Army OCS Branching - What have been your experiences and what do you recommend?

SGT Michael Everett, Branch selects you not you it, sorry to say but its true. Your background is FA accept it and make the best of it. In 1983 I was medic but was commissioned FA, learn from me make do not fight destiny, have fun.

I went through OCS in 2013 and my roommate was prior service intel. She filled out the DA form that states she would like to branch MI since she had the prior service experience, but she was branched Chemical. She wasn't that high on the OML so some college-ops higher on the OML were given the slots and she missed out. Just keep that in mind if you still want to stay FA. Your experience may not matter; your effort certainly does!

If your packet gets approved for branching to FA (Which rarely happens) then you are good to go. Your Fire Support experience will pay off big time when you are in that role. Just remember that you have to be open to new ways of doing things. As an FA officer, your job is not to sit on the hill and call for fire anymore. You now have to plan and coordinate fires.

If you do not get the branch, then selection goes off an OML. If you really want to be in FA, then you will be fine as long as your are not in the bottom 10% of the class. FA slots don't get selected until all the MI, Engineer, Infantry, and Armor slots are gone...

Well first off, thanks for what you did as a Fister. I work with them now and I gotta say the red-headed step children are some of the best I've worked with.

I'll go in the order of questions you put:

First off, branch selection is based off of OML at West Point. The higher you are, the better chance you got for your top preference. The lower you are, the more you had to fight over what was left. We were given these sheets (I've attached the FA one below, I have the rest just send me a message for them) that were built in conjunction with the branch commandants for each specific branch. They listed out skills, talents, experience, etc that each branch would like. We also took a test which using the talent skills gave us a top 5 branches you would be suited for. We also spent a significant amount of time learning about the branches by various officers in that branch.

Some things I wish I knew before hand; understanding that you will be a officer of the branch. When you were a 13F, you were a FISTER. As an officer, you are the FSO, but never a FISTER. Some 13F take offense when you try to say you're a FISTER as an officer. Understanding that as an officer, you will be proficient in all, but expert in none. For FA, once you think you know your job and start to really get that proficiency; they move you to the next job.

Personally, I chose FA as my branch because what interested me and how I could best apply it to my profession. I'm a physics and explosion nerd, so going out and sending 100+ lbs of American freedom downrange excites me. I've had experience as a Fire Direction Officer and currently serve as a Fire Support Officer.

Understand, no matter what branch you choose, there will still be the days where you want to pull out your eyeballs. Days of long work, little reward, and as a new LT the butt of many a joke. Field Artillery makes me happy and I enjoy working with the redlegs. There is a sense of camaraderie I haven't seen anywhere else. Redlegs are at their best when its 2100 at night and you just had two simultaneous missions come down from the observers.

Choose a branch that you can be happy working with. Choose something you have a strong interest in making your craft and will be proud enough to fight over in a bar. As an officer, you are responsible for the safety, lives, and well being of this countries most valuable resource; her sons and daughters. Regardless of branch, this is a responsibility you must take freely without any hesitation. So choose something that you will personally be proud to be apart of so you can lead those who will follow.

KING OF BATTLE!!

I would first start off looking at your state and asking the question what branch is predominant. In my state LG is the majority. Why this important is because it will provide more opportunities for key development positions such as company command. As an officer you really have to manage your career more thoughtfully. As a product of OCs and a former cadre, your question is a common one. Most states however will give you what branches they need to fill based on the needs of the state.