Branch Night, Class of 2016

Sledge

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http://www.westpointaog.org/branchnightclsof2016

Here's the breakdown for the curious among us:

Branch Allocations

Air Defense - 49
Adjutant General - 30
Armor - 76
Aviation - 80
Chemical - 13
Cyber - 15
Engineers - 127
Field Artillery - 139
Finance - 7
Infantry - 200
Military Intelligence - 69
Military Police - 20
Medical Services - 20
Ordnance - 39
Quartermaster - 25
Signal Corps - 47
Transportation - 27
TOTAL – 983
**(95 cadets were branch detailed from Adjutant General [18], Finance [5], Military Intelligence [47], and Signal Corps [25] into Infantry [49], Armor [16], Field Artillery [22], and Chemical [8]).
 
Which is the most competitive?

I am not sure which is "the" most competitive.

Aviation and Medical Services are very competitive. Military Intelligence also, I believe.

On the other end of the scale, Chemical Corps is not prized and Field Artillery seems an easy get.
 
If we use the class rank, for my class, I believe Medical Service was gone within top 100, Finance was gone within top 200, Aviation was gone within top 500, Field Artillery was the last branch to get filled.


Thank you for the response. What about infantry?
 
Which is the most competitive?

I am not sure which is "the" most competitive.

If we use the class rank, for my class, I believe Medical Service was gone within top 100, Finance was gone within top 200, Aviation was gone within top 500, Field Artillery was the last branch to get filled.

I've wondered why Finance goes out early. I know it's partly due to the low number of slots, but that seems an incredibly boring branch. Yet, a squared away firstie in my son's company ranked it #1 and got it. Are these cadets that pick Finance thinking ahead to later civilian jobs?
 
If we use the class rank, for my class, I believe Medical Service was gone within top 100, Finance was gone within top 200, Aviation was gone within top 500, Field Artillery was the last branch to get filled.


Thank you for the response. What about infantry?

I think my class was around #700 +/=. I get a sense that recent classes are more combat arms oriented than my class (mid 90's). Have to remember the branching process changed as it is not solely based on class rank anymore. So in theory, if a cadet has weak PE and fitness scores and don't have a good packet (whatever that maybe), might not get Infantry even if he (for now) is academically ranked #1 in the class.
 
There are a couple of aspects of branch "competitiveness".

The obvious one is when they fill up. But that is heavily related to the small number of slots.

The less obvious one is the rank that it starts. IN and similar often start very high, a sign it is desirable. But since it has a larger number of slots, it is also accessible to more cadets.

This held true 2013-2015 for sure.
 
Pretty fascinating reading in Absolutely American about Branch Night. Ol' Iron Mike - and if guy #1 choose "Idiot Sticks!" Boy HOwdy! There's a roar!

Finance Rangers - I know the military needs them, but they always crack me up.
 
Pretty fascinating reading in Absolutely American about Branch Night. Ol' Iron Mike - and if guy #1 choose "Idiot Sticks!" Boy HOwdy! There's a roar!

Finance Rangers - I know the military needs them, but they always crack me up.
I would love to read an updated Absolutely American...so much has changed.
 
I would love to read an updated Absolutely American...so much has changed.

:thumb: I agree. Absolutely American (2003) and the National Geographic video, Surviving West Point (2002), are recommended so often to cadet candidates and parents, and while some things at West Point remain unchanged, both of these are definitely due for an update.
 
Does anyone have the FY16 chart available showing branch results?

Curious what you are looking for since the '16s are within a year of making Captain. Those numbers also won't mean much since in FY16 the Army was anticipating a drawdown that subsequently become an increase in end-strength.
 
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