Rank in the military isn't just something you get with the amount of time in, y'know. After a certain point (and certain rank structures entirely) promotions are greatly dependent on skill. Warrant officers in the Army come to mind.. they're usually enlisted people that choose to become highly proficient in a very technical field, like radars or helicopters or something of that nature. They're not 'enlisted' technically any more, but they're not officers either, they're something special. And if a warrant officers is talking about their field, you best listen.

At any rate, it's not like people in the military make nothing. Low ranking people make absolutely nothing, but as you crawl up the rank chain and get years in, you start to make some fairly decent cash.

Here's the pay, scroll down to ACTIVE DUTY MONTHLY BASIC PAY
http://www.us-army-info.com/pages/ranks.html

A warrant officer 4 with 10+ years in service makes $51,000 a year. Not that much? Also take into account that they get free housing, free food and free medical care.

Of course, if you look lower down that chart to the peon ranks, they make jack diddly. On the other side of the scale, you have an O-8 (major general) pulling in $113,000/year w/10 years service.

I know an army infantry sgt of 10 years that makes £31k on top of all the army benefits. Not bad at all I say. If you apply yourself into infantry as you would a doctor, your pay will certainly reflect that.

there are also civilian contractors to the military. They're not in the Army, they just work for the department of defense. Those suckers make some serious cash.

So a warrant officer is a regular joe sixpack who can go on to become an expert in his field? I assume that is generally speaking something to do with weapons or logistics.

How do the categories I used as an example rank in the army? I know doctors are always officers and are paid as such, but engineers and interpreters? Are they classed as 'warrant officers' or are they another breed altogether? I can't imagine you'd have much use for an interpreter in actual combat. An engineer could perhaps go McGyver on their asses though.

Anyone can become anything. I think WO's are across all regiments and trades even in the RAF and navy. To become a WO you have to earn it, i don't think it's merely given to you regardless of trade. Combat interpreters are probably very appreciated... i think they're key to the whole hearts-and-minds thing on the ground.

Warrant officers are technical experts. The ones I personally were associated with were experts on radar systems and helicopters. On the helicopter thing, I wouldn't be surprised if they specialized more than that... I know they would specialize to a specific helicopter (Apache), but they might even specialize down to avionics vs engine vs electronics vs targetting systems, etc etc, since a helicopter is so complicated. These guys are absolute experts... they have the skill to completely tear down a system to its components parts and rebuild it.

Well, in reality I imagine a WO1 is just good enough to trust not to break something when he pulls it apart. A WO4 would probably be able to completely reassemble a radar while blindfolded and smoking a joint.

Regarding your questions... a doctor is an officer, yes, but because in order to become a doctor you have to get a PhD, basically. Anyone with a bachelor's degree and a quick officer's training course can become an officer.

Engineer...that's a trick question, actually. I think what you mean is like electrical engineers, mechanical engineers, etc. If they have a degree, they're probably go officer, though I could see an engineer without the officer training maybe going enlisted and fast-tracking it to warrant officer status. Beware that "warrant officer" isn't some title they just give you. You have to apply for it, get accepted, and go through lots of training and whatnot. However, if you've got a bachelor's degree in aeronautical engineering, I bet they'd be willing to promote you to e4 (specialist) immediately, send you through basic training, and then immediately on to warrant officer school.

Interpreter.. that's also multi-faceted. Interpreter as in translating intercepted foreign communications? That's more CIA territory, but you can become an intelligence analyst in the Army as well. I'm betting that's regular enlisted, though. Interpreter like hanging out with generals and crap to help them communicate with high-ranking allies? Also enlisted would be my bet. Then there's combat interpreters... you need interpreters to be attached to some military units, especially things like special forces. Special forces is special... they would be enlisted (probably a sergeant of some variety), but rank doesn't mean quite as much in special forces as the regular military.

/me finishes his novel

Thanks for the info. You make warrant officers sound like rain men.

Do people with a Master's automatically make officer in the US Army? My dad had a (non-officer) rank during his military service for example, because he had a bachelor's degree. I think a corporal, not sure. (he's a physiotherapist, so they put him on medical/driver duty)

hah...freakin' ox.

To answer your question, people with a master's degree do not automatically make officer. You have to go through officer's training to become an officer. However, if you're going to be a doctor or something, you'll be required to go through this training.

I knew a guy that had a bachelor's degree with no military stuff and he was automatically promoted to specialist (e4). But that didn't really mean a whole lot. 2 years later, I was a specialist (I went in as e2) and he still was one.