Decisions

The Army has a "Career Satisfaction Program" and it's broken down into three parts: ADSO (Active Duty Service Obligation) for Branch, ADSO for Post, and ADSO for Grad School. You can choose two of the three. Basically, with ADSO for branch and post, you can get your desired branch or post for an additional three years in the Army each. I already ADSO'ed for branch (I'm military intelligence, branch detailed into the infantry FYI), so that stretches my normal active duty service obligation from five years to eight years (coming out of West Point, you already owe the Army five years on active duty, three years in the reserves. Me ADSO'ing for branch just changes my three years of reserve time into active time.)

I don't think I'm going to ADSO for post though because I wouldn't be at that post for very long anyway, considering the whole War on Terror and everything. So basically, it's just not worth it to ADSO for post.

Now ADSO for Grad School, colloquially known as GRADSO. Basically, if I choose to stay in for three years past my normal service obligation, and elect to GRADSO now, while still a cadet, I can go to any graduate school program in the nation on the Army's dime. I'd just have to pay back 3 years for every year I'm in grad school, so basically, I'll tack on an additional 6 years to my Army service obligation.

A Visual Representation of what I'd owe if I GRADSO'ed:

5 years (because of West Point)
+ 3 Years (because of ADSO'ing for post)
+3 Years (to be eligible to GRADSO)
+2 Years (in Grad School, earning my normal Army salary, basically living as a civilian)
+6 Years (because of GRADSO commitment)
=19 years in the Army.

YIKES! 19 years in the Army is a lot to consider, and given that after 8 years, I'll have the Post-9/11 GI Bill anyway, where I can go to any state funded school for free, the GRADSO program is looking less and less appealing. To top it all off, I really want to join the FBI after my Army time is up, and because the FBI has an age limit of 37 when applying, if I do GRADSO, I'd be too old to apply.

So yeah, I don't think I'll be GRADSOing,

In other news, we select our first posts on February 3rd. I sort of have an idea of where I want to go, but am not entirely sure yet. Here's what I'm thinking so far:

1) Italy
2) Bragg
3) Richardson

As you can see, I want to go Airborne. We'll see what I can get though.

Bragg or Bust

So I know that it's only the afternoon and I have all day to come up with something more exciting to talk about, but given that I don't have anything planned for today, this is probably as exciting as it's going to get.

In my last post, I mentioned I emailed a plebe in the company's dad to ask for advice on what to branch and where to post since I want to work for the FBI later. I'll repost his (timely) response to me here, just in case any of you readers were wondering the same thing:

On Branching (Names Changed for Privacy Reasons)

"Citizen JEZ;

Regarding your decision on branching and a subsequent career with a federal agency.

I was branched MI, detailed infantry Recon Platoon leader,  then had an MI command.  Got a Masters degree in Intelligence from DIA.  Following my military service I was a CIA operations officer.

INF or MI, depends your federal agency direction.  If you believe you will pursue a career at FBI or US Secret Service, they are Federal Law enforcement agencies, both headquartered in DC, assignments in most major US cities, with limited assignments OCONUS.  Their mission is Law Enforcement not intelligence.  Despite what the FBI will tell you, they have limited terrorism intelligence focus and the path to promotion in the FBI is criminal or terrorism law enforcement not intel. 

The US Secret Service primary mission is protection the President (POTUS) and the VP.  Their intelligence work is to identify threats against POTUS.   Their other mission is pursuit of financial crime, less counterfeiting these days with more focus on electronic crime.

Personally I liked and worked better with the US Secret Service.  But have nothing against the FBI.

CIA has two major paths, one as intelligence analyst (Directorate of Intelligence) the other is operations officer (Directorate of Operations).  The analyst job is classic analysis, graduate degree preferred, language skills a plus.  Almost all jobs are in McLean VA.   The other side (Operations) where I worked, is OCONUS focused...if you don't want to live overseas and don't like other cultures then Operations is not for you.  They want graduate degrees, mid 20's at least older is better, if you have lived or were raised OCONUS it's a plus.  Language skills of course. 

So to your question, if you want to go

FBI- (law enforcement) Infantry

       (Terrorism analysis) MI

US Secret Service - Infantry

CIA (Analyst) - MI

CIA (Operations) - Infantry, Special Forces is better, MI will do.

I can give better advice if you want to call me.  I'm in San Francisco Cell phone is (XXX)XXX-XXXX.

I welcome a call or email anytime,  glad to help.

Regards,

Plebe's Dad."

On Posting

"Citizen JEZ;

Congratulations  on branching MI.   My early Army career took the same course.  I was detailed to infantry. In my case it was Mech infantry at Fort Hood (First Cav).  I was the recon platoon leader which is the best LT platoon job in an infantry battalion.  

I know you want jump, so if you are thinking 5 and fly, them you want to go to Fort Bragg.  You will jump more, with a division and a Corps HQ on jump status. And there are always opportunities to meet  other government agencies that periodically train at Bragg, like SWAT or other federal agency tactical teams.  Also at Bragg, if you have interview opportunities later you can drive up to Washington DC. Likely you will deploy to combat from the Division, do well, be safe and having combat experience is good for a resume.

Also the XVIII Airborne Corps Commander is XXX XXXXX Class of 'XX and a good friend of mine.  He and I were LTs together at Fort Hood.

MI job wise, try to get to the Corps Battlefield Surveillance Brigade (the MI brigade when I was at Bragg).  If you do 82nd ABN MI battalion, it is honorable work, but you will not learn about national intelligence systems nor have contact the national intelligence community.  So 525th Brigade is what you want.   Or, harder to do, but even  better to position yourself for Federal jobs would be to get in to the Special Operations Forces community on Bragg.  The reason I say harder is that they usually want you to be SF qualified.  But you can always try.

If you don't jump you could try to get an assignment straight to DC.  There are MI HUMINT units in DC and mostly strategic intelligence jobs.  But if you are detailing INF first, there are few INF jobs in DC for a new LT.  So Bragg would be my suggestion.  Also My Plebe was born at Bragg... so that makes it a great post!

I have contacts in most all federal agencies so when you want to talk more just call or email.

Best to you, 

Plebe's Dad"

So I guess it's Bragg or Bust for me.