- Joined
- Feb 1, 2009
- Messages
- 827
Ok, this is a question mostly for our older members and veterans who I think will be able to help me out.
I know as a yuk, branching is still pretty far away (having to pick a major is a much closer decision), but I've been really looking into what I want to branch. You may have heard this, but USMA is making an overhaul of the branching system and I am liking what I hear so far - as individuals, we will "apply" for the branches of our choice, and the officers on the branch panel will review our applications and "accept" them and offer an invitation to join the branch. Really similar to applying for college.
Anyhow, I am considering Armor as my top choice right now. But after speaking with some officers over summer training and doing some research, I've realized that Armor as a branch has been left mostly on the sidelines - although heavy tracked vehicles were used in Iraq and Desert Storm/Shield, their use has been almost non-existent in the mountainous regions of Afghanistan. And with the troop drawdown and relative stability in Iraq, tanks aren't really being used anymore. An officer I spoke to at buckner told me that I won't be able to get as much combat experience as an armor officer and that training opportunities are decreased as well due to the military being cash-strapped.
Question: Is there a future for Armor and Armor officers? Its my passion and dream to work with heavy armoured vehicles but it seems that the nature of this war, as well as the rise of electronic/space/cyberspace warfare really puts tanks out of the equation.
Thank you
-CS
I know as a yuk, branching is still pretty far away (having to pick a major is a much closer decision), but I've been really looking into what I want to branch. You may have heard this, but USMA is making an overhaul of the branching system and I am liking what I hear so far - as individuals, we will "apply" for the branches of our choice, and the officers on the branch panel will review our applications and "accept" them and offer an invitation to join the branch. Really similar to applying for college.
Anyhow, I am considering Armor as my top choice right now. But after speaking with some officers over summer training and doing some research, I've realized that Armor as a branch has been left mostly on the sidelines - although heavy tracked vehicles were used in Iraq and Desert Storm/Shield, their use has been almost non-existent in the mountainous regions of Afghanistan. And with the troop drawdown and relative stability in Iraq, tanks aren't really being used anymore. An officer I spoke to at buckner told me that I won't be able to get as much combat experience as an armor officer and that training opportunities are decreased as well due to the military being cash-strapped.
Question: Is there a future for Armor and Armor officers? Its my passion and dream to work with heavy armoured vehicles but it seems that the nature of this war, as well as the rise of electronic/space/cyberspace warfare really puts tanks out of the equation.
Thank you
-CS