Posted on Sep 27, 2019
Should I enlist 35L and do G2G, do ROTC, or enlist and work my way up to warrant officer?
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Hello,
I am currently in the process of enlisting in the Army. I have 87 college credits, with a 2.5 GPA. I scored around a 130 on all my line scores on the ASVAB. I am solely focused on doing Army Intel. If I enlist I will choose 35L, counterintelligence. I certainly would rather be an intel officer, rather than lower enlisted. I have taken the LSAT and did very well. In the future I would like to apply to an intel agency with a law degree (paid for by the GI bill). Reading online about OML points, I’ve learned that GPA is extremely important in branch selection. I have already given my transcripts to my recruiter. If I transfer to a new school and enroll in ROTC will my GPA count against my OML if the university has a policy that the GPA does not transfer? If I choose the green to gold non-scholarship option and attend that university would my prior GPA count against my OML? How competitive is the intel branch for ROTC? If I graduate with above a 3.6 would I likely get it? Would enlisting and first and doing green to gold increase my likelihood of getting an intel branch? Would my prior MOS help me get intel branch? Is enlisting as e3 and just working up to warrant officer a better option? Again, I am solely focused on working in intel.
I am currently in the process of enlisting in the Army. I have 87 college credits, with a 2.5 GPA. I scored around a 130 on all my line scores on the ASVAB. I am solely focused on doing Army Intel. If I enlist I will choose 35L, counterintelligence. I certainly would rather be an intel officer, rather than lower enlisted. I have taken the LSAT and did very well. In the future I would like to apply to an intel agency with a law degree (paid for by the GI bill). Reading online about OML points, I’ve learned that GPA is extremely important in branch selection. I have already given my transcripts to my recruiter. If I transfer to a new school and enroll in ROTC will my GPA count against my OML if the university has a policy that the GPA does not transfer? If I choose the green to gold non-scholarship option and attend that university would my prior GPA count against my OML? How competitive is the intel branch for ROTC? If I graduate with above a 3.6 would I likely get it? Would enlisting and first and doing green to gold increase my likelihood of getting an intel branch? Would my prior MOS help me get intel branch? Is enlisting as e3 and just working up to warrant officer a better option? Again, I am solely focused on working in intel.
Intelligence
Counterintelligence
ROTC
Officer
Warrant Officers
Posted 5 y ago
Responses: 44
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If you are commissioning in active duty there is no guarantee whatsoever that you will branch into MI. Your prior MOS is not a significant factor in HRC's choice of your branch, the Army needs trump all.
If your goal is to be an AD Army Intel officer, the most certain route would be to access into an intel MOS that is a feeder to a warrant MOS and go that route.
If your goal is to be an AD Army Intel officer, the most certain route would be to access into an intel MOS that is a feeder to a warrant MOS and go that route.
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First of all, if you are set on doing counter intel (instead of any 35 series) you have to tell the recruiter that, you might have to wait till it’s available because it might not be at the time when you go to MEPS and they willl try to make you enlist into sth else. Asvab line score is more important for enlisted than for officer, because commissioning consider more factors to consider enlisted really it’s just Asvab line score that allows u to enlist into a MOS.
However, commissioning for active duty is competitive, the reality is, a 2.5 GPA, will you be able to be at top of the class? For active duty there’s no guarantee your branch. But warrant is a great way if you wish to focus on intel field and just do that, it is also an officer position but does not follow the usual officer route and needs, so you see a lot of people with significant experience in what they do, whereas officer 2LT or 1LT often are younger folks that just got a degree. You could be in any unit that might not be MI. The idea is that you are leading, so your MOS won’t matter, warrant is more speciality officer in a certain field.
Either way you need a completed bachelor degree, or higher, so get the benefits and finish school, preferably higher than 3.5 GPA.
I will say, it doesn’t work the same for reserves. Because you can get a guarantee reserve contract, ROTC become officer and get degree, and go back/go into a MI unit, I’ve seen people at one unit, did that, literally moved away to be closer to a MI unit to join them. But that’s also personal preference. MI is more of a military thing tho, (duh!) civilian intelligence aren’t easy to get in, with your current qualification (I’m assuming you are younger?) it will take a lot more to be part of it, depending on how your resume is, but warrant MI is almost guaranteed spot in civilian intel if you retire especially.
However, commissioning for active duty is competitive, the reality is, a 2.5 GPA, will you be able to be at top of the class? For active duty there’s no guarantee your branch. But warrant is a great way if you wish to focus on intel field and just do that, it is also an officer position but does not follow the usual officer route and needs, so you see a lot of people with significant experience in what they do, whereas officer 2LT or 1LT often are younger folks that just got a degree. You could be in any unit that might not be MI. The idea is that you are leading, so your MOS won’t matter, warrant is more speciality officer in a certain field.
Either way you need a completed bachelor degree, or higher, so get the benefits and finish school, preferably higher than 3.5 GPA.
I will say, it doesn’t work the same for reserves. Because you can get a guarantee reserve contract, ROTC become officer and get degree, and go back/go into a MI unit, I’ve seen people at one unit, did that, literally moved away to be closer to a MI unit to join them. But that’s also personal preference. MI is more of a military thing tho, (duh!) civilian intelligence aren’t easy to get in, with your current qualification (I’m assuming you are younger?) it will take a lot more to be part of it, depending on how your resume is, but warrant MI is almost guaranteed spot in civilian intel if you retire especially.
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SPC (Join to see)
A lot of warrant retire with the military. Well, the TIS...But regardless of you want to or not, you can finish your degree or further become warrant at some point switch to reserve so you are in but you are able to get civilian opportunities, or stay in till retire. But usually for someone who wants to do just one thing, warrant, officer for AD is different its leader position not speciality position, many enlisted you will see no idea why/how they got into their MOS so consider other options, if no, intel enlisted to intel warrant.
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SPC (Join to see)
Quentin Boustany
I’m just playing the devils advocate, I have a college degree so I know how one class one assignment can mess up your GPA. As far as specifics, go to a nearby ROTC or find someone who was in ROTC and ask.
Keep in mind, NG or reserve is a lot less pay and benefits (school benefits too), and you will need something to do full time. You can go to school and fix ur GPA but that can be done on AD as well, or do that switch to AD, or stay reserve and get warrant, I will say both get up and downs, reserve things work slower and less focused on your job, but lower enlisted AD, there might be bullshit work too. I’d find a warrant in intel that was recently completed and ask. Reserve gives you time for school but without actual civilian intel experience there’s no reason to stay reserve, some usually already got a intel job or was AD and switched
I’m just playing the devils advocate, I have a college degree so I know how one class one assignment can mess up your GPA. As far as specifics, go to a nearby ROTC or find someone who was in ROTC and ask.
Keep in mind, NG or reserve is a lot less pay and benefits (school benefits too), and you will need something to do full time. You can go to school and fix ur GPA but that can be done on AD as well, or do that switch to AD, or stay reserve and get warrant, I will say both get up and downs, reserve things work slower and less focused on your job, but lower enlisted AD, there might be bullshit work too. I’d find a warrant in intel that was recently completed and ask. Reserve gives you time for school but without actual civilian intel experience there’s no reason to stay reserve, some usually already got a intel job or was AD and switched
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SPC (Join to see)
Quentin Boustany technically warrant doesn’t need a degree so experience and training matters more
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2LT (Join to see)
There was a guy on my OCS board (about 6 months ago) who had a 2.3 GPA and got in. The Army is hurting for officers right now.
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If you're out of the Army go ROTC. E5 pay while a cadet and they pay for your college.
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