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USMA2016

Appointee - Class of 2016
5-Year Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2010
Messages
518
I'm applying to USMA as my #1 choice and I had a few jobs in the Army in mind.
Please, let me know your thoughts about them and what army schools (ranger, airborne, sapper, etc.) would help in that MOS.

35A - Military Intelligence Officer
19C - Cavalry Officer
25A - Signal Officer
37A - Psychological Operations Officer

Thanks everyone!
 
I don't think the schools will matter as much as your class rank at USMA. You see, the class is ranked in order of billet preference and the people higher up in the class have a greater chance of getting what they want. I know for USMA things that typically go first are Medical School, Flight School (Helo's), Engineers, and Intelligence
 
Your mind will change about Army jobs. Don't think about what job you want. You have things you need to complete before you get to that point. 20 meter targets first.
 
Your mind will change about Army jobs. Don't think about what job you want. You have things you need to complete before you get to that point. 20 meter targets first.

+1
 
I'm applying to USMA as my #1 choice and I had a few jobs in the Army in mind.
Please, let me know your thoughts about them and what army schools (ranger, airborne, sapper, etc.) would help in that MOS.

35A - Military Intelligence Officer
19C - Cavalry Officer
25A - Signal Officer
37A - Psychological Operations Officer

Thanks everyone!

Just so you know, you cannot branch as a "Cavalry" officer or a Psychological Operations Officer (no longer called PsyOps, incidentally).

Cavalry is not a branch, and thus you cannot be designated as a Cavalry Officer. Cavalry a type of unit to which you may or may not be assigned, which is something you ultimately have little ability to control. While in a cavalry unit you may wear crossed sabers, if your unit allows, but your branch will remain the branch in which you were commissioned. There are no 19-series career fields for officers.

Psychological Operations (now called MISO) is not available until later in your career, following an assessment and selection. You will branch into conventional force branches first, and you may apply to MISO later on.
 
Your mind will change about Army jobs. Don't think about what job you want. You have things you need to complete before you get to that point. 20 meter targets first.

+2
 
I don't think the schools will matter as much as your class rank at USMA. You see, the class is ranked in order of billet preference and the people higher up in the class have a greater chance of getting what they want. I know for USMA things that typically go first are Medical School, Flight School (Helo's), Engineers, and Intelligence

Really? What about Infantry? I thought that would actually be on top of the preferences!
 
It is, but there's a lot of infantry slots.

Oh alright.

I was actually wondering about something - I heard that Service Academy graduates actually have some reserved slots when it comes to Infantry Schools (namely, Airborne and Ranger Schools). Is that true?
 
Oh alright.

I was actually wondering about something - I heard that Service Academy graduates actually have some reserved slots when it comes to Infantry Schools (namely, Airborne and Ranger Schools). Is that true?

Yes, along with ROTC Cadets, USMA Cadets can attend Airborne, Air Assault, Diver, Northern and Mountain Warfare, CFT (for ROTC), Robin Sage and a few others. Not Ranger School, though. You attend these if you get a slot and have the time in the summer.

These schools are not just available to those wishing to branch Infantry...
 
Robin Sage

Isn't Robin Sage a SFQC (Special Forces Qualification Course) phase, rather than an individual course, according to Dick Couch's "Chosen Soldier". Perhaps you meant SERE?

And how come there are reserved slots in every (well, most) schools and not in Ranger school?


These schools are not just available to those wishing to branch Infantry...

Yeah I know, but I read in the book "No Excuse Leadership" (Ranger stories) that due to the sheer number of applicants, they had to narrow down to U.S. Army combat MOSs. Naturally, I thought Infantry (11X) would be at the top of that list.
 
Cadets have the opportunity to serve as role-players in support of Robin Sage training. They do not attend SFQC, for which RS is the culminating event.

One of the issues will sending cadets to Ranger is time. Even if you go straight through Ranger, you're looking at 9+ weeks. With a recycle you're talking 13+ weeks. It's hard to find a block of time to send cadets. Plus, it's a coveted school. Always lots of applicants.
 
Cadets have the opportunity to serve as role-players in support of Robin Sage training. They do not attend SFQC, for which RS is the culminating event.
This is the correct answer, BillSL, I didnt specify what the cadets actually did at Robin Sage.
 
Ah okay.

Is serving as a role-player in Robin Sage add anything to you (on paper and on skills)?

I suppose you would learn a few things about casualty care, communications, engneering, explosives, if you are one of the "rebels"?
 
Ah okay.

Is serving as a role-player in Robin Sage add anything to you (on paper and on skills)?

I suppose you would learn a few things about casualty care, communications, engneering, explosives, if you are one of the "rebels"?

No, you will not receive any extra qualifications for it. Nothing to put on your ORB. It's just a learning experience.
 
My current TAC, a AROTC Senior went 2 years ago and while he recieved no qualifications or badge, he said the learning experience he gained was very great. Being around the SF guys for multiple weeks, he said, helped him develop his own skills....and become a heavy smoker.
 
Ah okay.

Is serving as a role-player in Robin Sage add anything to you (on paper and on skills)?

I suppose you would learn a few things about casualty care, communications, engneering, explosives, if you are one of the "rebels"?

My MSG said that doing Robin Sage as tribesman (role player) was one of the most fun experiences he's had in the Army.
 
Would that role-playing help along if you wish to actually go to Robins sage? And also for AROTC cadets, what're the qualifications to go to schools like Airborne School, Air Assault school, etc? And how and when are they offered to cadets?
 
I don't think the schools will matter as much as your class rank at USMA. You see, the class is ranked in order of billet preference and the people higher up in the class have a greater chance of getting what they want. I know for USMA things that typically go first are Medical School, Flight School (Helo's), Engineers, and Intelligence


I would like to point out that USMA is planning on changing the process from a class-rank based process to an interview/characteristic based process where you are interviewed and evaluated (using your interests, characteristics, major, etc) and then placed into a branch that a panel feels you would best fit into.

At least that's what we were told this summer during CLDT.
 
I would like to point out that USMA is planning on changing the process from a class-rank based process to an interview/characteristic based process where you are interviewed and evaluated (using your interests, characteristics, major, etc) and then placed into a branch that a panel feels you would best fit into.

At least that's what we were told this summer during CLDT.

I like that idea. If it proves succesful, I wouldn't mind seeing it in ROTC.

As far as being a tibesman at Robin Sage helping you during the pipeline for SF? I'm sure it would, but it's such a small portion of the pipeline into SF, it's not a deciding factor by far.

In order to attend these schools, you need to get a slot from your unit. To get a slot, it can take numerous things depending on how your command runs it. For the best chances, have a good GPA, great PT and be involved.
 
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