Internship after Plebe Year

[From A Family of Enlisted]

Wondering if any former TACS, old grads or cadets know if you can intern with a company after your plebe year. Studying American Politics. Have previous college experience in political science, and would love to get off to a great start with the advantages West Point offers.

 

[Casey]

You probably won’t have much space rising yearling summer due to the length of Buckner but it isn’t out of the question. You’ll have more space in your summers rising cow and firstie year

 

[prospective2019]

You can do what's called an Academic Individual Advanced Development (AIAD) which is essentially an internship. While not always possible after Plebe year (depends on your schedule as @Casey said) I have known quite a few cadets who have done them then. You will definitely have time in your summers going into your Cow and Firstie year to do really really cool AIADs, MIADs, etc.

For some reference on the opportunities offered with American Politics and other similar majors, interning with a Congressman or Senator is probably the lamest of the options.

 

[knoxgw]

You can do what's called an Academic Individual Advanced Development (AIAD) which is essentially an internship. While not always possible after Plebe year (depends on your schedule as @Casey said) I have known quite a few cadets who have done them then. You will definitely have time in your summers going into your Cow and Firstie year to do really really cool AIADs, MIADs, etc.

For some reference on the opportunities offered with American Politics and other similar majors, interning with a Congressman or Senator is probably the lamest of the options.

If you don't mind expanding on that, what are the cool ones? I saw the picture with SECDEF on their site, but I thought Congress would be the coolest of the options. What else is out there?

 

[kinnem]

If you don't mind expanding on that, what are the cool ones? I saw the picture with SECDEF on their site, but I thought Congress would be the coolest of the options. What else is out there?

I can't answer your question, but wanted to point out that each service has a Congressional Fellowship Program to which one can apply while on active duty. Try googling 'US Army Congressional Fellowship". My son is in the midst of applying for the Marine program which is a bit different. We're all hoping he gets selected. Each program is very competitive.

 

[prospective2019]

If you don't mind expanding on that, what are the cool ones? I saw the picture with SECDEF on their site, but I thought Congress would be the coolest of the options. What else is out there?

There are a ton. The ones that come to mind for me for Political Science are Joint Chiefs of Staff, CIA, FBI, United Nations, NATO, DIA, White House National Security Council, etc. They vary every year.

There are also a lot of cool ones for STEM majors, think NASA, Redstone Arsenal, etc.

 

[sunnytrail]

CFT's not long. CFT 1 is 3 weeks long, and CFT 2 is 4 weeks long. You have plenty of time your rising yearling summer.

 

[Casey]

CFT's not long. CFT 1 is 3 weeks long, and CFT 2 is 4 weeks long. You have plenty of time your rising yearling summer.

Interesting change. CFT had historically been closer to 8 weeks. When they went to the CFT 1/2 model, CFT 1 was 3 and change, primarily focused for slots for folks doing fall Corps squad or special IAD that needed the extra time in the summer schedule, while CFT 2 was still closer to 6. It wasn’t called the “best summer of your life” for a month long experience. I’d be interested to see as summer training normalizes itself out over the next couple years post-pandemic if it stays that short

 

[prospective2019]

Interesting change. CFT had historically been closer to 8 weeks. When they went to the CFT 1/2 model, CFT 1 was 3 and change, primarily focused for slots for folks doing fall Corps squad or special IAD that needed the extra time in the summer schedule, while CFT 2 was still closer to 6. It wasn’t called the “best summer of your life” for a month long experience. I’d be interested to see as summer training normalizes itself out over the next couple years post-pandemic if it stays that short

Interesting to look at. Mine was a little over three weeks last year, and I believe the year before it was four/five (out of COVID). I certainly wish it had been longer. My class also missed Camp Illumination because of the virus, which was sad. Still haven't worn my India Whites.

 

[Casey]

Interesting to look at. Mine was a little over three weeks last year, and I believe the year before it was four/five (out of COVID). I certainly wish it had been longer. My class also missed Camp Illumination because of the virus, which was sad. Still haven't worn my India Whites.

Yea, when they cut the trip to Knox to drive around in tanks they rotated companies through that used to be part of the branch exposure that Buckner serves as plus making CLDT longer and more of a focus, I would imagine they found they didn’t need quite as long of the training block and could compress it. That said, it was a great block of training and super packed so I’d be interested in seeing what got dropped. I had the opportunity to do it not just once, but twice, as I went back as cadre (I also did Beast twice) so I got to have two best summers of my life and have spent waaaay more time out at Buckner than I necessarily ever cared to do so. The summer I did Buckner as cadre, I went straight into LPD from CFT. There was no leaving Buckner until Run Back from grad week on so no cell reception for over two months straight was fun...good deployment training I guess?


I’m sorry y’all didn’t get a chance to hold Camp Illumination, but I’m sure you and your classmates still built some great memories from the overall experience. For the uniform, I don’t think I wore my India Whites outside of Camp Illumination, Ring Weekend, and maybe during grad week at some point. And when I say “my” India Whites, my actual ones encountered a Grant barracks pipe burst of rusty water one summer that absolutely ruined them and I had to find hand me downs from a teammate graduating for Ring Weekend. Great looking uniform though

 

[sunnytrail]

Interesting change. CFT had historically been closer to 8 weeks. When they went to the CFT 1/2 model, CFT 1 was 3 and change, primarily focused for slots for folks doing fall Corps squad or special IAD that needed the extra time in the summer schedule, while CFT 2 was still closer to 6. It wasn’t called the “best summer of your life” for a month long experience. I’d be interested to see as summer training normalizes itself out over the next couple years post-pandemic if it stays that short

Wow. Interesting indeed...