Prior Enlisted Officers: Help Wanted

[IntelToad]

PM Ranger Fish....I think he's in the PA program if memory serves me right.

[hobbit]

Think IT

[hobbit]

I'm going into my junior year of the green to gold I'm unsure of the branch I want, I say want, but I mean branch I am going to shoot for. What is a great path to take for success, my current thoughts are, Medical PA, or an MI Officer. Some informative replies would be greatly appreciated. Infantry is still definitly an option so any branch feel free to chim in and tell me what you think is the best route.

Have you thought about some aspect of, or specialty within, information technology?

My former Ranger Company CO in Vietnam, David Ohle, ended his military career at the Pentagon as head of personnel for the US Army. He retired in 2000 with the rank of Lieutenant General. On retiring from the military, he stepped right into a board position with Shell Oil Company as VP of personnel. He left that job recently and is now a military liaison VP for a major information technology company contracting with the US military.

Information technology is the future of the US military, and in fact, the future of the world, yet commissioned officers with IT skills have the lowest retention rate of any group within the military. The problem is not just money, it's more complex than that. In fact, General Ohle himself could serve as paradigm: He's a West Point and War College graduate whose entire military career, until he got his second star, was concentrated around combat arms -the infantry. He's a "good ol' boy' of the warrior caste who gets the stars and advancement in the military. That's the way armies have been run since the time of Babylon.

This is a problem with which General Ohle became acutely aware. The US Air Force loses 4 out of 5 IT officers to the private sector, and the reason most often cited is not money, but rather "respect". The army's loss rate is even higher, since IT officers can expect to advance to colonel and no further, because IT officers are not the product of West Point, Annapolis, or the Air Force Academy, whose graduates are a cliquish bunch hogging up all the stars for themselves. At least that's the way it's been till now.

At no time in our nation's history have more civilian consultants and private industry technicians (civilians representatives of defense contractors) been necessary for the day-to-day running of the US military. It's getting to be an embarrassment at the Pentagon, thus the warrior caste is finally waking up to the fact that macho isn't going to win future wars. It's the egghead sitting on a Northern California beach with a satellite linkup to his notebook who will run future wars....and who will wear the stars. Were I young soldier with some military experience already under my belt, looking to become an officer and to further my career, information technology would definitely be #1 on my list of potential goals. It's something to think about.

Here's an announcement of General Ohle's appointment as VP of CSC, and the change in attitude the military is taking toward developing IT personnel: http://www.csc.com/newsandevents/news/2852.shtml

[Soul Snatcher]

Thanks for the post, I'll check it out. This may be way off coarse, but I was also considering braching in the reserves and trying my luck at a Conservation Officer (Game Wardon). Anybody know anything about that?

I figured out why I don't want infantry: Say you were given a bad ass rifle, top of the line, never failed you and no regrets. Now a local gun store owner tells you, you can walk in and pick any rifle out that you want. Are you going to pick out the same rifle that you know is bad ass, or are you going to expand your arsenal and choose another one of your liking? Why am I going to go back to the Infantry when I have already experienced the best and the worst of it? What about Abram's Charter? Well I'll be spending 2 more of my 4 years in ROTC, teaching these nuggets to live above the standards.
Does this make any sense? Or should I just say screw it and go back to the blue cord?

[Earthpig]

Thanks for the post, I'll check it out. This may be way off coarse, but I was also considering braching in the reserves and trying my luck at a Conservation Officer (Game Wardon). Anybody know anything about that?

I figured out why I don't want infantry: Say you were given a bad ass rifle, top of the line, never failed you and no regrets. Now a local gun store owner tells you, you can walk in and pick any rifle out that you want. Are you going to pick out the same rifle that you know is bad ass, or are you going to expand your arsenal and choose another one of your liking? Why am I going to go back to the Infantry when I have already experienced the best and the worst of it? What about Abram's Charter? Well I'll be spending 2 more of my 4 years in ROTC, teaching these nuggets to live above the standards.
Does this make any sense? Or should I just say screw it and go back to the blue cord?

I don't know about other states, but Texas requires that you have a degree in Animal Husbandry, or something similar to be hired a s a Gamie.
RLTW
EP