Which army branch to go into...

[Az]

REMFing
me (and Siro, too, as it seems)

as it seems the "experience" I'll get from the army won't be worth ****. I just hope they let me study for my M.Sc. and MBA in the meanwhile...

[Patroklos]

If I was to guess I think that would be Ordinance. Probably a specialized group in that branch that dealt specifically with chemical/nuclear ammo.

I don't think the Army has nukes period anymore. Missiliers (AirForce) handle ICBMs.

The most luctative branch to be in as far as outside jobs go is Quartermater. Buisnesses eat those guys up. The eat up Airforce Contracting and Navy Supply dudes too.

And being a fellow colorblind officer (you will be soon anyways), air is out for you. Be prepared to get friction on some others too, those combat arms guys are backstabing ass clowns, and will use anything to free up billets.

[Apocalypse]

Yeah, I can't get into nuke school because of the color blindness.

Right now, there is pretty much no job in the army that you can't do while color blind unless it's severe. They still have the restrictions in place from over 50 years ago though. It'll change eventually. They are being rather lax now anyway.

I know combat arms can be backstabbing about it. I'd like to switch to something like MI or Civil Affairs when I'm a Captain or Major. Thus, the backstabbing would not matter.

[Patroklos]

You don't want to wait that long to switch if you plan on making a career. By that time you will automatically be behind those why have been at it for 8-10 years. Lateral transfers seem like good ideas because you bring outside thinking into another branch, which is good, but in reality you are always playing catchup due to never learing the basics of that branch.

[Apocalypse]

From what I've heard, most of the people who went MI (and other non-combat arms branches) starting off have a real hard time later on. They don't have as many political connections and don't have as many patches as the ones who go the branch detail route. With something like artillery, I would probably have both airborne and air assault, and a shot at ranger school. With something like engineers, I'd also probably get either airborne, air assault, or both with a ranger and/or sapper tab. People who go straight MI have a hard time getting one.

I'm not too worried about a career in the army...I wouldn't mind just getting out and going into another government job after 10 or 12 years to fill out the 20 or 25 for a good pension before switching to the private sector.

[Patroklos]

I hear you dude, though if I find myself still in the Navy after 10-12 years I am sure as hell staying in for the full 20.

[Apocalypse]

Well, the way I see it...a couple years of training...a couple deployments...teach ROTC and get the army to pay for a masters....retraining...then serve a few more years as a requirement for my masters being paid for.

[GhengisFarbâ„¢]

Originally posted by Apocalypse
From what I've heard, most of the people who went MI (and other non-combat arms branches) starting off have a real hard time later on. They don't have as many political connections and don't have as many patches as the ones who go the branch detail route. With something like artillery, I would probably have both airborne and air assault, and a shot at ranger school. With something like engineers, I'd also probably get either airborne, air assault, or both with a ranger and/or sapper tab. People who go straight MI have a hard time getting one.
sector.

Bingo. You're exactly correct on that assessment.

I went Artillery as I was "just slightly color blind" according to the tests and any type of color blindness disqualifies you from Armor (similiar to Air Force/Nukes etc.)

The only Nuke rounds I can recall the Army ever having were for Artillery and I'm pretty sure they've all gone now. Might have been one for the 8" guns but those have pretty much been phased out too.

[Saras]

Originally posted by KrazyHorse
The Italian election thread is above this one, so I read the thread title as "Which Italian army branch to go into?"

I guess the options would be:

a) Fancy uniform division
b) Running away
c) Switching sides in the middle of every war unit
d) Whatever branch was assigned to fail to defeat the French and other minor powers in WWII
e) Signal Corps (only need to learn one message: Help us, Germany!)

In all fairness, there also was Decima MAS whose daring sometimes made RM Commandos look like wussies.

[Patroklos]

Didn't they sink a battleship and cruiser in Alexandria harbour using divers? Pretty sure, will investigate...

[Patroklos]

Yep.

December 3, 1941: The Sciré left La Spezia carrying three manned torpedoes. At the island of Leros in the Aegean Sea, it secretly loaded six crew for them (among was the famous Luigi Durand De La Penne). On December 19 it reached Alexandria in Egypt, and its manned torpedoes entered the harbour and sank a tanker and two British battleships, HMS Valiant and HMS Queen Elizabeth. Although holed, they only sank a few feet to the bed of the harbour and their decks remained clear of the water. For months they were immobilised, but were able to fake battle-readiness. All six torpedo-riders were captured.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decima_Flottiglia_MAS

Good read, end of thread jack.

[Az]

dayumn.

[SpencerH]

I was gonna join in this discussion but remembered that the last guy I convinced to join the infantry (with me) died in Rhodesia fighting with their para's.