This article has been updated to reflect 2026 data and recent developments.
For many high school graduates interested in the armed services, enlisting right after graduation is the obvious option. However, the decreasing numbers in our armed services today have left many of the divisions ill-equipped for the training regimen of new recruits coming into the programs.
Community colleges across the country have stepped up to shoulder some of the additional load, offering courses specifically geared to military personnel in all armed services branches.
It is not unusual for community colleges to answer the occupational calls of our country today. Many colleges are now providing training in industries that need more employees, filling the needs of companies while giving individuals opportunities to step into recession-proof careers. However, the idea of providing military training is catching on, as community colleges offer the specialized training new recruits need to handle the responsibilities of the armed services today.
This video explains how you can do your military training and go to college.
Training in San Diego
San Diego City College is at the forefront of military training in an academic setting. According to a report at Sign on San Diego, this college received a very humble start in training military personnel in the 1970s, offering them math and English classes to supplement their military training. Today, the college continues to serve military-connected students, while the San Diego Community College District maintains military education and training partnerships.
Along with the basic academic curriculum, students in this program participate in classes like Small Arms: Live and Simulated Fire, Surface Combat Systems and Anti-Terrorism/Force Protection. The program that began in San Diego expanded across the country, serving 15 states and 24 different locations. Much of the training was done directly on military bases, with about 140,000 soldiers, sailors, and Marines trained during one academic year alone.
This video explains the Army's Military On-Site Training (MOST) program.
The community college acts as a contractor for the federal government, receiving revenue to provide the training the government desperately needs for its armed services. While the community college's net revenue is considered negligible, the excess is siphoned into general district programs. As long as the college continues to provide the standard of training the government seeks, it appears to be a very symbiotic relationship.
Larry Allen, a contracting expert in Washington, D.C., told Sign on San Diego, "It's not at all unusual for the government to outsource training. Countless private companies and universities provide training to the government."
Dennis Spiegel, a retired Army colonel, says the success of San Diego City College is largely tied to the level of training they offer. He told Sign on San Diego, "The instructors from San Diego City College, to a person, are far above average. It's a phenomenal organization."
Options in Alabama
San Diego isn't the only community college to seize the day when it comes to training military professionals. Calhoun Community College in Alabama also serves military personnel on its Decatur and Huntsville campuses. The college has provided military-related training in conjunction with US Army Ordnance Missile and Electronic Maintenance School (OMEMS) and other military branches. In 2026, Calhoun continues to serve veterans, National Guard and Reserve members, and their dependents through VA education benefits and military tuition assistance.
This video describes the nursing program at Calhoun Community College for military members.
An Associate in Applied Science degree in Missile and Munitions Technology (MMT) has been available through the school for students who completed qualifying OMEMS courses or military training. OMEMS courses included Ammunition Inspector, Patriot Missile System Repairer, and Air Defense.
The course list is long, offering students the opportunity to explore the area of military training that interests them most. In 2026, military students may also benefit from policies that recognize prior military education and training for college credit, an option explored further in Community College Review's Credit for Prior Learning.
Air University
With a rising need to train noncommissioned Air Force officers as leaders, technicians, and citizens in the early 1970s, Air Force representatives discussed how best to meet those training needs. The result was Air University, which includes the Community College of the Air Force and combines technical education with a general academic curriculum. Within a few short years, this institution had exceeded the minimum requirements of associate degree programs in civilian community colleges. In 1976, the college received authorization from Congress to provide degree-granting authority.
Today, the Community College of the Air Force is a worldwide multi-campus community college. According to Air University, CCAF continues to provide associate degree programs for enlisted personnel through affiliated schools and education service offices around the world. The college serves to prepare Air Force personnel to meet their leadership responsibilities through the professional and personal growth they receive in these collegiate programs.
Community colleges may not be the first institutions that come to mind if you are considering military training, but they do offer several comprehensive programs in this area. Combining academics with military training is one of the best ways to prepare for a rewarding career in the armed services.
