Attention officers wearing the Scroll.....

[hop&popponysoldier]

i will b brief and concise as possible.i have one of my offsring determined and about 2 enter the Corps of Cadets at Texas A&M.he wanted 2 enlist for option 40,i wanted him 2 get an education and not b quite so much like me.he intends 2 serve hopefully with one of the BCT's at Bragg then go 2 RASP 2(not ROP any more)but as the FAQ page states he will get no guarantee of getting to Battalion as an officer and being a great platoon leader is no guarantee,he might b kept because he is one.my kid said he would make this compromise for me.but if i have no strategies or tactics or ideas that will allow him 2 have better chance at what he wants then maybe he should enlist and hold out for option 40.my boys and me are close I raised them basically alone.i would like 2 keep us that way.part of it is good information.any ideas or wisdom that will help a good kid do what he wants and meet whatever requirements that will b looked for!?!thank you for any and all answers.either here or PM.thanks RLTW!out.

[KW Driver]

Howdy, KW Driver, class of '91.

I was in N-1 for a while, but didn't graduate. I had a strange route. I was in a TXANG LRS unit while in school, enlisted active and managed to squeeze a RGR Contract once I hit the 30th AG (nothing but 11X unassigned as a prior service, no OPT 4 or airborne assignment, I had been on status for 3 years at that point, and no RGR contract). so I spent 5 yrs in BN, then started flying as a Warrant.

he can go to school, and be in the Corps all four years, taking ROTC up until his junior year. he's not required to contract with ROTC, and can stay in the Corps. or he can contract and become an O.

he has a slim to none chance of serving in the Regtiment as an O. that's the reality. his best opportunity to be a PL in BN is to come out of Korea, seems to be the historical route. 101st/82nd it's up to his BDE CDR to release him, and not a lot of them support the Regt. that's assuming he gets branch of choice, and not branch detailed, where he's Infantry for 3 years, then branched MI or another SS/CSS branch, for example.

If he wants to Ranger, he needs to enlist. going to school first won't hurt that, and he'll go in as a SPC with a BA/BS.

The downside of sorts to going to TAMU is that they play "Corps" more than they play "Army". fundamentals and discipline will be there, but he'll be living Corps values, history, and tradition more than the Army's, Navy's, or AF's, depending on which outfit he goes into.

things to consider.