What do I want to be when I grow up to be an Army officer?

My question is mainly for scoutpilot but I also welcome the advice of anyone with experience dealing with SOF.

While I realize that a cadet cannot branch Special Forces, have a first post assignment with a Ranger battallion, the 160th SOAR, etc., when in an officer's career would they "make the jump" over to SOF from the big Army?

What branches allow their officers to move into Special Operations Forces units? Are there only certain branches whose officers can go to SFAS and other units' equivalent selection processes? I'm assuming that only Infantry can go to a Ranger Battallion and of course only aviation officers can go out for 160th SOAR.

What are the responsibilities of an officer in a high speed, low drag unit such as the ones mentioned above? How do their career experiences differ from enlisted personnel in the same units? I have read on the USNA threads of this forum that officers in the SEALs tend to move to staff jobs and higher command roles after O-3 and move away from "kicking in doors." Does the same hold true for the Army's SOF?

Are there any specific qualities that infantry or aviation officers possess that indicate potential success in SOF units? What sets apart an SOF officer from a normal Fires, Maneuvers, and Effects officer?
 
jake s said:
While I realize that a cadet cannot branch Special Forces, have a first post assignment with a Ranger battallion, the 160th SOAR, etc., when in an officer's career would they "make the jump" over to SOF from the big Army?
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It depends on what type of SOF unit (SF, SOAR, Psyops/MISO, or Civil Affairs). Generally they start looking for you to assess as a 1LT or very junior CPT. You can assess later for units like 160th, but it affects your timeline in the unit.


What branches allow their officers to move into Special Operations Forces units? Are there only certain branches whose officers can go to SFAS and other units' equivalent selection processes? I'm assuming that only Infantry can go to a Ranger Battallion and of course only aviation officers can go out for 160th SOAR.
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All branches can assess for Special Forces. The only exception would be JAG/Medical Corps because of the commitment owed to the Army in exchange for funded schooling. Other branches can go to Ranger Regiment and 160th. Ranger Regiment and 160th have many staff and support roles that require MOS's other than infantry and aviation.

What are the responsibilities of an officer in a high speed, low drag unit such as the ones mentioned above? How do their career experiences differ from enlisted personnel in the same units? I have read on the USNA threads of this forum that officers in the SEALs tend to move to staff jobs and higher command roles after O-3 and move away from "kicking in doors." Does the same hold true for the Army's SOF?
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Your responsibilities as an officer in SOF are the same responsibilities you'd have in a conventional unit: plan, execute, lead, and set the example. It's a different type of mission, but officers fill the same vital role in SOF that they do in conventional forces.

As for moving away from tactical roles as an officer, that is inevitable. That doesn't mean you aren't involved in very important roles and making vital decisions that affect the battlefield. It just may not be your boot that kicks the door anymore. As for the oft-mentioned door-kicking, remember that that is a small part of Special Forces. The SEALs do a lot of door-kicking because they are one-dimensional in that their big role is direct action and UW. The Rangers enjoy the same singular focus. Special Forces is designed around an entirel different ideal, which holds UW as part of a larger strategy of capacity-building. That's one of the reasons that everyone from the President to the SECDEF and CJCS point out that SOF is of paramount importance in the fight against extremism. I don't want to get too deep into the weeds, but if you're interested in SOF just be aware that it's an extremely complex and multi-faceted community which offers much more than just "kicking doors." I can explain more in depth via PM.

Are there any specific qualities that infantry or aviation officers possess that indicate potential success in SOF units? What sets apart an SOF officer from a normal Fires, Maneuvers, and Effects officer?
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Intelligence and teachability are big, but to a large extent that's a question that shares its answer with "What makes a good officer?" The worlds are not so different that one type of officer is forever distinguishable from the other. The truth is that many SOF officers bounce back to conventional roles for awhile, or even long term. There is a lot of overlap. Your best bet is to simply plan to excel at each job you're privileged to hold. The rest takes care of itself.
 
scoutpilot said:
No, cadets may branch Signal. The functional areas are not available.
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Thanks for the clarification. Do you know any cadets that were integrated into the Signal Corps? What are their opinions of it?

Also, what branches would you recommend cadets to strive for? Thanks
 
abeastlybeast said:
Thanks for the clarification. Do you know any cadets that were integrated into the Signal Corps? What are their opinions of it?

Also, what branches would you recommend cadets to strive for? Thanks
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I know many folks who branched signal. They are as happy as they choose to be, just like everyone else.

I have my own opinions on branches. However, I would no sooner tell you what to branch than I would tell you what car to buy or what underwear to wear. It's a purely personal decision, and in each case you must find the best fit.

If you have specific branch questions, please, fire away.
 
scoutpilot said:
I know many folks who branched signal. They are as happy as they choose to be, just like everyone else.

I have my own opinions on branches. However, I would no sooner tell you what to branch than I would tell you what car to buy or what underwear to wear. It's a purely personal decision, and in each case you must find the best fit.

If you have specific branch questions, please, fire away.
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Why are cadets not permitted to branch directly into Special Forces?
 
scoutpilot said:
Because Special Forces officers and NCOs are selected through the Special Forces Assessment & Selection program.
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So it's still possible to eventually became a Special Forces Officer as a West Point graduate, correct? Is it easier for an officer to be "assessed and selected" for SF than an NCO?
 
abeastlybeast said:
So it's still possible to eventually became a Special Forces Officer as a West Point graduate, correct? Is it easier for an officer to be "assessed and selected" for SF than an NCO?
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Yes it is possible. Don't confuse branching out of USMA with where you'll end up. Branching is a start.

No, it is not easier as an officer. If anything, it's harder. Apples and oranges.
 
scoutpilot said:
Yes it is possible. Don't confuse branching out of USMA with where you'll end up. Branching is a start.

No, it is not easier as an officer. If anything, it's harder. Apples and oranges.
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What branch did you join upon graduation? Are you happy with your choice? Are you still primarily involved with the branch you began with, or have you gone towards another area of the Army? What kind of duty are you performing currently?

Thanks for the responses; I'm interested in any details about your service.
 
abeastlybeast said:
What branch did you join upon graduation? Are you happy with your choice? Are you still primarily involved with the branch you began with, or have you gone towards another area of the Army? What kind of duty are you performing currently?

Thanks for the responses; I'm interested in any details about your service.
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PM me and we can discuss it further. However, I'd counsel you to think less about SOF and more about the job you know you'll have in the conventional force.
 
I might sound cynical here, but here is my advice:

Don't worry much about specifically what you will be doing in the army/air force/whatever branch you are interested in for now. It is a good idea to explore the different roles to help decide which service is right for you, but don't pidgenhole yourself into a branch of the army before you even have any experience or exposure to anything that job would entail. At USMA you will be exposed to many different parts of the army to help you make an educated decision, and spending a lot of time thinking about it in high school isnt really useful. Have an idea about what you might be interested in, but don't make up your mind just yet. :thumb: Just my .02
 
BeatNavy said:
I might sound cynical here, but here is my advice:

Don't worry much about specifically what you will be doing in the army/air force/whatever branch you are interested in for now. It is a good idea to explore the different roles to help decide which service is right for you, but don't pidgenhole yourself into a branch of the army before you even have any experience or exposure to anything that job would entail. At USMA you will be exposed to many different parts of the army to help you make an educated decision, and spending a lot of time thinking about it in high school isnt really useful. Have an idea about what you might be interested in, but don't make up your mind just yet. :thumb: Just my .02
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I agree with what you're saying, I'm just trying to picture myself in different areas of the Army. I'm open to many different branches and I believe I'll be happy with what I'm eventually assigned to.
 
Question:
What are the differences, if any, between assignments for male and female MPs and HumInt officers? I understand that female combat engineers/sappers are not allowed to be assigned to units below division and I would like to know if these restricted assignments applies to MP and HumInt as well. Thanks!
 
mvt93 said:
Question:
What are the differences, if any, between assignments for male and female MPs and HumInt officers? I understand that female combat engineers/sappers are not allowed to be assigned to units below division and I would like to know if these restricted assignments applies to MP and HumInt as well. Thanks!
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Oh, that's not true at all. Female engineers are assigned well below the division level. Many female engineers will serve in multi-role bridging companies and various horizontal/vertical engineering companies. While some of these units are division assets, that is different in meaning than not being assigned below division.

Female MPs serve at all levels, down to the PL level in a Special Troops Battalion HHC. Females can also serve in some roles on HUMINT teams.
 
Ah okay. Thank you for clarifying that for me sir. Perhaps I read the reg wrong. I do have one more question: what exactly does being a HUMINT officer entail? I know they go out and gather intel from locals as well as interrogations. However, I can't see females being allowed to do these jobs. I can't seem to find a difinitve answer on the internet. Thank you again sir.
 
mvt93 said:
Ah okay. Thank you for clarifying that for me sir. Perhaps I read the reg wrong. I do have one more question: what exactly does being a HUMINT officer entail? I know they go out and gather intel from locals as well as interrogations. However, I can't see females being allowed to do these jobs. I can't seem to find a difinitve answer on the internet. Thank you again sir.
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There's no such thing as a HUMINT officer. You would be an MI officer, and be billeted in a HUMINT role.

Females frequently are involved in such things. Remember, in the cultural environment of central and southwest Asia, women do not speak to men outside their family often, if at all. Female interrogators and HUMINT soldiers are vital to leveraging intel from the female portion of the population.
 
For those that went to USMA, when the time came to select a branch, how informed were you on the day to day activities of a new officer in that branch? Did your knowledge come more from informal sources or formal sources?
 
PotentialParent said:
For those that went to USMA, when the time came to select a branch, how informed were you on the day to day activities of a new officer in that branch? Did your knowledge come more from informal sources or formal sources?
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The majority of information will come from a mix of both formal and informal sources. The formal sources are mostly centered around the textbook roles of each branch, which can be slightly outmoded and not reflective of reality. The informal sources are good for filling in the gaps, and are plentiful.
 
Health Services is a new category, with one subheading

Army Medical Department (AMEDD): Medical Corps, Nurse Corps, Dental Corps, Veterinary Corps, Medical Service Corps. Only Med Service is available to cadets.
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This is copied from the first post.

I have a friend who's son, who is sophmore, is interested in medical or veterinary school. I am to understand veterinary school is out of picture once he would have complete his education at USMA?
 
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