Law School Then Army or Vice Versa?

[armyjag]

I've heard West Point has 1st pick (fair enough).
I think ROTC branch choice is all based on LDAC, which is at the end of your JR year.  Getting infantry isn't as easy as you think. 
That said, I've had friends get jobbed in both cases.  "Needs of the Army" is the ultimate crap shoot.

[armyjag]

I've heard West Point has 1st pick (fair enough).
I think ROTC branch choice is all based on LDAC, which is at the end of your JR year.  Getting infantry isn't as easy as you think. 
That said, I've had friends get jobbed in both cases.  "Needs of the Army" is the ultimate crap shoot.

[foxtrot]

If money isn't an issue right now, honestly I wouldn't bother with ROTC.  You can go through OCS after graduation and you will not have to sacrifice your summers now as well as missing out on the military science classes and the FTXs that always seem to occur when you have something better to do.

Yea money isnt really that big an issue, basically my goals in the Army would to become an Infantry Officer and hopefully get promoted so I could join a Ranger Regiment or Special Forces. So would you say OCS would be better off for me than ROTC? Also what does one actually do in ROTC I know about the 4 week training thing I would have to do in the summer if I joined now, but what does one do at your school?

Oh and one Ivy League schools think of you favorably if youve had military service and a good GPA?

[armyjag]

Schools loved my military experience...it surely wasn't my GPA.

joining the regiment isn't easy, there are so few slots and those probably are a ton of west pointers...I mean that (the scroll) is a way of life where the tab is a qualification.  I'm going to presume you're a PT stud, right?  like 80-90 pushups in 2 minutes, about the same sit ups and 13 minute two-mile run and about 20 pull ups  sounds like fun to you, right?   Honestly, people don't go to the regiment and then try to get a green beret just to get out in few years to go to law school.  But, getting a slot to ranger school itself isn't that hard, you'll probably just get the tab and then go to the 82, 101, or 10th mtn afterwards.  That's very, very common.  It's just that you don't go to SOCOM and then get out that easy...it swallows your life because it is a way of life.

That said, I'd go find the ROTC battalion commander at your school and ask him about figuring out what the best way would be to get the branch you want.  If you don't know anything about the Army yet, learn this...never trust any one's word; demand to see the regulation or manual or pamphlet.  And then, when he gives you answers, ask him which AR (Army Regulation) it comes from. 
My only worry for you is that you will be behind on the PT and learning curve before you go to LDAC and might screw yourself somehow.  I do not know how that works exactly, so I can't say if my fear is grounded or misplaced, but it can be hard to get branch transfer once it's done.  I can't tell you an exact answer, but you need to do a lot of asking around.

[foxtrot]

Schools loved my military experience...it surely wasn't my GPA.

joining the regiment isn't easy, there are so few slots and those probably are a ton of west pointers...I mean that (the scroll) is a way of life where the tab is a qualification.  I'm going to presume you're a PT stud, right?  like 80-90 pushups in 2 minutes, about the same sit ups and 13 minute two-mile run and about 20 pull ups  sounds like fun to you, right?   Honestly, people don't go to the regiment and then try to get a green beret just to get out in few years to go to law school.  But, getting a slot to ranger school itself isn't that hard, you'll probably just get the tab and then go to the 82, 101, or 10th mtn afterwards.  That's very, very common.  It's just that you don't go to SOCOM and then get out that easy...it swallows your life because it is a way of life.

That said, I'd go find the ROTC battalion commander at your school and ask him about figuring out what the best way would be to get the branch you want.  If you don't know anything about the Army yet, learn this...never trust any one's word; demand to see the regulation or manual or pamphlet.  And then, when he gives you answers, ask him which AR (Army Regulation) it comes from. 
My only worry for you is that you will be behind on the PT and learning curve before you go to LDAC and might screw yourself somehow.  I do not know how that works exactly, so I can't say if my fear is grounded or misplaced, but it can be hard to get branch transfer once it's done.  I can't tell you an exact answer, but you need to do a lot of asking around.

So basically what your saying is I have a virtually zero chance of getting into SOCOM if I plan on staying in the Army  for only about 6-9 years? Though I wouldnt really  mind if I just went to  Ranger School and was  put in an Airborne Unit  like the 101st or 82nd.

[armyjag]

Dude, I don't know enough about you or their thought process to say you have zero, especially if you can sell your dedication and love of the army that you'll do 20.  That said, I know it's tough and if your heart would be broken without being assigned to a USASOC unit just keep that in mind.  Needs of the Army is a goofy animal.

[SEB10]

Branching is not all based off of LDAC. 40% of the calculation is your GPA. The only way to guarantee your branch choice is to be the 10% of ROTC cadets  in the nation. That means having a near perfect GPA and a perfect PT score and doing extremely well at LDAC. The summary of this discussion as it has been said time and time again is "needs of the Army". If you want an exact job you need to enlist or go into a reserve component where for the most part as an officer you can pick your job.

[armyjag]

Branching is not all based off of LDAC. 40% of the calculation is your GPA.

HAHA..that probably explains the FA officers I knew.