Specialty School Opportunities in AROTC

ArmycadetMS19

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I'm not contracted yet, as I'm a new MSII (rising MSIII), so I didn't get to go to any cool specialty schools like combat dive or air assault.

What specialty schools are best for someone looking to branch infantry or something tactics-related? And is there a specialty school that places cadets in a combat, potentially risky environment? One of the cadets in my BN just got sent to one, and everyone said for him to "be safe" because he was going to a combat environment. I didn't know that cadets were authorized to do that
 
My son, who just finished his Plebe year at WP, is at Air Assault right now. It is tedious, and not much fun so far, but is conducted right at West Point, and not dangerous.
 
Ranger School will be the best tactics related school for your early infantry career, but that won't happen until after you commission. In the meantime, take advantage of any summer training opportunity you can get, including CTLT (cadet troop leader training), airborne, air assault. The combat diver course is very difficult to get into. Mountain warfare may be tough also. CULP can be an eye-opening experience, particularly if you haven't traveled overseas. Echoing brovol's comment above, when my son did airborne one summer, it involved seemingly endless hours sitting in harness in a hot shed waiting for the weather to clear. Good prep for infantry. If I recall correctly, one day they watched Saving Private Ryan three times consecutively before the jump was finally cancelled.

Cadet Command would not intentionally place a cadet where they anticipate a significant near-term prospect for combat. Cadets would be worse than useless. My guess is that your battalion member was on a CTLT assignment in South Korea, where cadets have been shadowing first lieutenant platoon leaders for years. Or maybe southeastern Germany. (On the other hand, there was a recent cadet poster here who seemed ready and eager to initiate hostilities with North Korea. If you find yourself on a CTLT assignment in South Korea, watch out for a CTLT cadet with cetacean characteristics in another platoon in your company)
 
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Cadet Command would not intentionally place a cadet where they anticipate a significant near-term prospect for combat. Cadets would be worse than useless. My guess is that your battalion member was on a CTLT assignment in South Korea, where cadets have been shadowing first lieutenant platoon leaders for years. Or maybe southeastern Germany. (On the other hand, there was a recent cadet poster here who seemed ready and eager to initiate hostilities with North Korea. If you find yourself on a CTLT assignment in South Korea, watch out for a CTLT cadet with cetacean characteristics in another platoon in your company)
+1

One of my peers went to Sapper School last year. We are sending another this summer. I guess that's as close to cool guy school as you can get compared to Ranger School.
 
+1

One of my peers went to Sapper School last year. We are sending another this summer. I guess that's as close to cool guy school as you can get compared to Ranger School.
thanks for the input, everyone.

Is airborne school not "cool guy" as you describe it, and does going to airborne school as a cadet give you the airborne tab when you commission?
 
thanks for the input, everyone.

Is airborne school not "cool guy" as you describe it, and does going to airborne school as a cadet give you the airborne tab when you commission?
Sure it is ... just not as cool (high speed) as Sapper. At the end of the day, going to any school is better than none at all. When you get to your first unit, a lot of people will judge you by what tabs/badges/etc you have. Anything you can do to stand out amongst your peers is a plus.

No. You are only authorized to wear the tab if you are in an Airborne unit (the Airborne tab is a unit tab). You can however, wear the badge, regardless of what type of unit you are in. Individual tabs also can be worn regardless of unit affiliation. These are: Special Forces, Ranger, Sapper, and President's 100 tabs.
 
Sure it is ... just not as cool (high speed) as Sapper. At the end of the day, going to any school is better than none at all. When you get to your first unit, a lot of people will judge you by what tabs/badges/etc you have. Anything you can do to stand out amongst your peers is a plus.

No. You are only authorized to wear the tab if you are in an Airborne unit (the Airborne tab is a unit tab). You can however, wear the badge, regardless of what type of unit you are in. Individual tabs also can be worn regardless of unit affiliation. These are: Special Forces, Ranger, Sapper, and President's 100 tabs.
I see. Just to clarify -- not that I'd actually want to go into the 82nd Airborne -- how does one actually get into the 82nd Airborne? In the same regard, what exactly is an "airborne ranger," as mentioned in the jody?

I'll always remember the AGR cadence "Airborne ranger, life of guts, sex, and danger"
 
Not an expert, but I believe that is all dependent upon duty stations. Ie: if you want to go to an Airborne unit, on your accessions packet put down places like: Ft. Bragg, Ft. Campbell, Vicenza Italy.

In regards to to the second question - I've honestly never pondered that deeply ... but my guess is: a Ranger (not to be confused with those who solely completed Ranger School), who is airborne qualified.

Ha ha ... I don't think jody is the right word for that.
 
Lol sorry...I know what "jody" means in the military setting. I guess cadence was the word i was looking for.

And that's what i thought too -- an Airborne Ranger is soldier in the 75th regmt who went to Airborne school and is therefore airborne certified?
 
Not an expert, but I believe that is all dependent upon duty stations. Ie: if you want to go to an Airborne unit, on your accessions packet put down places like: Ft. Bragg, Ft. Campbell, Vicenza Italy.

In regards to to the second question - I've honestly never pondered that deeply ... but my guess is: a Ranger (not to be confused with those who solely completed Ranger School), who is airborne qualified.

Ha ha ... I don't think jody is the right word for that.

If you want to be in an Airborne unit, you'll be disappointed if you put down Ft Campbell. They are Air Assault.

If you want those units, go to that post. Your heavy units are at Bliss, Hood, Stewart, Riley, Carson, etc. Strykers are in Hawaii, Lewis, Carson, etc. If you want to be light infantry, go to Bragg, Campbell, or Drum. (These are just some of the big ones, there are definitely more)

Schools and qualifications are good to seek out, but just focus on becoming an officer first. Honestly, nobody gives a **** if you show up with an Airborne or Air Assault badge....everyone has those and if you're in that type of unit obviously you've been to the school. You'll get the necessary courses required for your branch and unit when the time comes.
 
I have a question. Since the Army does not fly fixed wing, who flies the planes that airborne soldiers jump out of; both in training and in combat? Air Force?
 
I have a question. Since the Army does not fly fixed wing, who flies the planes that airborne soldiers jump out of; both in training and in combat? Air Force?

Yes. Air Force C-17 and C-130 squadron have units tasked for air drop.

Stealth_81.
 
A few thoughts.
Once you are an officer, airborne school is fairly easy to get. There are primarily two airborne units you can go to as a new officer- 82nd and the 173rd in Italy. Can't remember if Alaska still has a unit. There are other airborne units such as the Ranger Regiment, but you won't go there as a new LT.
Schools- yeah, Sapper is cool, you will learn a bunch and get a tab. Air Assault you actually learn a bunch verses airborne. SERE school is not often mentioned because there is no bling involved. If you can get the one at Camp McKall it can be a real gut check.
 
Thanks for response stealth. So do those Air Force units stay stationed with the Army Airborne, on the Army base?
 
Thanks for response. So do those Air Force units stay stationed with the Army Airborne, on the Army base?
No. They do them as training missions. The Army units will use Army helicopters from time to time for jumps, however. Also, Air Guard and Air Reserve are used. We even used Marine Reserve C-130s for support in Panama once.
 
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