Need Branching Advice

Cadet35

Cadet35

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Jul 11, 2019
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One semester remains in my MS3 year in AROTC, and I am seeking advice on branching.

I am highly passionate about branching as an Infantry Officer, however I have had numerous people in my life advice me to branch Cyber.

I’m a CS major, so this makes sense. I have been told that Cyber will open me to very unique and great “money making” jobs.

While this makes sense and is compelling/wise, I still internally feel a true desire to branch IN because it is where I personally believe I will excel and am most qualified (however I’m not prior service so I would not know for certain). Thoughts?



Unrelated side note — is the BRADSO option a wise decision? I’ve come to believe that it is best to keep your options open, so locking yourself into seven years of service in a job you’ve never done may not be the most ideal choice. But this may be necessary to edge out the odds to receive a branch as competitive as CY.
 
Think of things from both perspectives. Seven years of service means a guaranteed job with great health benefits for seven years. There are people who would love that situation.
 
Iwutke said:
Think of things from both perspectives. Seven years of service means a guaranteed job with great health benefits for seven years. There are people who would love that situation.
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Good point. Couldn’t you just re-enlist though?
 
Ask your faculty about the Branch Detail program. It allows you to serve your LT time in a combat arms unit and then transfer to someplace like cyber. There are grad programs as well to help you out.

If you start in the infantry as you want, you will be able to look anyone straight in the eyes and your opinion will carry weight, even among people in your new branch who have been doing it longer than you.
 
BRADSO IMO isn't worth it. All the hooah gunners I graduated with are long gone. Many were thankful they didn't do GRADSO/BRADSO at the end of it all.

Go Cyber, being infantry in a current garrison Army isn't as illustrious as you probably think. Maybe 10 years ago....As someone mentioned you could probably do a branch detail, but I am unsure if Cyber is one of the feeder branches for that.
 
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The best branch is the one in which you’ll personally and professionally excel. If you’re genuinely interested in it, then you likely will. And being successful in that branch is what will most likely drive the success of your post-military job search. In my corporate career, i recruited, hired, trained and worked alongside former JMOs from combat arms: infantry, artillery, armor (plus unrestricted line officers who were naval aviators and submariners). What set them apart was their history of fulfilling missions while leading scores of troops and managing millions of dollars of materiel. Their major and MOS were of lesser significance.

Indeed, branching cyber can eventually lead to a lucrative post-military career. But that’s most likely to happen if you’re genuinely interested and vested in it.
 
MidCakePa said:
The best branch is the one in which you’ll personally and professionally excel. If you’re genuinely interested in it, then you likely will. And being successful in that branch is what will most likely drive the success of your post-military job search. In my corporate career, i recruited, hired, trained and worked alongside former JMOs from combat arms: infantry, artillery, armor (plus unrestricted line officers who were naval aviators and submariners). What set them apart was their history of fulfilling missions while leading scores of troops and managing millions of dollars of materiel. Their major and MOS were of lesser significance.

Indeed, branching cyber can eventually lead to a lucrative post-military career. But that’s most likely to happen if you’re genuinely interested and vested in it.
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And if you ARE doing something you don’t enjoy for 7 years, will you actually rise to your best self? IOW, doing something you don’t enjoy will most likely create a barrier to high achievement.

This is good life advice. There is a ‘happiness factor’ that is so important for growth and personal achievement. Do what you feel called to do. The rest will take care of itself.
 
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