How to Become a Military Psychologist

Co-authored by Kelli Miller, LCSW, MSW

Last Updated: November 23, 2024 Approved

Military psychologists work with military personnel to mitigate mental and emotional problems associated with combat, separation from family and other hardships of military service. As a military psychologist, your main priority is to keep servicemen and women mentally fit for service.^{[1]
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Research source} There is high demand for trained psychologists to work in the military, and these positions often offer high pay, retention bonuses, and specialized training programs.^{[2]
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Leading scientific and professional organization of licensed psychologists

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Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Understanding the Career

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Understand the different types of psychology you can do in the military. There are several types of psychology you can apply to do in the military:^{[3]
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- Clinical psychology: Clinical psychologists will assist active and off duty service members and their families with stress management, depression, anger management, crisis intervention, relationship issues, financial issues and planning, and career and leadership issues.^{[4]
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  Research source} To be a clinical psychologist in the military, you can be an active member of the Army or Navy, or you can be a civilian.
- Specializations in clinical psychology: As a psychologist training to work in the military, you can specialize in certain conditions or situations, such as PTSD or depression, brain injuries, suicide, addiction, and memory loss.^{[5]
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- Research psychology: As a psychologist employed by the military, you can also focus on research on psychology practices in the military and work towards improving the current psychological practices in the military.^{[6]
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Be aware of the different work settings available to you are a military psychologist. Once employed by the military, you may be qualified to work in a variety of locations and settings. You may be reassigned or sent to a new location every two to three years. Possible work locations include: ^{[7]
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- Research facilities
- Educational facilities
- Medical centers, hospitals, and clinics
- Military hospital ships
- Military schools and bases, located in the U.S.
- Overseas deployment locations, in combat zones, and small missions deployment
- Military organization offices, such as the Pentagon
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Keep in mind the expectations of the position. As a military psychologist, you will be expected to participate in several military procedures, such as recruiting new service members and conducting psychological screenings. You may also be responsible for determining which specialty areas would most suit a new recruit. You will also evaluate the performance of enlisted officers and assess the mental and cognitive fitness of servicemen and women in the military.^{[8]
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- As well, as a military psychologist, you will need to provide treatment for enlisted personnel, as well as their loved ones, and veterans of the military. This may include one on one or group therapy, cognitive behavior therapy, family counseling, and education programs on psychology.
- You may be asked to teach and train newly hired psychologists, interns, visiting students, or higher ranking officers on the skills needed to address specific psychological concerns in the field and off duty.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Getting the Necessary Education and Skills

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Earn a bachelor’s degree in Psychology, or an applicable field of study. Look for undergraduate programs that offer a degree in Psychology and possibly a concentration in “Military Psychology” or “Military Resilience”.^{[9]
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- You can also take a general undergraduate psychology degree and focus your undergraduate experience to reflect your career goal to be a military psychology. This could mean you do research projects that focus on an area within military psychology, like PTSD or memory loss.
- You can do volunteer work or an internship in a Veterans hospital or clinic, a homeless shelter, or a military family support center to complement your research project and career interests.
- If you are already in the military, you can participate in a Navy, Air Force, or Army student program that will support your psychology studies (financially and experience wise) while you are on active duty. Speak to the career counselor on your base about possible military programs you can apply for to kick start your psychology career.
- If you are a veteran, the Department of Veterans Affairs may also offer student programs that you may qualify for as a former service member.
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Receive a master's degree in Clinical Psychology. Look for schools that offer master's degrees with a focus on Military Psychology, or a relevant clinical psychology master's degree. Other educational focuses, like counseling psychology, neuropsychology, and forensic psychology, may also qualify you to move forward in your career as a psychologist for the military.^{[10]
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- You can also complete your master's degree at a military academy to get first hand experience in military practices and culture as a civilian, such as the Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD, and the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, CO.^{[11]
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- If you are willing to serve at least four years as a military officer, you can apply for the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program, which will cover your tuition expenses.^{[12]
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- If you would like to be a military psychologist in the Navy, you can apply for the Navy Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP), where you can receive 100% tuition assistance while you complete a clinical psychology education program and a monthly stipend to cover living expenses for up to 36 months.^{[13]
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Complete a doctoral degree in Clinical or Counseling Psychology. To become a certified military psychologist, you will need to complete a relevant doctoral degree. These include: a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology - Military Track, a Psy.D in Military Clinical Psychology, a Ph.D. in Military Health Psychology, and a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology with a specialization in Military Psychology.^{[14]
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- Many doctoral programs include the opportunity to get hands on experience in the field through internships and work placements. You may also qualify for financial assistance to pay down the cost of your graduate program through the Navy Health Professions Loan Repayment Program (HPLRP).^{[15]
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Get certified as a licensed military psychologist. Certification is generally voluntary, but it will make you more attractive to employers in the military and confirm your skills. To become licensed, you will need to complete a doctoral degree, Ph.D or Psy.D, and do two years of supervised training. You will then to take the national EPPP exam and the jurisprudence exam required by your home state, which are administered by the Association of State and Licensing Boards.^{[16]
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- Your certification will be processed and confirmed by The American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP). Becoming board certified as a psychologist can take several years, including hands on training and exams, but it will confirm your credentials as a psychologist.^{[17]
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Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Applying for a Position in the Military

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Explore employment possibilities through an internship at a military facility. The Army and Navy are continuing to expand their internship programs in the hopes of attracting candidates that can fill military psychologist positions. These internships often include residency training, postdoctoral fellowships onsite, and assistance in becoming a licensed psychologist.^{[18]
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American Psychological Association
Leading scientific and professional organization of licensed psychologists

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- Apply for internships through the Army and Navy while you are completing your doctoral degree or once you finish your master's degree to get hands on experience that may lead to employment opportunities.^{[19]
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  American Psychological Association
  Leading scientific and professional organization of licensed psychologists
  
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Look for open military psychology positions through a recruitment office. The Army and Navy are trying to keep up with the demand for more military psychologists by promoting these positions at recruitment fairs and through recruitment programs. Locate a military recruitment office near you and contact them about open positions you can apply for. You should also ask about financial assistance for educational requirements for the position and hands on training programs through the Army or Navy.
- More on Joining the military here: https://www.usa.gov/join-military.
If you are already a service member in the military or a veteran and have completed the necessary education and training, you can reach out to a military career counselor to discuss your employment options. You may qualify for certain positions within the military that can lead to a stable career as a military psychologist.