- Complete a bachelor’s degree in a behavioral, social science, or psychology field
- Earn a master’s degree in counseling, social work, or psychology with a focus on military populations
- Complete graduate and postgraduate internship experience for certification/licensure requirements
- Pass any required counseling exams and apply for licensure.
- Apply for and earn additional counseling certifications
- Continue your education and stay up to date on military counseling trends and changes
How to Become a Military Counselor
Active duty military personnel, veterans, and their families seek counseling help for a wide variety of mental, emotional, and social needs. Military personnel may require assistance during training, deployment, transition from active duty, and in retirement. They may face a variety of psychological and social issues, including depression and anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder, substance abuse, and family and marital issues. Additionally, personnel returning home may seek support with their transition back to civilian life, including career and education assistance.
Counseling services are also provided to military families. Military OneSource provides non-medical counseling to help military personnel and their families navigate the military lifestyle and the challenges that they may face. These services include addressing marital problems, parenting, stress management, and grief or loss, among other concerns.
The U.S. military employs counselors, caseworkers, and psychologists in a variety of roles, with varying levels of education and training, to provide a range of support options for our military personnel and their families. In many cases, a military counselor will work as part of a team that may include social workers, psychologists, medical officers, chaplains, personnel specialists, and commanders.
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New York University
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What does a Military Counselor do?
Military counselors, case workers, and psychologists perform a variety of duties, including:
- Providing therapeutic services to personnel who request help or are referred by their commanders
- Offering off-site counseling to service members deployed overseas, typically via video conference
- Identifying problems and determining if a referral for further help is needed, such as psychiatry, drug treatment or a community support group
- Counseling family members of military personnel
- Administering psychological tests
- Helping personnel explore career and education opportunities
- Teaching classes on human relations and transitioning back to civilian life
- Providing ongoing support to disabled veterans and those with severe mental trauma
- Offering crisis intervention, mental health assessments, and suicide prevention support
Within six months of return from overseas deployments, the U.S. military service branches conduct mandatory screenings for mental health conditions via the Post Deployment Health Reassessment. Installation support programs provide referrals for assessment, treatment, suicide prevention, and other counseling services as deemed appropriate. Service members and their families have more options than ever for accessing counseling assistance, including government-sponsored initiatives such as the Army Substance Abuse Program, the Family Advocacy Program, and various TRICARE support offerings.
Steps to Become a Military Counselor
Step 1: Complete a bachelor’s degree in a behavioral, social science, psychology field, or another field.
Because a master’s degree is a requirement for licensure as a professional counselor, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in psychology, social work, or a related field sets the groundwork for graduate studies in counseling. Coursework for undergraduate studies in counseling and related fields will typically include the evaluation of human development, counseling skills and foundations, an introduction to psychology, and/or basic approaches to counseling/therapy.
Step 2: Earn a master’s degree in counseling, social work, or psychology with a focus on military populations.
Some CACREP-accredited universities offer degree programs focused on working with military populations. Obtaining your graduate degree in counseling is required to practice as a licensed professional counselor.
Step 3: Complete graduate and postgraduate internship experience for certification/licensure requirements.
As a crucial aspect of accredited master’s programs in counseling, supervised graduate counseling experience allows students to prepare for their future role as licensed professional counselors by gaining hands-on experience under licensed mental health professionals. Some military positions, including in vocational rehabilitation, may require specialized experience, such as working with individuals with disabilities and disadvantaged populations.
Step 4: Pass any required counseling exams and apply for licensure.
Some states and/or counseling programs require the passing of a recognized counselor examination for graduation or licensure, such as the National Counselor Examination (NCE) and/or the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (NCMHCE). Check the available licenses and required examinations for counselors in your state through the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC).
Step 5: Apply for and earn additional counseling certifications.
Licensed professional counselors can pursue a national certification through the NBCC. Counselors can also pursue specializations in grief, pastoral, military and trauma, or other mental health challenges, concerns, or disorders.
Step 6: Continue your education and stay up to date on military counseling trends and changes.
Continuing education is imperative for maintaining professional counseling licensure and staying current with changes, updates, and trends in military and government policy, mental health care, counseling, and client advocacy.
What are the licensing requirements?
In most cases, counselors who want to work with military populations must first qualify for state licensure by completing the required graduate education, supervised experience, and any required exam. Depending on the state, that exam may be the NCE, the NCMHCE, or another approved pathway. After becoming independently licensed, some counselors choose to add a military-focused specialty credential. For example, the American Mental Health Counselors Association’s Clinical Mental Health Counseling Specialist in Military Counseling is an advanced credential for independently licensed counselors with additional military-related training and experience.
For certain VA-licensed professional mental health counselor roles, graduating from a CACREP-accredited program is a key qualification standard.
Additional licensing requirements may apply in the state where you will be employed. See state licensure requirements.
Are there certification requirements?
To become a military counselor, individuals typically need at least a master’s degree in counseling, psychology, or social work. Some professional associations and institutions offer military- or veteran-focused training, but readers should verify whether any credential is state-recognized before relying on it for licensure planning.
Career Outlook for Military Counselors
Mental health counselors, psychologists, and social workers are employed as military counselors. According to the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), more than 1.7 million Veterans received mental health services in 2024. The annual mean wage for counselors, according to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS): Counselors All Other, published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in May 2024, was $58,070.
For active-duty Army personnel, counseling credentials may offer more than civilian career value. Army COOL includes the CCMHC among civilian credentials and states that eligible soldiers may use Credentialing Assistance for approved credential-related expenses, while some qualifying certifications may also be eligible for enlisted promotion points. Because funding and promotion eligibility can vary, soldiers should confirm current requirements through Army COOL and ArmyIgnitED before applying.
Online Masters in Military Counseling Programs
Bellevue University
Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Bellevue, Nebraska
Name of Degree: Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Enrollment Type: Full-Time
Length of Program: 2 years
Credits: 60
Concentrations: N/AAdmission Requirements:
- CV/resume
- Two letters of recommendation
- Statement of interest
- Official transcripts
Lock Haven University
Department of Social Work and Counseling
Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Lock Haven, Pennsylvania
Name of Degree: Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Enrollment Type: Full-Time
Length of Program: 2 years
Credits: 60
Concentrations:Child and Adolescent Counseling, Military and Veterans Counseling, Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Admission Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree
- Two references
- Statement of purpose
New York University
NYU Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development
master of arts in Counseling for Mental Health and Wellness
New York, New York
Description:
NYU Steinhardt’s online master of arts program in Counseling for Mental Health and Wellness prepares students to become professional mental health counselors who guide clients of all identities toward healthy lifestyles. Counseling@NYU students receive the knowledge and hands-on training to work with adults both individually and in groups. The program is delivered through online live classes, asynchronous course work and in-person field experiences at NYU Steinhardt-approved sites near students’ communities.
Enrollment Type: Full-Time
Length of Program: As few as 21 months
Credits: 60
Resources for Military Personnel and Families
For immediate crisis support, the Veterans Crisis Line connects Veterans, service members, and their loved ones with trained responders 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Support is available by calling 988 and pressing 1, chatting online, or texting 838255. The service is confidential, and callers do not need to be enrolled in VA benefits or health care to reach out.
Families who want education and support outside a crisis setting may also find NAMI Homefront helpful. Offered by the National Alliance on Mental Illness, this free six-session program is designed for the families, caregivers, and friends of military service members and veterans with mental health conditions. It focuses on helping families better understand mental health challenges, communication, treatment, and recovery.
Give an Hour, which provides free and confidential mental health services for military members, veterans, and their loved ones through volunteer licensed mental health professionals. The organization also offers educational resources and a provider search tool for people seeking support.
Information last updated: March 2026