West Point

Off Topic
21

[quote]Fandango wrote:

[quote]PB Andy wrote:

In short, save the ages of 18-22 for having fun and getting a good college experience. Because of that, I cannot recommend USMA. You will have plenty time to be serious once you graduate and get sent to your unit.[/quote]

Honestly if you pick a major you like then your junior and senior year of WP are a blast. I loved it. It’s not for partying, but if you are able to get into the school then you will graduate as long as you give in the effort. They don’t accept people that don’t have the capability to graduate.[/quote]

Isn’t that the whole point of college, to graduate? Well not the WHOLE point, but do you see where I’m coming from? I’ve had two siblings go through college and they’ve told me that you’re there to learn, and most importantly, graduate.

CS

22

[quote]biglifter wrote:

[quote]CSEagles1694 wrote:
With the Marines, I feel like I’d get screwed over and end up being unhappy with my military career, which is never a good thing.

CS[/quote]

And this based on what, O prophet of high school wisdom?[/quote]

Just with the way the TBS system works out, as mentioned above me. It’s still a bit of a gray area for me. Are they talking about the 1/3 of the entire class, nation wide? Or the entire class at your school of choice. It’s the things like these that make my decisions harder because I can never get a clear answer.

CS

23

[quote]CSEagles1694 wrote:

[quote]biglifter wrote:

[quote]CSEagles1694 wrote:
With the Marines, I feel like I’d get screwed over and end up being unhappy with my military career, which is never a good thing.

CS[/quote]

And this based on what, O prophet of high school wisdom?[/quote]

Just with the way the TBS system works out, as mentioned above me. It’s still a bit of a gray area for me. Are they talking about the 1/3 of the entire class, nation wide? Or the entire class at your school of choice. It’s the things like these that make my decisions harder because I can never get a clear answer.

CS[/quote]

Creds: OCC in 2009, graduated TBS 2009, so recent experience. Your class is approximately 300-250 fellow officers. The MOS choices are for the graduating class. So you compete against the class, and within the “tier” that your combined grades put you in. There are three tiers per class. I can’t speak for the Army, but it’s not pick what you want and get it either. I think they use your ranking for all ROTC and WP officers graduating/commissioning that year, and the top gets to pick. So bigger pool, smaller individual choices. Any Army guys chime in on that?

But seriously, if you’re picking the service because it gives you the ilusion of control over your career, you are in for a fun surprise.

24

Based on my n00b perspective

West Point > Ivy League school (any)

25

[quote]atypical1 wrote:

That’s essentially the way that it is still. To “spread the talent,” each TBS class is divided into thirds, and those thirds are divided into ninths. Essentially, if you are in the first, fourth, or seventh ninths (the top third in your third), then you get your first pick. Second and third pick works the same way. It’s probably the same as it was when you went through.

On a side note, I’ve heard that a lot of higher-ups in the Army like the idea of the USMC’s TBS, and there has been talk for a few years of wanting to developing something like it. I am, however, unsure if they want a similar program only for the training value, or to determine MOS selection as well.

26

I can’t speak to the officer career path, but as an enlisted man I have a request: Please don’t treat your junior enlisted and NCOs as lesser forms of life if you become an officer.

One of my squad members recently transferred into West Point. The process was significantly easier for him because he was already in service. This might be an option to consider. And I agree with those who have posted above when they say that recruiters will try to screw you over. You have to remember that you are just a possible pay bump for them. Can’t blame them though. We all have mouths to feed.

27

[quote]Fandango wrote:

[quote]PB Andy wrote:

In short, save the ages of 18-22 for having fun and getting a good college experience. Because of that, I cannot recommend USMA. You will have plenty time to be serious once you graduate and get sent to your unit.[/quote]

Honestly if you pick a major you like then your junior and senior year of WP are a blast. I loved it. It’s not for partying, but if you are able to get into the school then you will graduate as long as you give in the effort. They don’t accept people that don’t have the capability to graduate.[/quote]
bro I’m pretty sure I studied a physics WPR with you and Daker… LOL

28

[quote]blackshamrock wrote:

[quote]CSEagles1694 wrote:

[quote]biglifter wrote:

[quote]CSEagles1694 wrote:
With the Marines, I feel like I’d get screwed over and end up being unhappy with my military career, which is never a good thing.

CS[/quote]

And this based on what, O prophet of high school wisdom?[/quote]

Just with the way the TBS system works out, as mentioned above me. It’s still a bit of a gray area for me. Are they talking about the 1/3 of the entire class, nation wide? Or the entire class at your school of choice. It’s the things like these that make my decisions harder because I can never get a clear answer.

CS[/quote]

Creds: OCC in 2009, graduated TBS 2009, so recent experience. Your class is approximately 300-250 fellow officers. The MOS choices are for the graduating class. So you compete against the class, and within the “tier” that your combined grades put you in. There are three tiers per class. I can’t speak for the Army, but it’s not pick what you want and get it either. I think they use your ranking for all ROTC and WP officers graduating/commissioning that year, and the top gets to pick. So bigger pool, smaller individual choices. Any Army guys chime in on that?

But seriously, if you’re picking the service because it gives you the ilusion of control over your career, you are in for a fun surprise.[/quote]

I don’t know why you keep getting the idea that I want to go into the military for shits and giggles. That pisses me off to no end. I don’t care about the money or whatever fucking experience it would give me for a career outside of the military. I want to do this because I love my country and would do anything to protect it. I’m sure that’s you decided to join as well, correct?

CS

29

[quote]PB Andy wrote:

[quote]Fandango wrote:

[quote]PB Andy wrote:

In short, save the ages of 18-22 for having fun and getting a good college experience. Because of that, I cannot recommend USMA. You will have plenty time to be serious once you graduate and get sent to your unit.[/quote]

Honestly if you pick a major you like then your junior and senior year of WP are a blast. I loved it. It’s not for partying, but if you are able to get into the school then you will graduate as long as you give in the effort. They don’t accept people that don’t have the capability to graduate.[/quote]
bro I’m pretty sure I studied a physics WPR with you and Daker… LOL[/quote]

Hahaha that’s hilarious. I wouldn’t doubt it. Small world I guess. Did you room with him?

30

So I assume West Point is a college, is that correct? Or do you need a degree before attempting to apply to USMA?

31

[quote]Fandango wrote:

[quote]PB Andy wrote:

[quote]Fandango wrote:

[quote]PB Andy wrote:

In short, save the ages of 18-22 for having fun and getting a good college experience. Because of that, I cannot recommend USMA. You will have plenty time to be serious once you graduate and get sent to your unit.[/quote]

Honestly if you pick a major you like then your junior and senior year of WP are a blast. I loved it. It’s not for partying, but if you are able to get into the school then you will graduate as long as you give in the effort. They don’t accept people that don’t have the capability to graduate.[/quote]
bro I’m pretty sure I studied a physics WPR with you and Daker… LOL[/quote]

Hahaha that’s hilarious. I wouldn’t doubt it. Small world I guess. Did you room with him?[/quote]
yep, haha.

32

[quote]Gettnitdone wrote:
So I assume West Point is a college, is that correct? Or do you need a degree before attempting to apply to USMA?[/quote]

yes, it’s a four-year college where you earn your bachelors. You go straight after high school (most people).

33

[quote]CSEagles1694 wrote:
I don’t know why you keep getting the idea that I want to go into the military for shits and giggles. That pisses me off to no end. I don’t care about the money or whatever fucking experience it would give me for a career outside of the military. I want to do this because I love my country and would do anything to protect it. I’m sure that’s you decided to join as well, correct?

CS[/quote]

I think where you went astray in our eyes when you commented on not wanting to be a Marine because you would have less control over your career. All of us prior or current Marine officers took offense to that I suppose because none of us went in thinking that we would have any modicum of control over where we went or the roles we held.

And jeez…OCC and TBS in 2009…I went through the junior / senior course in 1993/1994. I was a Fox Company, 95 TBS grad myself. Funny that they haven’t changed the quality spread yet. But I don’t think that TBS will ever really change.

james

34

[quote]atypical1 wrote:

[quote]CSEagles1694 wrote:
I don’t know why you keep getting the idea that I want to go into the military for shits and giggles. That pisses me off to no end. I don’t care about the money or whatever fucking experience it would give me for a career outside of the military. I want to do this because I love my country and would do anything to protect it. I’m sure that’s you decided to join as well, correct?

CS[/quote]

I think where you went astray in our eyes when you commented on not wanting to be a Marine because you would have less control over your career. All of us prior or current Marine officers took offense to that I suppose because none of us went in thinking that we would have any modicum of control over where we went or the roles we held.

And jeez…OCC and TBS in 2009…I went through the junior / senior course in 1993/1994. I was a Fox Company, 95 TBS grad myself. Funny that they haven’t changed the quality spread yet. But I don’t think that TBS will ever really change.

james
[/quote]

Okay, sorry for the confusion. I thought that you were talking about my career outside the military. Now that you said that, I realize what’s going on here.

Believe me, I’d love to be a Marine, probably more so than being in the Army. To me, being a Marine is being something that not everybody can say that they did. To me, Marines are far and few between and you don’t really come across them that often, let alone officers.

Now, let’s be realistic here: I don’t expect to have complete control over my career, it’s just not going to happen. What I’m looking for is something (something being the branch that I choose) that would give me the best shot at getting to do what I want. At this point, I feel that it is the Army from what the representatives at West Point, various ROTC programs, and my recruiter have told me. That’s just on the information that I’ve been given, not any premature notions. I wouldn’t blatantly disrespect anyone, let alone a service member, like that.

So, in short here’s my question: Is there really much difference between the branches when it comes to officership and choice in your career path? I know this word “choice” seems stupid when you’re considering the military where really the only choice you get is when you get to tell people what to do.

CS

35

I approve of this CS kid. The way he types reeks of good officership!

36

CS, have you applied for your congressional nominations for the academies?

37

You can also request to “cross commission” to another branch of the services upon graduation from West Point.

They have allowed that since 1959.

38

[quote]2busy wrote:
You can also request to “cross commission” to another branch of the services upon graduation from West Point.

They have allowed that since 1959.[/quote]

This is true, but in my graduating class of 2011 we had about 3 people successfully do that with a graduating class of over 1000. It is extremely rare. Better to just pick what you want to do and stick with that.

39

[quote]Fandango wrote:

[quote]2busy wrote:
You can also request to “cross commission” to another branch of the services upon graduation from West Point.

They have allowed that since 1959.[/quote]

This is true, but in my graduating class of 2011 we had about 3 people successfully do that with a graduating class of over 1000. It is extremely rare. Better to just pick what you want to do and stick with that.[/quote]

LOL, I understand that.

And that is the best plan.

40

CS,

At least you have a plan with multiple paths.

I got a WP nomination with a 30 ACT. Didn’t make it through the medical eval.

College ROTC is a good route, hopefully you’ll get some good instructors.

I was fortunate to have a Master Sergeant who had two tours as MACVSOG.

Keep working the plan.