Posted on Aug 25, 2018
Which branch should I pursue through ROTC (or OCS), Infantry or Armor?
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I soon plan on going through ROTC (or OCS), and I still often think which MOS would be better off with. I'm currently in a cannon crewmember, but not because I wanted to be one, since the KY National Guard doesn't have armored units. Field Artillery never really applied to me, being further behind the front lines. Not that it matters, because I intend to go active after I get commissioned, God-willing. I also hope to change my MOS. I hope I could go armor. But then I started thinking more about how often armor is used in 21st century warfare. So I started leaning toward infantry, though I'm not big on ruckmarching. I already a lot of that in basic, and if, somehow, I do go OCS, I would do a lot more, though I might decide to go mechanized infantry. So I would like to know which MOS would be better for me.
19A: Armor Officer
11A: Infantry Officer
ROTC
OCS
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 32
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I would choose a Infantry as a Branch Detail then go MI or Logistics. You will get Airborne and Ranger school.
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SPC (Join to see) open your mind to other opportunities. Don't get locked in on Combat Arms entirely. Consider some long-term goals. I appreciate your dedication to Service to the Nation, but you might want to think about where you want to be in 10, 20, and 30 years before you choose a Branch or even a Service. I see you have a bachelors degree--not in STEM, but a degree none the less. Any Service should be willing to talk to you about being an officer. A history degree would sometimes lead one to the Intel career field. If your goal at the 10 and 20 year points is to be an officer, then you are probably tracking about right. However, you should talk to active duty and reserve component recruiters from all 5 armed services. Seriously consider how your 10, 20, or 30 years in the military will influence the rest of your life. Is there an MOS/AFSC that will feed nicely into a second career you'd like to pursue after military retirement? Combat Support and Combat Service Support MOS/AFSC tend to transfer well into the civilian workforce. You might be better off to be a transportation officer, logistics planner, supply officer, finance officer, or a maintenance officer, than to be a combat arms officer. Also, consider that the "front line" people in aviation (Army, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard, and Air Force) are officers.
Good luck. Keep an open mind and shop around.
Good luck. Keep an open mind and shop around.
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American M1 (M1A2) Abrams vs Russian T-14 Armata - Main Battle Tank / Military Comparison
Today, we’ll compare two of the most advanced tanks, developed by the American military, and the Russian military, in this episode of the Infographics show, ...
Armor and infantry are now at the same location at Fort Benning. You can't have one without the other. Armor will still be used in the future.
https://youtu.be/zdwhSXoQddI
https://youtu.be/zdwhSXoQddI
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SPC (Join to see) I would have branch detailed Armor if I had it to do again. Thanks for framing your branch decision question. Most don’t and it is a mile wide and a mile deep.
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And how mucv college have you done thus far? Assocs? Major? Grades? GPA? STEM? Non-STEM? The more you relate, the more I can suggest, hmest, I have an interest in career/educ questions....
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SPC (Join to see)
I have about two or three years left for my bacherlors, as well as masters program should I have to go to to stay in long enough for ROTC. And I'm majoring in history. And my GPA could be better.
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Capt Daniel Goodman
OK, that helps...now here's the thing...I'm assuming by netter, you're saying somewhere in the 2.5-3.0 range, though that's obviously just a guess, of course, you don't need to give me an exact number, I've been around the educational block long enoughmto read between the lines...I'm assuming you're also taking somewhere between 15-18 credits a semester, however, I'm assuming also from what you'd said that you're either in a dual Bach masters program, or that you just want to be able to get one to satisfy ROTC purposes, as you'd mentioned...that you'd plan for the masters is smart, certainly, sine you're gonna need to do one from day one after commissioning, the days of Bach only are obv long gone for a 20-30 year career, when I was in, I totally bollixed up focusing on doing a !asters ASAP, which I seriously needed for my work, let alone what USAF expected, Army and all other svcs all expect a !asters pronto ASAap of all company grade commissioned, immediately, like as in yesterday, as well as doing PME, not just in your svc, but in other svcs as well...if your GPA could be gotten up, I'd tell you to try for Rhodes scholar, as well as AFIT, the USAF fill time grad scool, and also Naval Postgraduate School (NPS), you're allowed to apply for both as warrant or commissioned, in any svc....look up the Wikipedia pages on both...next, what specific facet of history interests you, or multiple facets...I've studied mil history since my Army ROTC PMS gave me the bug to do so, I did a paper for him on wargaming, I got Tue mil history award for Army ROTC as a junior in 1978, my one ROTC award...to help you boost your GPA, I need to know more, I need to know how many hours you study a night, how !such you do in sports or extracurricular stuff, as well...I wemtmin with a 2/88 GPA gormUSAF, though I improved it later on after I'd gotten out, I overdid one semester my first half second year, I tried 21 credits, obviously one of the dumber things I ever did, I burned the candle at both ends, and burned out in the process, blowing my Dean's list GPA...so, what would you want the masters in? History also? Do you want to go PhD? If so, what !major? History? Economics? Political science? Do you have interest in law? Also, you don't have to go combat arms, I realize you'd want to, however, I'd very seriously consider law, it'd he a good fit for your interests, honest....let !e send this then I'll try to suggest more, OK?
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First and foremost, you don’t get to chose if you’re mechanized or not. Secondly, and not to be an ass. But you if you aren’t sure if you want to be an Infantryman than you shouldn’t be one. Grunts are a certain breed of human, and to lead us you can’t be unsure if this is the right fit for you.
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Issac, all branches have their benefits. I may sound a bit like Mister Rogers here but do what you love. And if offered another branch, grab it with all your heart. Issac, it is not what you are handed, it is what you do with it. My love and prayers are with you. Take charge soldier!
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Disclaimer: I am not trying to be a smart ass but I kind of have to be. If you don't know, how should we know?
I assume you are looking for pros and cons vs actual "do this" comments.
I was a Marine infantry officer. For the most part, at the platoon and company level, we trained for many, many hours for every hour of preventative and corrective maintenance. My perception was that armor units performed many, many hours of maintenance for every hour of training.
Once again my perception, Infantry units had leaner logistics trains than armor units, and accordingly less of the simple pleasures of life in the field.
I assume you are looking for pros and cons vs actual "do this" comments.
I was a Marine infantry officer. For the most part, at the platoon and company level, we trained for many, many hours for every hour of preventative and corrective maintenance. My perception was that armor units performed many, many hours of maintenance for every hour of training.
Once again my perception, Infantry units had leaner logistics trains than armor units, and accordingly less of the simple pleasures of life in the field.
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How good are your grades and are you going to stay National Guard? Kentucky is Engineer heavy, which is why I branch transferred when I moved to Kentucky. I was lucky and served in a Divisional Combat Engineer Battalion, so got the best of both the maneuver world and engineering. The school is fairly academically challenging, all I had to do was the Advanced course. Dont regret the switch. Enlisted and commissioned Infantry BTW.
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SPC (Join to see)
My grades could be better and I intend on going active duty after graduation. Engineering sounds nice, but I know I don't have the head for that. That's why I'm a history major.
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