9 Free Military Schools For Troubled Youth

This blog post sheds light on the free military schools for troubled youths and where they are located. Parents looking to enroll their child in a military school can now do so without spending so much.  

A military school is not a place of punishment nor is it a place where badly behaved youths are sent to pay for their crimes as it is commonly portrayed in movies. Rather, it is a vibrant and highly disciplined environment/institution where students are taught and equipped with practical skills and knowledge, prepared for academic excellence, and groomed to become responsible members of society.

High school students with bad academic performance, anxiety issues, low self-esteem, problems with bullies, etc. are usually advised to enroll in a military school to become better versions of themselves in all the aspects they are lacking. And this is what makes the institution an ideal place for troubled youth.

Well, how do you know a youth is troubled or how is one classified as a troubled youth?

Below are some of the signs typically displayed by youths who are labeled to be “troubled”:

  • Rebellion
  • Mood swings
  • Being rude and aggressive toward parents, teachers, and other adults
  • Skipping schools or classes
  • Getting bad grades or overall bad academic performance
  • Deception or lying
  • Demonstrating a lack of energy and motivation
  • Secretive behavior
  • Alcohol or drug use
  • Getting into fights
  • Constant escalation of arguments and violence at home
  • Run-ins with the law
  • Withdrawing from family and friends
  • Stealing
  • Suicidal thoughts and intentional self-harm

The list could go on and on but that isn’t the main intention of this blog. However, you now know the signs displayed by troubled youth and if you have a child displaying any of the above behaviors, you may want to consider sending them to a military school to help them get the discipline they need to become outstanding students and uphold members of the society.

In this blog post, I have provided a list – with specific details – of all free military schools for troubled youths so that parents won’t have to worry about financial load when they send their troubled youths to a military school. The specific locations of each of the schools are also provided in the details so that you can find one that is in your location since military schools mostly accept people from the same community where the school is located.

There are also other options that you can look into like the military boarding schools in Florida and the military boarding schools in Virginia that accept students from anywhere in the US. And if you are looking for other free or cheaper options, then you should absolutely look into the free boarding schools for troubled youths or our list of cheap boarding schools for teens.

Having said that, let’s get into the main topic…

free military schools for troubled youth

Free Military Schools For Troubled Youths

Listed below are the free military schools for troubled youths with their details to help you learn how they operate and also help you in choosing a suitable military school for your child. Without any further ado, let’s get started.

  • Delaware Military Academy
  • Franklin Military Academy
  • Sarasota Military Academy
  • Utah Military Academy
  • Georgia Military College
  • Kenosha Military Academy
  • Carver Military Academy
  • Virginia Military Institute
  • Chicago Military Academy

1.     Delaware Military Academy

Delaware Military Academy is located on Middleboro Road, Wilmington, Delaware, USA. It is one of the free high military schools for troubled youths whose traditions, values, and ideals are based on the US Navy. This institution aims to prepare young people for higher education and groom them to become good citizens through a healthy mental and physical environment with military training.

DMA serves students in grades 9 through 12 and uses a college prep curriculum. The institution is open for application to all residents of Delaware. Also, there are no specific admission requirements.

2.     Franklin Military Academy

This is another option for parents looking to send their troubled youths to a military school without cost. Franklin Military Academy is located in Richmond, Virginia, USA, and has been in existence since 1980 helping students advance both academically and in their personal lives providing students with opportunities to reach their full potential.

Franklin Military Academy offers students a strict regimented military-style discipline program and offers a small class size of a 15:1 student-to-teacher ratio. Graduates of FMA are developed to compete at some of the best universities in the US as well as compete in the modern workforce.

3.     Sarasota Military Academy

Sarasota Military Academy is one of the free military schools for troubled youths. It is a tuition-free non-profit military public charter school with two campuses in Bethel Lane and Orange Avenue, Sarasota, Florida, USA. The SMA Prep Middle School which serves students from grades 6-8 is located on Bethel Lane while the SMA High School Campus on Orange Avenue serves students from grades 9 through 12.

The campuses offer excellent academics and character and leadership development which equips cadets – as the students there are called – with the skills, values, and education that will enable them to lead productive and fulfilling lives. SMA prepares students for careers, college, and citizenship.

4.     Utah Military Academy

Utah Military Academy was founded in 2013 in Riverdale, Utah, United States as a public co-ed institution where cadets are developed in the areas of leadership and character. The academy has the largest, nationally recognized Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corp (AFJROTC) program in the western region of the USA.

UMA also has two campuses namely Hill Field and Camp Williams. The school serves students in grades 7-12. There are various opportunities offered at UMA that are designed to help students in their respective future careers.

5.     Georgia Military College

Georgia Military Academy has been operating as a military academy since 1879 and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commissions on Colleges (SACSCOC). The college has 13 campuses all around Georgia but the main campus is in Milledgeville.

Over 16,000 students from more than 20 countries are enrolled in GMA and online courses are provided for more than 4,000 students. The military college offers associate and bachelor’s degree programs in more than business administration, computer science, paralegal studies, healthcare management, and many more.

6.     Kenosha Military Academy

KMA is one of the free military schools for troubled youths located in Kenosha, Wisconsin, United States. If your child has demonstrated an interest to pursue a career in the Army, Navy, Air Force, CIA Agent, law enforcement officer, educator, FBI Agent, or security guard then you should enroll them in Kenosha Military Academy.

At KMA, students have the opportunity to participate in an intensive 4-year JROTC program designed to enhance the core curriculum. Troubled youths that are brought here come into a healthy and vibrant environment with teachers and mental health professionals that will help set them on the right path and become outstanding members of society.

7.     Carver Military Academy

Carver Military Academy is a free military high school for troubled youth located in Chicago, Illinois, USA. The school has been in operation since 1947 and has over 70 years of experience in dealing with troubled youths. The academy creates lifelong learners through its rigorous, inquiry-based, college prep curriculum.

Departments in CMA include the math department, science department, foreign language, JROTC, computer science, AP, Dual Credit, and Honors Classes. There is also an athletic department.

8.     Virginia Military Institute

Virginia Military Institute was founded in 1839 becoming the first state military college and also the oldest public senior military college in the US. Parents dealing with troubled youth can send them here to instill in them lifelong values of integrity, devotion to duty, self-discipline, and self-reliance to become better versions of themselves and have a bright future ahead of them.

VMI offers 4-year programs in engineering, the sciences, and the humanities. There is also an ROTC program for those who would like to pursue a career in the military.

9.     Chicago Military Academy

Chicago Military Academy is one of the free military schools for troubled youth founded in 1999 and located in Chicago, Illinois, United States. The school has professionals that are experienced in dealing with troubled youths as well as an environment and a curriculum that hugely contributes to students (cadets) becoming potential leaders and responsible citizens.

Free Military Schools For Troubled Youth In Georgia

Residents of Georgia looking for a free military school in the state to send their child to can check out the following schools:

  • Riverside Military Academy
  • Georgia Military College
  • Benedictine Military School
  • Youth Challenge Academy at Fort Gordon

Free Military Schools For Troubled Youth In NC

For residents of North Carolina, below are some of the military schools that troubled youths can enroll into:

  • Tarheel Challenge Academy
  • Oak Ridge Military Academy
  • Wolf Creek Academy
  • Ashville Academy for Girls

There you have a wide list of options on the military schools for troubled youth located in different parts of the United States. If you still don’t see a befitting military school, the recommendations below will help you out.

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