Posted: 11/21/2007 3:37:37 PM EDT
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I just graduated college, landed a career in litigation support and now i'm seriously considering becoming a commissioned officer for the army. My younger brother is in the ROTC and i'm scared as fck for him and I don't want him doing anything like the military alone (without me around). I've wanted to make this commitment to the armed forces for going on 4 years now but I think it took the sacrifice of a sibling to realize I need to take action. I applaud and respect him for everything he's doing for our great nation, himself, and his family. But I'm scared as hell to take this step, as badly as I want it. I need guidance and a recruiter is only going to push and I need honest opinions; not someone bullshitting me to sign a paper and let me find out on my own. I have my heart set on army infantry, following that (should i succeed) I want to go through jump school and become an airborne ranger. Do the airborne rangers even take 2nd Lt. officers into the field with them? I BELIEVE 2nd Lt. is the starting rank for commissioned officers but I may be under false pretenses. I'm fairly intelligent and smart enough to know this is serious sht that needs to be taken with the utmost caution. If i commit myself to this i either want to be all in or all out, there's no half assing the armed forces. Please guys, in your honest opinions, give me insight from your own experiences serving in our military (any branch, any position/rank/year/theater of war). I NEED to know everything to take account for before I do this. I can read my ass off online and still not know everything, but I want to be somewhat well informed when i speak to a recruiter on November 23rd (friday). |
That's a wise statement.
You'll have to enlist for OCS (Officer Candidate School) and while I am not positive, I am sure that you can make a preference for Infantry (though I am not sure what kind of guarantee you will get). After completing OCS, you will be commissioned as a Second Lieutenant. If you get Infantry, you'll stay at Benning and complete IOBC (Infantry Officer Basic Course) or whatever acronym they've given it now. Then, you'll have the opportunity to complete Airborne School and Ranger School. However, a Parachutist's Badge and a Ranger Tab don't make you an "Airborne Ranger" (IMHO) . . . being accepted into the Ranger Regiment does. As an officer, you'll have to have to successfully lead a platoon, and then put in a request for transfer to the 75th. There is a selection process that you'll have to complete successfully for the transfer. In any event, I applaud your motivation and desire to serve the Nation as leader of Infantrymen. Be advised that the Infantry is a sub-culture all to its own, and a very cannibalistic one at that. One must conform to the Infantry's concept of "normal" and love being that way. If you show any weakness or deviation from what is expected, there will be negative consequences in terms of image, respect, evaluations, etc. Your individuality is not a concern. My two years as a Lieutenant of Infantry were rewarding and I experienced a great deal. I would love to be able to do it all over again, so that I could apply the life lessons I've since learned to the task. |
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I see in your sig that you are in Texas. My advice would be to try and hook up with a junior officer from one of the military instillations in that state. Tell him going in what you need from them. Honest, frank personal observations from their current viewpoint. It may take some time for the acquaintence to "loosen up' and be forthright about their views as it will naturally reflect back on their own judgement also. The Big 3 of the military are like giant corporations and one can get lost in the masses that make up the majority of those organizations. Career officers who have promoted up through the ranks tend to reflect the Company Image more so than the entry level ranks and are far more political. My point is that your experiences upon first entering the military will reflect that position primarily and not be a true example of the "corporation" as a whole. Your limited tactical view is considerably less and more limited than the big, strategic situation. If after gleaning all the information you can from someone currently in a position you seek, then make that judgement call for yourself. Aside from all the patriotic chest thumping that we hear so often about "serving your country", it is as honorable a calling as you choose to make it. It is challenging for sure and will make you responsible for decisions that far exceed in importance, many in the business world. Your actions and decisions can have life and death consequences not only for yourself, but for those you lead. If you even think that is more than you want to shoulder, then do everyone a favor and choose another calling. If you choose to enlist, I thank you in advance for your consideration and service. Semper Fi! |
Only a couple of things to add as a former recruiter. 1. You've made a good 1st step---research the military other than the recruiter's office. 2. OCS will more than likely NOT give you a guarantee of branch, and will NOT guarantee your station. Either way, opportunities to go to ranger and airborne school are out there. As SNS said, just going to school will not make you a ranger. Army options are changing monthly, so you never know. 3. If you go into the recruiting office determined to do an OCS packet, they will have no choice but to work with you. Yeah, they'll ask you about coming in as an SPC and then putting in a packet, but just ignore them. If you tell them that OCS is the only thing you will do, they WILL help you out. Some recruiters actually like OCS packets, since they provide extra points towards the next recruiting award. 4. I bet most recruiting stations are closed on Friday the 23rd. Good luck with whatever you decide. |
I was a recuriter from 93 to 96, just stick to only committing to OCS and don't let them talk you into enlisting. When I was a recuriter we didn't get any credit for OCS packets so a lot of recruiters didn't want to mess with them. Not sure how it is now, just stick to your guns and have fun at Fort Benning and prey that your first Platoon Sergeant is squared away. |
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When you finish OCS, you will be branched whatever the Army feels you should be based upon the needs of the Army, your performance at OCS, and your desires..pretty much in that order. You may come out Infantry... you may come out Finance... you may come out MP.... you may come out Ordnance... |
Slight hijack, back to USAREC  --We had all sorts of incentives when I was out from Jan 01-04. We got 20 points for a completed packet, and an extra 100 points for a shipped OCS contract. Conversely, any other GA or SA contract was only 20 points. I refused to do OCS packets, as I didn't want to waste my time. I recently got pulled back out to USAREC for 3 months TDY. Even since 04, you wouldn't believe how much USAREC has changed. Scratch that--recruiting has changed, USAREC is still that cold evil mafia bitch that she was. Thank god out from under the threat of USAREC pulling me back with this list that came out on the 20th.
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