY if YOU have some kind of specialized skill that the U.S. Government or Military that desperately need!

then you can join as an LTC!

but, it seldom happens!

Answer 7

i know why you asked his question i think, because on the pay chart they have a row with someone who is an O5 even though it says they have served for less tht 2 years, which never made sense to me since it takes 4 years to become a captain, 10 to be a major and so on. But the answers above do make sense  

Answer 8

yes ,    if you spent at least 5 years in a military rotc school .  you can be a Lt when you leave  , but theres alot that must be done in order for that to happehttp://www.goarmy.com/flindex.jsp?n  ,

Answer 9

becoming that high of a rank requires much sh*tting on of lower ranked, especially enlisted troops....

Answer 10

Yes it is possible for a PHYSICIAN to enter into the military as a LTC, possibly COL.  However, it would have to be an experienced MD not a new grad.  More likely to happen with one who has a critical need that the military can use.

A civilian MD that I worked with @ Ft Benning was offered to come into the Army as a LTC due to his experience and training back in the 80's.

BTW "SSG" an O7 is a BRIGADIER GENERAL, not a MAJOR GENERAL!

Answer 11

HAHAHA You can't.   no way.....

Answer 12

ummm...No.

Answer 13

"Technically". yes.

Would it ever happen, absolutely frickin not.

Serve your time like everyone else.

Answer 14

Yes it would be in the medical field. The highest I've ever heard of is a O-7 Major General. This would be someone who has an extensive background in the medical field and usually someone who was a Chief of Medicine at a hospital or something comparable.