Going into an ALO career field with hopes of jumping might be wishful thinking
I am not sure I agree with that opinion. Not many people want to jump out of perfectly good airplanes. Jump ALOs are volunteer. Even though there are not a lot of jump assignments it is just as true that there are not a lot that want to jump.
~ Bullet had his choice of 2 posts to jump with when he was ALO.
However, for the OP the point is what Bull stated you are not going to Jump everyday as an ALO. You jump into the combat zone with whatever Army unit you support and the rest of the time you are on the ground doing air support as an ALO.
Lurk on
www.baseops.net They have an ALO forum where you can see more insight regarding the ALO world. As of 18 months ago they were still pulling fliers out to be ALOs because they are critically manned. NOT ENOUGH ALOs...hence not sure your opinion of it being wishful thinking is on the mark.
~ Rated officers will take that ALO tour to get a good deal. It is unusual for them to risk a major injury that could end their flying career for that good deal. They can do Korea remote for a year (non-jump) or jump with the 82nd for 2 yrs and have the same result....good deal.
~~ Bullet jumped with the 82nd for 2 yrs to get an Elmendorf assignment (F15E) our other friend went to SKorea (non-jump) for a yr and got the same assignment to Elmendorf.
I have been here for many eons and I can say with almost 1000% certainty that this is the 1st poster on the AFROTC side that is looking into ALO as a career. CC's DS did apply for CRO/STO and that is very competitive.
~ His DS did ED (RAND fellowship) and had a UPT follow up, but decided to apply, and was accepted to CRO/STO program. However, I do not where he stands right now, i.e. if he made it through CRO training.