Branching

cadetwife

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Jul 29, 2016
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My husband and I got married at the beginning of the semester, and he is in Army ROTC now approaching his senior year. We're trying to get as much information as we can so we can try to decide together what he will choose as his top options for branching. Obviously we're considering many options and we're trying to determine what would be best for us.

My first question is how does this work? He puts in the branches he's most interested and depending on his OML points they just kind of go from there?

My second question is about choosing the branch. He is heavily considering military police. What does military police look like for an officer? We both want to minimize the time we have to be away from each other, so is there any particular branch that doesnt deploy as much as others?

My third question is active duty, reserve, or national Guard? What are the pros and cons?

All the information I've recieved so far has been one-sided ("This option is the best because...") so I hoped to get some real information on here about what the different options are so we can hopefully come into this more prepared.

Thanks in advance!!
 
My husband and I got married at the beginning of the semester, and he is in Army ROTC now approaching his senior year. We're trying to get as much information as we can so we can try to decide together what he will choose as his top options for branching. Obviously we're considering many options and we're trying to determine what would be best for us.

While it may seem great to make these decisions together, in the end your husband should be making branch selections based on his interest and opportunities, he is the one that will be doing the job everyday.

My first question is how does this work? He puts in the branches he's most interested and depending on his OML points they just kind of go from there?

Yes, this is how it works, the higher up the OML the better chance he has at getting one of his first 3 choices, over the last couple years the cadets receiving one of their top 3 choices is in the 90 percentile.

My second question is about choosing the branch. He is heavily considering military police. What does military police look like for an officer? We both want to minimize the time we have to be away from each other, so is there any particular branch that doesn't deploy as much as others?

Can't tell you much about MP, but I can say that no matter which branch your husband selects there will always be the possibility of deployment. Deployment is not the only thing that can result in being gone, there are many training situations that will take him from home for a while. There is always Rotations that could last up to 9 months where you can't go with him. Be prepared, there will be times you are not together, if this is a major problem, you need to start working it out now before it becomes a bigger problem down the road....and yes, even NG and Reserve soldiers get deployed and go to training.

My third question is active duty, reserve, or national Guard? What are the pros and cons?

With National Guard and Reserves he will need to get a civilian job. He will be gone to training one weekend a month and at least two weeks a year, there can always be other training that comes up. This is on top of the BOLC training he will receive once he commissions. If your husband can find a NG/Reserve unit close to your hometown you don't have to move. You can live in the same city without having to PCS after 3 years to another location.
With Active Duty he will have a job right out of college, the downside is you will be moving at least once which is also an upside to some. In Active Duty he will probably have more training that will take him away from home for a week or so, sometimes longer, sometimes shorter.


All the information I've recieved so far has been one-sided ("This option is the best because...") so I hoped to get some real information on here about what the different options are so we can hopefully come into this more prepared.

Just one piece of advice, make sure your husband makes these decisions based on what he feels will work best for him while communicating with you. If he makes these decisions just to make you happy then there will be major issues down the road. This is not all a surprise, you married a person with an obligation to the military. That decision comes with some sacrifice on both your parts, just keep that in mind.

Thanks in advance!!

Answers are written in red within your quoted post.
 
Just one piece of advice, make sure your husband makes these decisions based on what he feels will work best for him while communicating with you. If he makes these decisions just to make you happy then there will be major issues down the road. This is not all a surprise, you married a person with an obligation to the military. That decision comes with some sacrifice on both your parts, just keep that in mind.

That cannot be stressed enough. Bullet served 21 yrs ADAF. For all of those years I use to say that I was his mistress and the AF was his wife. If the AF said move, we moved. If they said deploy to the sandbox, than he deployed. It did not matter whether or not he was not there for the kids 1st birthday, their 1st Holy Communion, your 10th wedding anniversary, if a hurricane is barreling down where you live, etc. etc. etc.
~My son and DIL are expecting their 1st child. How did he find out he was going to be a Dad? Skype. 1 week after he left for a 5 month deployment she found out that she was pregnant. He came home last week, and will be sent to a training school for career progression (tactical pilot training) in 3 weeks for 3 weeks. All in all, it will total to be 6 months of her 9 months pregnant that he will be gone. They already have on the books at his squadron to deploy again in Jan. 6 months home, and he will turn around again for another 5 month deployment. That is the obligation of a military member and the sacrifices the family will pay for loving them.
~ The running joke/cliche ...if they wanted you to have a family they would have issued you one....exists for a reason
~~ Nobody flame me. I loved every tour we did, all 11 moves over 21 years, but the reality was I knew that my kids and myself would always bow to the needs of the AF.

I am going to be interested to see what Army posters say about how often MPs are deployed.
~ AF bases are 100% ID check. Their bases are not like Bragg or Ft. Rich or even Belvoir where you can drive through the base without passing a gate. 99% of all AF bases are what is called "closed". That means you cannot get on without going through a manned/armed gate where they will make sure you have a military ID to get on base or at least be cleared through the visitor center and given a pass.
~~ 15 years ago these gates were manned by enlisted airmen. Now they are guarded by contracted civilians. Why? Because they deploy so much to the sandbox (Iraq/Kuwait/Afghanistan, etc) that they don't have enough to keep guarding base gates.

I get you are new to this, and I will say Jcleppe gave invaluable advice regarding how to approach your future. Also understand that certain career fields will have a lot of training that will be considered a TDY. TDY is when they are gone for less than 6 months, at least for the AF. Anything over 6 months is considered a PCS (move) where families may come with them.
~ I.E. My DS got married Memorial Day weekend in 2014. They went on their honeymoon for a week, but the kicker was when they arrived at the airport to fly back, he got on one plane and she got on another one. Why? Because the AF said you have to go to water survival for the next 3 weeks. Upon completing that he had to go to Land Survival for another 3 weeks . She went home as a newlywed and lived with her folks for almost 2 months until he PCSd. By their 9th month anniversary they had spent 2 months apart, lived together as a married couple in 2 different states (LA and TX). That can be your life in the AD world.

As a spouse of an AF officer, and now a Mom of an AF officer that gives rides to the Army (pilot), this world is amazing. I miss it everyday still. However, I think for me, I just accepted the fact that I was along for the ride. I supported all of his decisions regarding his career choices, because I understood that if he hated what he was doing, life at home was not going to be fun.
~ No flaming again. I did have a voice in the decision making process, but it really came down to what was best for his career progression that always won. I am a Jersey girl, trust me, Mt. Home, Idaho, hub of Elmore County, pop. 8K people, or as my family and friends called it....B F Egypt, was not somewhere I ever thought I would reside, but we did....and I loved every second of it! Nor did I think I would live in Oh My God No Alamorgordo, but there I was. Without those tours I would not have seen a beautiful city like Boise, the Snake River, Las Cruces, Carlsbad Caverns. etc. etc. etc.

My point is no matter where he goes, what he does, deployments are part of his life, and you can't walk in thinking one career field will be deployed less than another. Because honestly another cliche is true in that situation. People plan....God laughs!

What you can do as a spouse is embrace the life. Have your own life too. That means wherever you land if you can't find a job, volunteer with the FRG (Family Resources Group), go to the spouses coffees, explore the area. IOWS be independent! If you don't and he deploys it can become incredibly lonely, which in turn will create stress within your marriage. Not only is that true from a deployment aspect, but as a spouse your non-military friends and family may have trouble relating to your life.
~ What do you mean they are going to deploy him? Don't they know you are pregnant? Why can't they send someone in his stead?
~ What do you mean you can't come home for Thanksgiving or Cousin Anne's wedding because they won't allow him leave?
~ Wait, what again are you talking about when you say they are going to send him TDY prior to PCSing and they will only guarantee 10 days in the Qs because we are staying CONUS and now we have to find a home that covers our BAH rates because we know we can't get on base housing.
~ Are you serious, they are going to make you move to Ft. Bliss? Can't he say NO?

You may think I am joking, but I am not. My friends, my DIL and myself have all lived through those questions/statements. It can become hard to live this life if you do not embrace it with those that are in the same boat.

It is really an amazing life that as a spouse you will look back on with smiles if you just go with the flow. Thank you for supporting him and joining the military family. Good luck.
 
I thought component preferences were entered in the spring of MSIII year, with the changes in the accession process last year. If he's entering his senior year that decision should have already been made.
 
I thought component preferences were entered in the spring of MSIII year, with the changes in the accession process last year. If he's entering his senior year that decision should have already been made.

I believe there is still time to make changes, I would assume so since they still have Branching briefs at CLC. If I understand correctly the cadets now make their wish list for component and Branches at the end of their MS3 year but still have the opportunity to change it early in the MS4 year.

Of course someone going through the process now would need to confirm this.
 
Jcleppe is correct. Son just completed Adv Camp with the 6th Reg. He found the Branching seminars especially helpful. He's currently at Ft. Carson shadowing a QM for CTLT. He's thankful he can adjust his branch list when he gets back to school, as the experience has solidified QM as his first choice. It's not glamorous, but his degree in operations management and proclivity towards logistics makes it a great fit.
 
Jcleppe is correct. Son just completed Adv Camp with the 6th Reg. He found the Branching seminars especially helpful. He's currently at Ft. Carson shadowing a QM for CTLT. He's thankful he can adjust his branch list when he gets back to school, as the experience has solidified QM as his first choice. It's not glamorous, but his degree in operations management and proclivity towards logistics makes it a great fit.

Great choice of post for CTLT.
 
My second question is about choosing the branch. He is heavily considering military police. What does military police look like for an officer? We both want to minimize the time we have to be away from each other, so is there any particular branch that doesnt deploy as much as others?

We have an acquaintance that is an MP and has been in the Army for 15 years. He has deployed to the "sandbox" (4) times and expects to return at least once more before he gets out. He loves his assignment because he says they are essentially doing the same job as those in Infantry except that they are more likely to be in some type of vehicle rather than on foot as much as those in the Infantry.

I didn't read every response in regards to Active Duty vs NG vs Reserve but both my kids went AD and have no regrets. Based on your post only, the benefit to AD is he would be done with his active commitment in (4) years. Yeah, he'd still be able to technically be recalled for (4) add'l years but unless things blow up, that's unlikely. If he goes NG or Reserve, he's be going to drill once a month (plus 2 weeks every Summer I believe) for the full (8) years. How often he's deployed would probably depend on the unit he's assigned to. I have friends I work with that are in a Reserve "Transportation" unit out here on the West Coast and he's only been re-called twice in 17 years.
 
Common statement for MP's. No offense to your acquaintance, but MP's may think they're doing what the Infantry is doing, but they're not. I'm sure on his deployments his job was similar because everyone was doing the same thing, but those branches are very different. The jobs and training are very different. Additionally, infantry has vehicles to, and in the Stryker/Mech world they spend a lot of time in them.

I've been in an infantry company since I got out of BOLC and the closest thing to infantry I've seen was engineers we had attached to us for their breaching capabilities. And they still weren't like the infantry.
 
For the first 3 years in the Army as a Medical Platoon Leader, I was "with" my wife for 9 months. As an MP, TDA (non deployable) assignments are at a premium. Just be prepared and good luck.
 
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