AROTC career branching

rdesai11

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Oct 5, 2012
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I am a student whom plans on transferring to a four year school and planning on joining rotc. I would really like to go infantry or aviation. Can anyone please help me on the selection criteria for these fields. What do I need to do in school and rotc to better my chances of getting either of these paths?

Thank you.
 
Do well in school...pretty much all you can do.

1) Get 300 or as close as possible on APFT by the time you go to camp.

2) Get As in classes.

3) Do well in ROTC.

Congratulations, you just got your branch of choice.

If you can't do those things, you may not get it.
 
I am a student whom plans on transferring to a four year school and planning on joining rotc. I would really like to go infantry or aviation. Can anyone please help me on the selection criteria for these fields. What do I need to do in school and rotc to better my chances of getting either of these paths?

Thank you.

You will need to be high on the Active Duty OML for either of those branches. If you are within the top 10% of the AD OML then you are guaranteed your branch selection. The OML has many factors here is a basic breakdown.

GPA 40%
APFT 15%
LDAC 22.5%
PMS/Battalion, Leadership 22.5%

You do not need a 4.0, but you will need to be well rounded and do well at LDAC.

Infantry has no extra requirements prior to branching.

Aviation requires that you pass your Flight Physical, and pass the AFAST test, they are switching to a new test, just not sure when it happens. These both need to be completed before you can request Aviation, they usually do this during LDAC.
 
To get those two in particular, you would need to be in one of the following categories, in 2011:

First, I have to explain what is Active Duty Order of Merit. That is not the same as National Order of Merit. There were about 5400 ROTC cadets in 2011 who qualified to be Commissioned. Of those, abut 1,700 were pre-committed, or CHOSE, Army Reserves, Army National Guard, or Army Nurse Corps. That leaves about 3,700 cadets who wanted to get Active Duty Regular Army assignment. However, in 2011, there was room in Active Duty Regular Army for only about 2,800 new 2LTs. So, of those 3,700 who wanted AD, about 900, or 15%, were too low on the National Order of Merit list to qualify for Active Duty. Those 900 were "referred" or "forced" into the Reserve Component. That left about 2,800 cadets who qualified for Active Duty Branching. It is the 2,800 cadets that compose the Active Duty Order of Merit List.

AVIATION

a. in the top 15% of the Active Duty Order of Merit List (ADOML)
b. between 15% and 20% of the ADOML and use ADSO (commit to 3 extra years of AD service)
c. between 50% of the ADOML and 87% of ADOML and use ADSO.
*note* between 20% and 50% of ADOML was out of the range in 2011, as was 87% - 100%

INFANTRY

a. in the top 18% of the Active Duty Order of Merit List (ADOML)
b. between 18% and 30% of the ADOML and use ADSO (commit to 3 extra years of AD service)
c. between 50% of the ADOML and 77% of ADOML and use ADSO.
*note* between 30% and 50% of ADOML was out of the range in 2011, as was 77% - 100%

The Army uses a procedure to guarantee that the 16 Branches get 2LTs from the top half of the ADOML, as well as from the bottom half. So you don't have to be a top ADOML performer to get assigned into the hardest-to-get Branches. I would normally make a comment about the wisdom of that particular process, but this isn't the place!
 
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To get those two in particular, you would need to be in one of the following categories, in 2011:

First, I have to explain what is Active Duty Order of Merit. That is not the same as National Order of Merit. There were about 5400 ROTC cadets in 2011 who qualified to be Commissioned. Of those, abut 1,700 were pre-committed, or CHOSE, Army Reserves, Army National Guard, or Army Nurse Corps. That leaves about 3,700 cadets who wanted to get Active Duty Regular Army assignment. However, in 2011, there was room in Active Duty Regular Army for only about 2,800 new 2LTs. So, of those 3,700 who wanted AD, about 900, or 15%, were too low on the National Order of Merit list to qualify for Active Duty. Those 900 were "referred" or "forced" into the Reserve Component. That left about 2,800 cadets who qualified for Active Duty Branching. It is the 2,800 cadets that compose the Active Duty Order of Merit List.

AVIATION

a. in the top 15% of the Active Duty Order of Merit List (ADOML)
b. between 15% and 20% of the ADOML and use ADSO (commit to 3 extra years of AD service)
c. between 50% of the ADOML and 87% of ADOML and use ADSO.
*note* between 20% and 50% of ADOML was out of the range in 2011, as was 87% - 100%

INFANTRY

a. in the top 18% of the Active Duty Order of Merit List (ADOML)
b. between 18% and 30% of the ADOML and use ADSO (commit to 3 extra years of AD service)
c. between 50% of the ADOML and 77% of ADOML and use ADSO.
*note* between 30% and 50% of ADOML was out of the range in 2011, as was 77% - 100%

The Army uses a procedure to guarantee that the 16 Branches get 2LTs from the top half of the ADOML, as well as from the bottom half. So you don't have to be a top ADOML performer to get assigned into the hardest-to-get Branches. I would normally make a comment about the wisdom of that particular process, but this isn't the place!

I believe it to be so the less desirable branches (chemical corps ect.) do not get ALL the "worse" officers.
 
oops, just realized my math was pretty far off above. Of the 5400 commissionable cadets, about 2,150 (not 1,700) were precommitted or chose Guard, Reserves, or Nurse Corps. That left about 3,250 who wanted Active Duty, but with only about 2800 spots, 450 were "referred" to Reserves, or about 15%. How many "chose" Reserves or Guard b/c they knew they wouldn't eventually be high enough on the OML for Active Duty is an open question.
 
oops, just realized my math was pretty far off above. Of the 5400 commissionable cadets, about 2,150 (not 1,700) were precommitted or chose Guard, Reserves, or Nurse Corps. That left about 3,250 who wanted Active Duty, but with only about 2800 spots, 450 were "referred" to Reserves, or about 15%. How many "chose" Reserves or Guard b/c they knew they wouldn't eventually be high enough on the OML for Active Duty is an open question.

In the small sample size I have to work with at my school, I would say the 15% referred is rather accurate. Over the last few years around 1/3 of each class goes either guard or reserves (out of 30 cadets). Of those 10 only about 2 on average are forced branch. We have several DMGs every year who decide to choose the reserve option either because full time military isn't really their thing or for other career/high education purposes.
 
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Ok so assume I am in at least the top 30-50% and decide to contract those extra three years. Would that be competitive? I'm willing to do anything to improve my chances. Also would the summer programs such as Airborne or air assault schools help me in anyway?
 
Ok so assume I am in at least the top 30-50% and decide to contract those extra three years. Would that be competitive? I'm willing to do anything to improve my chances. Also would the summer programs such as Airborne or air assault schools help me in anyway?

Contract the extra years (ADSO) for what? As others said above it doesn't effect active duty but yes it give you a 15-20% (estimates I have heard per LDAC branch brief) greater chance of getting your desired branch. Any schools you attend will give you OML points and aid in your effort to obtain those branches.

I was in the 30-50% percentile and if I wasn't Nurse Corps I most likely would have been branched field artillery (no-ADSO)my third choice according to my PMS branching model. If I fail my RN boards that would change to Medical Service Corps automatically. Just a sample scenario.
 
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Contract the extra years (ADSO) for what? As others said above it doesn't effect active duty but yes it give you a 15-20% (estimates I have heard per LDAC branch brief) greater chance of getting your desired branch. Any schools you attend will give you OML points and aid in your effort to obtain those branches.

I was in the 30-50% percentile and if I wasn't Nurse Corps I most likely would have been branched field artillery (no-ADSO)my third choice according to my PMS branching model. If I fail my RN boards that would change to Medical Service Corps automatically. Just a sample scenario.
He was asking about infantry or aviation. Does he have a shot at those branches being in the 30-50% range with or without ADSO? He wants to know. I am just curious.
 
He was asking about infantry or aviation. Does he have a shot at those branches being in the 30-50% range with or without ADSO? He wants to know. I am just curious.

If he is closer to the 50% plus side of the AD OML, the ADSO will probably not get him high enough for Infantry or Aviation.

If he is in the 30% AD OML then the ADSO may get him close to Infantry.

One thing to remember, Branch selection varies every year, while it has been difficult to get Aviation the past couple years, in 2009 (I think that dates correct) Aviation did not fill until way down the list. Someone in the 50% plus range could have selected Aviation. The point is, all you can do is look at the average over the last few years and adjust your branch list accordingly.

One note to the OP.

Aviation comes with an extended ADSO standard. The Service Obligation for Aviation is 6 years which starts at the completion of Flight School. Flight School can take between 18 to 24 months depending on schedules, weather, bubble time, recycle time, and Airframe selection. It is not uncommon for the total Service Obligation to be close to 8 years. Be aware that non of this starts until you report to Flight School, which can be anywhere from 2 weeks to 10 months plus after graduation. It is not a reach to think that the earliest you could leave the Army could be 9 years if your select Aviation.
 
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