Unit/Division choice after graduation

navyorairforce19

Prospective Cadet/Mdshpmn
5-Year Member
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May 31, 2011
Messages
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I know that each cadet has the opportunity to request their specific branch after graduation. However i was just wondering if a specific unit could be requested once the branch of choice was confirmed, for example: an airborne unit.
 
I know that each cadet has the opportunity to request their specific branch after graduation. However i was just wondering if a specific unit could be requested once the branch of choice was confirmed, for example: an airborne unit.

If it stays the same by the time you're a Firstie then you'll get to pick your post, brigade, and BOLC start date.
 
I know that it changes every year, but does anyone know if there is a published list for The Class of 2012 (or 2011/any prior class really) of all the selection options?
 
I know that it changes every year, but does anyone know if there is a published list for The Class of 2012 (or 2011/any prior class really) of all the selection options?

While I do not have the Class of 2012's selection list, you can estimate what will be available. It depends on your branch. If, say, you are selected by the Infantry Branch your brigade and post options will look something like this (no particular order and not based on anything official):

1. Fort Bragg, 82nd, 3rd Brigade (Airborne)
2. Fort Campbell, 101st, 3rd Brigade (Air Assault)
3. Fort Stewart, 3rd ID, 4th Brigade (Mechanized)
4. Fort Hood, 1st CAV, 2nd Brigade (Mechanized)
5. Hawaii, 25th, 2nd Brigade (Light)
6. etc,etc

If you are not Infantry, but Armor, Artillery, Engineers, your choices will look similar. Less light assignments for the Armor, obviously. If you are aviation, you have to go to flight school.
 
Related question: here, SWOs get to see a list of deployment schedules, if a ship's going to the yards, etc. for the ships they're interested in.
Do cadets get to do anything similar for units they're looking into or do they just make the decision based off location/follow-on schools/airborne vs. mech/etc?
 
Related question: here, SWOs get to see a list of deployment schedules, if a ship's going to the yards, etc. for the ships they're interested in.
Do cadets get to do anything similar for units they're looking into or do they just make the decision based off location/follow-on schools/airborne vs. mech/etc?

Luckily you don't have to worry about that one though, right?

It's an interesting question. Is the selection process based entirely off of grades? Things are becoming more selective in regards to flight school and sectors at CGA. And of course the 110' Patrol Boats are restricted to males.
 
Just one last question. Would you be more likely to secure a spot in an airborne division by earning your parachutist badge while at west point?
 
Each year, the Army designates the number of Cadets that will go into each branch (x number Infantry, y number artillery, z number aviation, and so on for each branch) based on the needs of the Army.
In the past, the selection of branches was completely by class standing. The first person in the class got their choice of branch - that then uses-up one slot in that branch. The #2 gets the next choice, 3rd in class gets the next choice etc to the bottom of the class. At some point in this process branchs are closed - that is all the avalible slots are taken. Cadets can then choose any branch that still has slots when his or her name come up based on class rank.
This year they allowed people to request their branch and that was in some way considered in this process. I am not sure exactly how it worked. I am told that next year more changes in the process will be made. In short, this process has been directly related to the Class Standing in the past but some additional factors will be considered in the future.
 
A big topic of discussion before post night is the "patch chart." The patch chart shows what units are slotted for upcoming deployments. Apparently the patch chart changes frequently though so it's not a guarantee. Some TACs and TAC NCOs have access to the patch chart along with a few other instructors at the Academy.
 
By the time any of our current candidates graduate, there won't be a patch chart. There will be people in the class of 2012 who will not deploy.
 
Each year, the Army designates the number of Cadets that will go into each branch (x number Infantry, y number artillery, z number aviation, and so on for each branch) based on the needs of the Army.
In the past, the selection of branches was completely by class standing. The first person in the class got their choice of branch - that then uses-up one slot in that branch. The #2 gets the next choice, 3rd in class gets the next choice etc to the bottom of the class. At some point in this process branchs are closed - that is all the avalible slots are taken. Cadets can then choose any branch that still has slots when his or her name come up based on class rank.
This year they allowed people to request their branch and that was in some way considered in this process. I am not sure exactly how it worked. I am told that next year more changes in the process will be made. In short, this process has been directly related to the Class Standing in the past but some additional factors will be considered in the future.

Partially accurate. The Class of 2012 ran through a trial run where there was a different selection process that considered some other factors, but they received their branches based solely on the traditional order of merit list. The idea is that they will transition to the new branching system in the next few years. I don't believe they'll be able to work out all the kinks in time for 2013 though that's been said to be the target.
 
Maybe I am getting too old....

But when did being called a Soldier, Sailor, or Airmen for the greatest country the world has ever known stopped being enough?

Why do we now have to seek out a certain Unit to think of ourselves successful?

To this day, I am still just as proud to be called a MARINE as the day I earned that title back in 1976. It doesn't matter if I was enlisted or an officer, I was a Marine first! It doesn't matter what unit I served with....but that I was a member of the US Marine Corps!

I know old Soldiers, Sailors, and Airmen who think the same way, so I know it wasn't always this way. I sure wish todays generation carries that on!

What I find interesting is that when you ask a service member what they do they'll say "I'm in the Coast Guard". Or "I'm in the Army". When you ask a Marine he'll say "I AM a Marine"
 
Maybe I am getting too old....

But when did being called a Soldier, Sailor, or Airmen for the greatest country the world has ever known stopped being enough?

Why do we now have to seek out a certain Unit to think of ourselves successful?

To this day, I am still just as proud to be called a MARINE as the day I earned that title back in 1976. It doesn't matter if I was enlisted or an officer, I was a Marine first! It doesn't matter what unit I served with....but that I was a member of the US Marine Corps!

I know old Soldiers, Sailors, and Airmen who think the same way, so I know it wasn't always this way. I sure wish todays generation carries that on!


Sir,

While I cannot speak for the firsties, I personally don't see being assigned to a certain unit as dependent on my personal success. The war in Afghanistan will be winding down shortly and if they truly want to deploy I can't find fault in their post choices. It's a personal decision if they want to use the patch chart to pick a unit; they're going to be serving at least five years either way and that's something to be proud of in itself.
 
What I find interesting is that when you ask a service member what they do they'll say "I'm in the Coast Guard". Or "I'm in the Army". When you ask a Marine he'll say "I AM a Marine"
It's a question of public knowledge of the terms we use.

If a Soldier were to say "I'm a soldier", most people in the general public wouldn't know that Soldier=Army. They think soldier = "anyone who carries a rifle", which could be Army, Marines, National Guard, etc. There is no such confusion with Marines since they share the same name with their Corps. It's all about making things clear for whomever you're speaking with. If a Sailor were to "I'm a Sailor", some in the public would not connect that with Sailor=Navy, as there are professional sport sailors, or Yachtsmen. Same with Airman... some in the public might wonder if that has something to do with Airlines, airline maintenance, Acrobatic flyer, or just look with a blank stare. Maybe 20% would connect it with Air Force. I know my nephew wouldn't lilely say, in answer to "what is your line of work?" -- "I'm a Sailor", he'd say "I'm a Naval Aviator", or more likely "I'm a Navy Pilot"
 
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