What interesting opportunities are there for junior officers?

1LT Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 07 Jul 2018 04:15:59 -0400

I have been serving for two years and have been a PL for the entire time. I am curious what opportunities are available to a 1LT that would be interesting/unique/challenging. I see there is a plethora once I hit captain and I could apply for some a little before that, but I would like to do something different while I am still a lieutenant.

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jul 7 at 2018 4:50 AM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Sat, 07 Jul 2018 04:50:46 -0400

I follow...elaborate, if you can, your Bach major, your GPA, ha emyou done any masters coursework at all get, what PME have you done, for Army or other svcs...I can suggest any number of possibilities, I assure you, however, I'd need to know more, honest...hobbies, interests, sports, incl martial arts, I love aikido and iaido, I think you would also...look at submitting for USAF AFIT and Naval Postgraduate School (NPS), the svc grad schools, I gather you're not clinical and don't want clinical, I'd suggest USUHS if you did for their PhD programs, however, trust me, all senior NCOs, as well as all warrant and commissioned can subit for AFIT and NPS, let me send this, this tablet conks out a lot, I'll try to send more....

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jul 7 at 2018 4:53 AM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Sat, 07 Jul 2018 04:53:59 -0400

Do you want flight training at all? Have you ever done private pilot at a mil aero club? You could apply for USAF Squadron Ofcrs School (SOS) in residence, maybe after doing it nonresident, by correspondence, also USMC command and staff the same way, I did both, I never got SOS in residence, I asked, also Naval War College command and staff nonresident, that's a very serious program, I was allowed to try, I didn't have enough time...ask to serve overseas in an allied could try, UK, one of my unit COs served with Chilean Air Force, he'd loved itz and always championed the idea, I was too stupid to liste n, trust me....

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jul 7 at 2018 4:55 AM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Sat, 07 Jul 2018 04:55:51 -0400

You need to get minimum a masters, PhD if possible, submit for Rhodes Scholar of your GPA is high enough, for Congressional fellowships, for the White House Fellow program!, read the autobjo of Gen Colin Powell, and his description of how he got his masters T GWU I believe, and didn't do a PhD, he went White House Fellow....

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jul 7 at 2018 4:56 AM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Sat, 07 Jul 2018 04:56:27 -0400

Ask to serve in the defense attache program, there's a Wikipedia page about it, attached to State Dept, as well....

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jul 7 at 2018 5:00 AM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Sat, 07 Jul 2018 05:00:06 -0400

Are you a STEM grad for your bachelor's, also. Non-STEM? Do you get involved in tech groups like AFCEA, Assoc of Old Crows (AOC), have you published? Read US Naval I st Proceedings (USNI), ask to serve with USMC, maybe also French Foreign Legion (FFL), I've read of such exchange tours, unusual as those might seem...also, were you Army ROTC? OCS? West Point? I trained with my Army ROTC unit for three years off and on at West Point, I'd merely been curious, it'd give me background to try to help you further....

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jul 7 at 2018 5:01 AM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Sat, 07 Jul 2018 05:01:17 -0400

If your I stallation has Army JROTC nearby, volunteer to help out,/same if they have Civil Air Patrol (CAP), Navy Sea Cadets, or other svc JROTC in high schools near where you are...

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jul 7 at 2018 5:02 AM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Sat, 07 Jul 2018 05:02:03 -0400

If there's charity fund raising on your installation for Combined Fed Campaign (CFC) like United Way, esntly the Fed version, offer to help out....

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jul 7 at 2018 5:03 AM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Sat, 07 Jul 2018 05:03:46 -0400

I helped other company graders on recreation facility spruceup projects, went to the CGOC meetings of the course cil where I was, many installations let company graders spend a day with their installation commander, I did, a Capt I was u der had me do it, most illuminating...

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jul 7 at 2018 5:04 AM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Sat, 07 Jul 2018 05:04:30 -0400

Once a conference was held where I was, company graders got to volunteer teer for a day as aides to general and flag ogcrs attending, if you have such chances, take them....

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jul 7 at 2018 5:05 AM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Sat, 07 Jul 2018 05:05:18 -0400

If you're not in AUSA, joj , sa!e for AFA for USAF, ROA, SAME for engineering, that's the profesnl engrg mil group....

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jul 7 at 2018 5:05 AM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Sat, 07 Jul 2018 05:05:44 -0400

http://www.mors.org

Read this, I think you'd find it of interest....

Military Operations Research Society

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jul 7 at 2018 5:06 AM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Sat, 07 Jul 2018 05:06:22 -0400

http://www.crows.prg

Join this....

www.crows.prg

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jul 7 at 2018 5:07 AM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Sat, 07 Jul 2018 05:07:35 -0400

http://www.crows.org

Sorry, typo....

www.crows.org

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jul 7 at 2018 5:07 AM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Sat, 07 Jul 2018 05:07:58 -0400

http://www.afcea.org

This also....

www.afcea.org

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jul 7 at 2018 5:08 AM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Sat, 07 Jul 2018 05:08:15 -0400

http://www.usni.org

Get this....

U.S. Naval Institute

Provide an independent forum for those who dare to read, think, speak, and write to advance the professional, literary, and scientific understanding of sea power and other issues critical to global security.

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jul 7 at 2018 5:08 AM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Sat, 07 Jul 2018 05:08:49 -0400

http://www.roa.org

Join this....

www.roa.org

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jul 7 at 2018 5:09 AM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Sat, 07 Jul 2018 05:09:07 -0400

http://www.ausa.org

And this, obviously....

Association of the United States Army

Voice for the Army – Support for the Soldier

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jul 7 at 2018 5:09 AM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Sat, 07 Jul 2018 05:09:20 -0400

http://www.afa.org

And this.....

Home - Air Force Association

Description

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jul 7 at 2018 5:11 AM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Sat, 07 Jul 2018 05:11:09 -0400

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Force_Institute_of_Technology

Apply for this....

Air Force Institute of Technology - Wikipedia

The Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) is a graduate school and provider of professional and continuing education for the United States Armed Forces and is part of the United States Air Force. It is located in Ohio at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, near Dayton. AFIT is a component of the Air University and Air Education and Training Command.

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jul 7 at 2018 5:12 AM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Sat, 07 Jul 2018 05:12:05 -0400

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naval_Postgraduate_School

And this....

Naval Postgraduate School - Wikipedia

The Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) is a graduate school operated by the United States Navy. Located in Monterey, California, it grants master's degrees, engineer's degrees and doctoral degrees. Established in 1909, the school also offers research fellowship opportunities at the postdoctoral level through the National Academies' National Research Council research associateship program.[3]

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jul 7 at 2018 5:13 AM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Sat, 07 Jul 2018 05:13:01 -0400

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defense_Attach%C3%A9_System

Read this....

Bad title - Wikipedia

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jul 7 at 2018 5:13 AM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Sat, 07 Jul 2018 05:13:31 -0400

Elaborate more, I'll send as much as I can, I just need to know more, OK?

Response by MAJ Javier Rivera made Jul 7 at 2018 5:17 AM

MAJ Javier Rivera — Sat, 07 Jul 2018 05:17:07 -0400

Talk with both your rater and senior rater for advise. However for the most part as a 1LT you will be a BN Staff Officer and /or Company XO. Other opportunities might rise such as Aide d’Camp for a General Officer. Unless you volunteer for Special Operations (SF, CA, PSYOP) your brach manager will keep you on your branch career track. See DA Pam 600-3 for your branch specifics.

Response by COL Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 7 at 2018 1:45 PM

COL Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 07 Jul 2018 13:45:52 -0400

Tactical-level LT positions set a solid foundation for a successful career. I think you will find opportunities as a Company XO or Assistant S3 interesting and will set you up for success as a CO CDR. Rushing to get to the CPT positions you reference will cause you to miss out on these important LT positions.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Jul 7 at 2018 1:55 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Sat, 07 Jul 2018 13:55:42 -0400

Don't be a movement officer.

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made Jul 7 at 2018 3:03 PM

CAPT Kevin B. — Sat, 07 Jul 2018 15:03:27 -0400

Actually you want to first make sure you're punching the pedigree tickets. "Opportunities" many times are one-offs that might satisfy the stomach for a couple of years, but you wind up with One of One OERs, many times signed off by someone no where near your designator. That turned out to be a drag on me as I first was going to Antarctica for a few years and then two tours with the Marines. So I hit the O-4 board with 15% select rate and most my Fitreps as One of One. That guaranteed me finishing off in the reserves. My advice is to be so good in your mainstream, they'll spot you for something you never dreamed of that it can't fail because you're going to do it. Even then, like me, it can ultimately work against you. Board sitters have a hard time figuring out one-offs to mainstream. Seen that a lot when I was sitting them.

Response by SFC David Xanten made Jul 7 at 2018 5:11 PM

SFC David Xanten — Sat, 07 Jul 2018 17:11:42 -0400

What is your specialty?.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 7 at 2018 7:50 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 07 Jul 2018 19:50:40 -0400

On active duty, one of the most career-forward roles you can compete for is Aide de Camp. These jobs are usually summed up as “political boot camp”, giving JMOs an early look into a much higher level of MDMP, force management, and operations coordination than you’ll ever see at the lower echelons. The best part, however, is that you’ll be proving your worth to the same Commanders and General Staff who select next-generation leaders and help shape the force. Navigate this well, and you’ll likely get assistance in lining up the next great assignment — hopefully a command, since that’s the single greatest experience you’ll have in the military IMHO.

JF