Exciting Weekend!
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scoutpilot
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First choice?
scoutpilot
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Infantry.
It's a lock. It only went out one year that I know of, and when it did USMA went back to DA and got more slots so no one was denied it.
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It's the only branch- all the others are just kind of "helping branches." You know- good to have around, make things easier but you can get by in a pinch without them!Infantry.
Good luck to your son!
scoutpilot
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It's the only branch- all the others are just kind of "helping branches." You know- good to have around, make things easier but you can get by in a pinch without them!
Good luck to your son!
Haha, nice.
We always liked to remind the Infantry: Remember that we can do your job, but you can't do ours!
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It goes out every year. Otherwise, nobody would ADSO for it and it wouldn't go out so high in the class. Last year's records show it was the 5th branch to close out. It closed out 2nd out of the combat arms branches.
scoutpilot
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Well, it's not every year (you've been there for one branch night, right?). The question is "did anyone get denied?" In my class, it did not go out. Armor went out though. When '02 closed it out, they got more slots. If they get extra slots to give it to whoever wants it, then it will always "appear" to close out, but everyone will still get a slot. If everyone gets a slit, it didn't close.
That's one of the luxuries of USMA branching early. Slots can be altered in the ROTC pool to give USMA what they want. Now, it is possible that they will not do that anymore. That may very well have changed. On that, I defer to your more recent experience.
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Well, I figured if it went out in the 400's out of a class of 1000 that it must have closed since the probability of nobody below 400 in the class wanting Infantry is pretty low. Also the existence of people having ADSO for that branch shows it must have closed out since ADSO only applies if you would not have gotten the branch without it. I will update for this year once the results come out.
From my understanding, it changes constantly. For example rumor has it that aviation went out in the comma club this year due to that specific branch's uniqueness (physicals, flight test, etc). And infantry wasn't a popular branch just a few years ago. Perhaps "it goes out every year" was not the best wording. It would be more accurate to say that no branch is 100% guaranteed and any may close out at any time depending on that year's popularity.
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scoutpilot
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The comma club? Not familiar with that term. I know that it went out at 624 out 945 when I branched, as best friend was #624 in the class, and the lowest guy to get it!
He is well within the top 400 so I expect him to get Infantry, but until it is official anything can happen.
AF correct me if I'm wrong...I think the comma club is the top 100 or less, say the class has 1,094 cadets-the comma club would be the top 94.
scoutpilot
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My guess would be it's the other way around...the comma club would be those whose class rank NEEDS a comma, e.g. cadet #1,000 vs. cadet #999
Very interesting. I always thought aviation was one of the more popular choices with fewer slots than many branches, so it would close much higher up.
mom3boys
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I don't think aviation goes that low, sorry...have always heard it went out much, much higher...but at any rate, shhhhh....son has been working his arse off for a good rank as he thought he needed to be highly ranked to get it...would hate for him to start slacking now! 
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Oh, I have no doubt he will receive his branch, especially being way up there. Let us know once its official!
Bingo!
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It usually does go out pretty high. Aviation has requirements (unlike the other branches). In order to branch aviation you must qualify physically and take an aptitude flight test. This all has to be done by a certain time. Many cadets wait until the last minute or miss the deadline and a good amount are also disqualified physically. Due to this, aviation can go out at farther branches since it is not based solely on demand. I am sure Scout is more knowledgeable in all the exact requirements of aviation than I am so he may be able to elaborate on them.
Now, this is not official (yet?). It is just what I have heard from multiple sources (the branches haven't been officially released but obviously the results are in and some people know). I would do some investigation but there is no need since we will all know in 2 more days. I will post results as soon as I have them.
As far as it having few slots, it had the 4th most slots last year out of the 16 branches (111).
scoutpilot
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Yup. Your combat arms (MFE) branches will always have the most slots, as they are the basis for maneuver units (infantry, armor, engineers, aviation) and fires units ( field artillery). Just think about it from a numbers standpoint. In aviation battalion you need about 24 aviation officers, but only one officer from signal, MI, AG, Chem, etc.
