Post-Graduation from West Point

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westpointdreamer2004

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I am aware of the required 5 years of active duty upon graduating from West Point but not really sure about the details or what those 5 years actually entail. Do you get a summer break before going into duty? What's a normal day in active duty like? And how often can you return home to visit family within those 5 years? If anyone could provide some details of post-graduation life, that would be awesome
 
When you are in the mlitary, you get 2.5 days of vacation for every month you work. That winds up being 30 days of vacation each year. Thats pretty good. When you can get them off and how easy to get them off would, I presume, depend on what your job is. You can return home when you take vacation. I can only go by what happens on Air Force base, but whenever there is a holiday, they usually get the friday and the mondny off and Thursday is usually a short day. If you are close enough to you can visit home during those times also. There is no normal activy duty because each job is going to have it own normal. I would also say that the first year depending on your job, you will be invovled in training. After that it depends on your job.
 
Academy grads get up to 60 days of non chargeable leave to use before BOLC so yes, most people get a summer break before their first really Army experience.

The rest of the questions vary by your branch. If you had an area you’re curious about, I’d recommend posting that so you can get some more specific answers
 
Casey said:
Academy grads get up to 60 days of non chargeable leave to use before BOLC so yes, most people get a summer break before their first really Army experience.

The rest of the questions vary by your branch. If you had an area you’re curious about, I’d recommend posting that so you can get some more specific answers
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Where can I find the branch options on the West Point website?
 
Humey said:
When you are in the mlitary, you get 2.5 days of vacation for every month you work. That winds up being 30 days of vacation each year. Thats pretty good. When you can get them off and how easy to get them off would, I presume, depend on what your job is. You can return home when you take vacation. I can only go by what happens on Air Force base, but whenever there is a holiday, they usually get the friday and the mondny off and Thursday is usually a short day. If you are close enough to you can visit home during those times also. There is no normal activy duty because each job is going to have it own normal. I would also say that the first year depending on your job, you will be invovled in training. After that it depends on your job.
Click to expand...
That is a lot more than I had expected! Thank you so much for your insight!
 
The time between commissioning and first reporting varies. For example, someone going to an airborne unit who has not been to airborne school may have an earlier BOLC date so they can get airborne school done as well. For those going Infantry, Ranger school is pretty much a requirement. In the past some LTs go to Ranger school prior to BOLC, some after. This may impact as well.
Class rank can have an impact. I know one Cadet who got her branch choice of Aviation but will not start flight school until April. No, she will NOT be off until April.

Many new LTs get details over the summer. West Point graduates will often help at West Point with Beast, ROTC graduates may help with "Advanced Camp".

If there is a longer break you may find yourself "snowbirding", or doing officer detail work somewhere. Maybe helping someone with a study. If you're in the right place at the right time you might even stumble into a short course. I was "snowbirding" (poking my eyes out in boredom) as an LT at Fort Rucker in a battalion HQ when I answered the phone. "This is captain _________, S-1, do you or anyone else there want to go to AGOS?" Me- "What's that sir?" Captain- "Air Ground Operations School. A three week Air Force course down near Destin. Do you want to go? We have to fill a slot." I looked at the phone, looked around the office... was this a practical joke? So off I went to Hurlburt Field (Destin Florida), for a 3 week Air Force course.

My brother, a USNA grad, had a long break before flight school. He was sent to San Diego for several months and hung out with a squadron there. Well, he hung out.

Leave has already been discussed. Understand that you usually won't just be able to take leave any time you want. Just as in the corporate world, there are busy times when "all hands are on deck".

You will also get passes from time to time for 3-4 day weekends. There are normally travel distances involved with these so don't plan on driving from say, Fort Stewart, Georgia to Colorado on a pass. These don’t count as leave.
 
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