Posted on Aug 15, 2018
PO3 Gunner's Mate
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I have asked this question before, and alot of people have told me that it depends on what I want in a career. With this post ill discuss a little more about what I want in a career in the Army so hopefully I can gain some valuable information from people who have already been there and done that. Being prior service my desire to want to serve again and as an officer is deeply routed in wanting to do something I feel like matters. I do not want to chase rank my entire career and would much rather do things I find enjoyable and cool. My current interests are MI, Engineer, Aviation, Infantry, and Artillery. Ultimately I would love to work hand in hand with enlisted soldiers and do something enjoyable and worth my wile. Any information and opinions on specific branches would be great.
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LTC Self Employed
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One way is to check and see which branches have bonuses for captains to extend. In 2009, civil affairs captains were given $10,000 to remain in civil Affairs for an additional 3 years.
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LTC Self Employed
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I was one of the captains that took advantage of this gracious offer. I had no intent of leaving civil Affairs but it seems like many captains were leaving at that time do too many deployments. This was during the surge in Afghanistan
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LTC Jason Mackay
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PO3 (Join to see) which commissioning source will you come from?

https://www.rallypoint.com/command-post/how-do-i-choose-an-army-branch-a-framework?page=3&urlhash=4134317

MI: you may spend a lot more time on staff as a member of the S2/G2. There is vast opportunity for strategic assignments. At the tactical level you must manage the threat picture and figure out what is most important to you combat arms unit. Serving as an S2 for a logistics unit is challenging as you have to focus what everyone else ignores. You may lead a platoon if you go to an MI Company. You may command as an O3, O5 and O6. S2, XO, S3, Collection Chief, and G2 are some key assignments.

EN: mobility, countermobility, and vertical engineering will be what you do at company level. You'll be leading platoons like Assault & Obstacle, construction, and route clearance platoonsObstacles, survivability holes for fighting vehicles, breaching, SOSR, etc. as a field grade you are a staff officer planning these activities. If you have a hard engineering degree, you can do strategic level assignments with USACE building MILCON projects. You may command as an O3, O5 and O6. XO and S3 will be key billets as a field grade.

AV: as Company grade you'll fly and do additional duties in the unit. Lift, sling loads, internal loads Recon, Attack, theater support. As you get into Staff, planning flight Ops. Maintenance is its own world and XOs spend a lot of time tracking, predicting and worrying about it. Aviation assets must go through depot phase maintenance on a regular interval of flight hours. It greatly impacts flight Ops. You fly less the more senior you get. You Command as an O3/4, O5, and O6. You'll serve as a staff officer outside AV, both as an AV planner/SME and other missions. XO and S3 as a major.

IN: close with and destroy the enemy in close combat. You'll lead a platoon light, Stryker, air assault, airborne, or mech. Staff work as you progress like S3 Air. If your mech, maintenance and Gunnery are a whole different animal. XO, S3 will be your goal as a Major. You may command as an O3, O5 and O6.

FA: provide indirect fire support to maneuver. Targeting support. Lead a platoon in an Artillery battery (self propelled, tube, or missile) and/ or serve as a Forward Observer in a combat arms company. You may command as an O3 (battery), O5 (Battalion), and O6 (BDE or Divarty). Key assignments S3, XO, Fire Support Coordinator. Targeting, mops, and moes for lethal and non lethal targeting. Working with deep fires and joint assets like tacair, naval gunfire, etc.
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SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth
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In my opinion Armor.
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SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth
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