Career Path of an 18A?

[Jay J Alex]

I'm currently in college at the moment no ROTC or West Point, but a state university none the less. One of my career choices for joining the Army out of college is an 18A. My question is what is a career path usually look like for an 18A? I read that you have to serve at least a couple of years in the conventional army first. Does me not being a ROTC or West Point cadet hinder my chances?

 

[Steve1839]

I read that you have to serve at least a couple of years in the conventional army first.

Does me not being a ROTC or West Point cadet hinder my chances?

Yup....and nope...

 

[Jay J Alex]

Yup....and nope...

I'm assuming Infantry may be a good branch for a SF pipeline? Are there any other branches in the conventional army that can lead to SF?

 

[Steve1839]

I'm assuming Infantry may be a good branch for a SF pipeline? Are there any other branches in the conventional army that can lead to SF?

Yes and yes...entry into SF is branch immaterial...but serving in the Infantry would provide some fundamental experience...

 

[AWP]

I'm assuming Infantry may be a good branch for a SF pipeline? Are there any other branches in the conventional army that can lead to SF?

Have you looked up the minimum requirements to apply for SF as an officer?

 

[Jay J Alex]

Have you looked up the minimum requirements to apply for SF as an officer?

I looked at the requirements recently. I just wanted to ask specific questions cause I'm shooting to become a engineer officer and not infantry. Also, I read somewhere that most if not all Special Forces Officers are usually West Point graduates.

 

[AWP]

I looked at the requirements recently. I just wanted to ask specific questions cause I'm shooting to become a engineer officer and not infantry. Also, I read somewhere that most if not all Special Forces Officers are usually West Point graduates.

1) I'm not SF, just an SF Support guy from...too long ago. You see a lot of 11A's in SF, but you also see other branches. I'll leave it to our SF members to answer "best" paths or whatever, but I know a Med Services officer that went 18A a decade or so ago. Even Signal Officers make it to the Q Course.
2) ROTC commissions more 2LT's than West Point plus you have OCS. I have a hard time thinking there's a "gate keeper" ensuring WP grads have preferential treatment for 18A slots. 5th Group's commander is an ROTC grad who started commissioned life as an MP officer.

 

[DZ]

No, you don't have to be a West Point grad. Maybe there are more than average West Pointers in SF, but definitely not a requirement. I'd say most are prior infantry officers though, and 95% have Ranger tabs.

Whatever you branch, get a Ranger tab.

 

[Arf]

No, you don't have to be a West Point grad. Maybe there are more than average West Pointers in SF, but definitely not a requirement. I'd say most are prior infantry officers though, and 95% have Ranger tabs.

Whatever you branch, get a Ranger tab.

Is there an age restriction for Ranger School? I plan on bothering my command until they let me go. I heard that they let 3 SWCC go to Ranger School a year.

 

[Cookie_]

Is there an age restriction for Ranger School? I plan on bothering my command until they let me go. I heard that they let 3 SWCC go to Ranger School a year.

Not an answer to max age that can go, But this thread was about a 42 year old MSG from 1st Group who went and passed.