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

DogCarbon said:
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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Honestly, I'm not certain. Currently, there is no conduit to go from West Point into the veterinary corps. He MIGHT be able to do it later on, using either ACS or a professional services program. If you would like, PM me and I can call the branch rep at HRC or here on post and ask how one gets into the veterinary corps.

The short answer is no, you can't be a vet from West Point. The long answer is...maybe, but I need to dig into it.
 
Thanks for such a QUICK answer!

I will pass along the info, and let it up to the young gentleman and his family to contact you.

Again, thanks for the super-duper quick answer!
 
DogCarbon said:
Thanks for such a QUICK answer!

I will pass along the info, and let it up to the young gentleman and his family to contact you.

Again, thanks for the super-duper quick answer!
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No problem. I will post this here for the benefit of all. I just spoke with a branch rep at Veterinary Branch at HRC.

Essentially for him, no, there is no way to branch transfer into the Vet Corps unless he already has a DVM. He will be commissioned in a different branch and thus will not be able to transfer into the VC.

There is a HPSP scholarship for vet school, but it's only a 2-year or 3-year scholarship and they draw from the civilian pool of vet students, commission them as reserve LTs, and then they are obligated for 36 months of service thereafter.

Sounds like he's out of luck on this one. But if he's that smart, people need good doctors, too!
 
Scout,

I want to do what is called Branch Detail for IN to MI. However, all I have heard about it has come from ROTC PMS's and other connections there. Do you know if this can be done from USMA?
 
mtnman17 said:
Scout,

I want to do what is called Branch Detail for IN to MI. However, all I have heard about it has come from ROTC PMS's and other connections there. Do you know if this can be done from USMA?
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Yes, they are. However, I'm not sure if you understand it correctly. Branch details only go one way. Force Support Branch officers would be detailed to a Maneuver/Fires/Effects branch.

That is to say, you could be commissioned as an MI officer and do a detail as an infantry officer for 2-3 years. You could not be branched as an infantry officer and do a detail to MI. Based on how you wrote it, I wasn't sure which way you wanted to go.

Branch details are at the discretion of the branch strength managers
 
scoutpilot said:
Yes, they are. However, I'm not sure if you understand it correctly. Branch details only go one way. Force Support Branch officers would be detailed to a Maneuver/Fires/Effects branch.

That is to say, you could be commissioned as an MI officer and do a detail as an infantry officer for 2-3 years. You could not be branched as an infantry officer and do a detail to MI. Based on how you wrote it, I wasn't sure which way you wanted to go.

Branch details are at the discretion of the branch strength managers
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That's exactly what I wanted to do. I just had the process backwards. I assumed that I would be commissioned as IN and right before I reach Capt be 'transfered' to MI. But you made it much clearer. Thanks.

Basically I want to go IN for a couple of years but then switch to MI right as I would be making capt, when I've really only got another 3 or 4 years (ish) to be leading platoons and doing mostly smaller unit stuff anyways. Then I want to get into what I realllllyyyyyyy want to do.

Is it a common pathway to take?
 
mtnman17 said:
That's exactly what I wanted to do. I just had the process backwards. I assumed that I would be commissioned as IN and right before I reach Capt be 'transfered' to MI. But you made it much clearer. Thanks.

Basically I want to go IN for a couple of years but then switch to MI right as I would be making capt, when I've really only got another 3 or 4 years (ish) to be leading platoons and doing mostly smaller unit stuff anyways. Then I want to get into what I realllllyyyyyyy want to do.

Is it a common pathway to take?
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Common enough. Our battalion adjutant is an AG Corps officer, but spent his first 3 years branch detailed infantry. My best friend was a finance officer, but spent 3 years branch detailed to ADA.
 
mtnman17 said:
Is it a common pathway to take?
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Out of the 70 cadets who branched MI last year, 20 of them branch detailed. 10 of those branch detailed into IN.

71 cadets branch detailed total, more than half of those (39) into IN.
 
America's Finest said:
Out of the 70 cadets who branched MI last year, 20 of them branch detailed. 10 of those branch detailed into IN.

71 cadets branch detailed total, more than half of those (39) into IN.
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Also, FYSA, some branches are not open to branch details. You cannot branch detail to aviation, for example.
 
Wow. Thanks for the info guys. The numbers really help. Good to see that it isn't a once in a blue moon opportunity.
 
Is aviation branch the only way to fly or can officers fly Medevac? Is that an aviation branch job or medical service corps position? My dd is interested--but I am not too worried as the girl can't drive stick!
 
KNP said:
Is aviation branch the only way to fly or can officers fly Medevac? Is that an aviation branch job or medical service corps position? My dd is interested--but I am not too worried as the girl can't drive stick!
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MEDEVAC pilots on the commissioned officer side are Medical Service Corps Officers (63J), whereas all other commissioned aviators are Aviation Branch (15A/B).
 
Out of curiosity, why would medevac pilots be commissioned by the Medical Service Corps instead of the Aviation branch? Unless I am mistaken, medevac pilots fly the UH-60 airframe-- why wouldn't they just be trained alongside the other pilots slotted for a Blackhawk? Are there really that many differences in how you fly the helicopter if you're flying medevac or or if you're flying in a Blackhawk's normal role?
 
jake s said:
Out of curiosity, why would medevac pilots be commissioned by the Medical Service Corps instead of the Aviation branch? Unless I am mistaken, medevac pilots fly the UH-60 airframe-- why wouldn't they just be trained alongside the other pilots slotted for a Blackhawk? Are there really that many differences in how you fly the helicopter if you're flying medevac or or if you're flying in a Blackhawk's normal role?
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You, my friend, are discovering the peculiarities of the Army. Medical Service Corps is the proponent for MEDEVAC because...well, because they won that argument.

Now, as to your second point, they are trained alongside all the other UH-60 pilots. It's their career that is managed by MS branch. They have a different career path and timeline than aviators. There has been some discussion about making MEDEVAC pilots AV officers. On the warrant side, they already are. UH-60 warrant officers can bounce among assault, GS, and MEDEVAC roles.
 
I know women aren't allowed to join the Special Forces, but can they join another branch of the Special Operations Force...such as PsyOps (MISO)?
 
blmurray1 said:
I know women aren't allowed to join the Special Forces, but can they join another branch of the Special Operations Force...such as PsyOps (MISO)?
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Yes, women commonly go into MISO and Civil Affairs, both of which fall under SOF (USASOC).
 
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