Army officers

[frorider6]

I've been working on a package for Air Force OTS. My friend is an Army recruiter and she's trying to talk me into becoming an Army officer. I'm prior enlisted Air Force, so I know what the officers do there. But I don't know squat about the Army.

What are some of the better career fields for Army officers? I'd like a flying position, but my eyesight disqualifies me for pilot (just barely). Helicopters have any commisioned nonpilot positions? How about maintenance officers for Army aircraft? Any other cool Army jobs I don't know about?

 

[Longhorn85]

Takes all kinds

If maintenance turns you on you'll want to look into being a Quartermaster Officer or a Transportation Officer. I personally think that if you are career-oriented you should look at the more "warfighting" type fields, such as Infantry, Artillery or Armor (Tanks). There are also Engineers and Signal (communications) officers.

I'm a career Artillery Officer

 

[frorider6]

I'd be going in as career. I just want something cool, interesting, and fun. And I'd prefer not to be camped out in the mud for months on end (unless there was a war of course).

 

[booger]

Army Officers

She's got a quota to meet. Stay with the Air Force. Too bad about your eyes. But there are no wars going on these days so spraying Gooks in the open with a minigun from a Cobra is out. There isn't anything cool about any job in the Army these days. The era of coolness where you could 'Travel to exotic lands, meet interesting people, and kill them' is over. Just get into something that is going to give you lots of experience so that after a couple of years you can resign, go to work for a military contractor, and make big bucks. Around here EDS is king. The way I look at it they are initiating a hostile takeover of all the Army personnel systems. Probably DOD wide next. And as long as Chaney is VP they won't have a lot of opposition.

 

[bigkraut]

Combat arms is where it's at if you want quick career advancement! Go into infantry O.C.S. and after that, apply for every school you can. Like airborne, Ranger, pathfinder, air assault, whatever. You'll move up quicker there than anywhere. Most of the top Army brass at the pentagon had an 11 series MOS. Check out all of the CIBs.

 

[Longhorn85]

go air force

If you have a problem camping out in the mud, definitely go air force, the army doesn't need you. Although the army is a great career and a great life (been in 16 yrs), it is not for the light-hearted. If you like being a leader and working with outstanding soldiers, and yes, travelling to great places like Hawaii, Germany, Korea, Japan and Alaska, plus all over the U.S., try the Army.

Most Army officers do their fair share of field time, but also spend a lot of time doing staff work at the Pentagon, etc. Most also get great executive type jobs after earning retirement at a relatively young age.

 

[booger]

Huh

Check out all of the CIBs.

Right. Just take a walk around the Pentagon these days. Lot of CIB's, but look at the ribbons also. These chumps got theirs in Panama, Grenada, or the 100 hour war in the Iraq. Very few VN era officers left. I work at another military location close by and when I see them I always ask, "When did the Army start allowing you to wear your NRA membership pin on your military uniform"? You ought to hear the reactions. These guys egos are comical. I don't bother the enlisted guys. They've always done the majority of the work. The officers usually just bark the orders. And I've met very few infantry officers in my 32 years in and around the Army that inspire confidence. Even in Nam about the only thing they seemed to do with efficiency is get a lot of men killed with their stupid decisions. But you'll never hear about that stuff. But they got the glory. And of all the awards for heroism that I personally witnessed none have matched the description of the citiation. I now understand the saying, "The pen is mightier than the sword". I'm sure there are exceptions but I haven't witnessed them.

 

[Longhorn85]

your ignorance is showing

For someone who has been around the Army for a while you certainly don't know much about it. Officers dont "bark orders", they set policy and sergeants are in charge of execution and "barking orders". Of course there are fewer Vietnam era guys left, the war ended in 75, do the math.

As for short wars in Grenada, Panama and Irag, that is a good thing! I think most sensible Americans want a military that can get the job done quickly and efficiently and get our young soldiers back home as soon as possible. By the way, soldiers died in each of those short wars and many others were willing to.

The army is full of great leaders, not just officers, but sergeants and soldiers too. In poll after poll, the military as a profession ranks near the top of the list in the eyes of a majority of Americans, so your cynical opinion is not shared by most.

Bottom line, we have an all volunteer military so people who don't want to be there don't have to, and it has worked well. Fortunately there has been no need to implement the draft so we don't have to pull lamebrains like you in and train you to fight, but if we have to someday, we will.

 

[bigkraut]

To add to what the previous poster stated, I think the very fact that we were able to achieve quick, decisive victories in places like Panama and the Gulf speaks volumes about how well led todays military is. My friend above was right on target when he said it is NCO's, not officers, more times than not who run things in the field. At least it was that way in the early to mid 80's when I was in.

 

[booger]

ttlpkg

I think we need to have 'serious war' so you can participate at the field level. I'm not talking one that is won by the virtue of our superior weaponry. I think our differences on Officers and NCO's barking orders are just a matter of symantics. All I was trying to say was when push comes to shove the point-man and his squad are usually in the thick of it while the platoon leader and CO are somewhere off behind a log calling in arty or an airstrike.

It was a different story for the officers/wo's that flew the choppers and such. They put their life on the line everyday. But the commanders at the company, battalion, brigade and division level were just a bunch of 'Yes Men'. Just like they are today. And whatever policy comes down from the top, no matter how idiotic and politically motivated, they just go along with it. They have no choice. It's their career.

America is a powerful nation and I don't discredit the leaders for what they do to keep us on the top of pile. But on an individual basis most of them that I've met can't beat their way out of a wet paper bag. But they know how to follow orders and that is all that matters.

And F**k the polls. America in general doesn't know much about what really goes on in the world. They know what they read in the media. There is more 'Black Bag' shit going on than you can shake a stick at.

I spent 2 years in VN hunting and camping, as I refer to it now. In those days I figured it was OK. Looking back and having access to the Operations Logs from my units I know now that I didn't have a clue what was going on.
And a lot of the entries are pure BS. Without going into detail I can understand why they were doctored. But this is the shit that history will be written against.

The Army is just a slice of Americana. And how many people around you 'really' impress you? I can count the ones I know on 1 hand. The others I've met throughout my life are few and far between.

After looking at your profile and seeing that you are an Army Officer I can understand somewhat your thinking. It's like a horse of a different color.

And I know soldiers died in Panama, Grenada, and Saudi. They died in all wars. That's just the nature of the business. But some guy getting a CIB just for showing up and in a lot of cases not even coming under fire doesn't qualify in my mind. As far as medals(etc) go there are only 3 that are worth anything. The MOH gives you a monthly stipend for the rest of your life. A purple heart was worth a case of San Miquel beer in 1969 VN. And the CIB/Purple Heart gives you a shoe in
the door at the VA for an almost automatic disability award for PTSD.

I can see you're down around Austin but I don't have a map available so I don't know whether or not that's located near Hood. Maybe you're in one of those armored Cav units. But if you haven't already done so try an assignment at the Pentagon and see what the professional 'Chairborne Rangers' do. They think more like those characters over on the Hill than an Army Officer. Or should I say 'don't think'. It's just 'Yes Sir' and 'No Sir'.

I'll shut up now.