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MILITARY PROFESSIONS
Signal Corps - The Army’s AT&T. They keep us talking to each other by providing us with radios, cellular phones and satellite communications.
Ordnance - The Ordnance
Corps is responsible for keeping the Army's combat forces moving and
shooting - they supply bullets and fix vehicles and equipment.
Air Defense Artillery
- They defend the third dimension of the battlefield -- the air and
space above -- against incoming enemy aircraft and missiles. Learn
more about ADA weapons missions, weapons systems and career opportunities
at www.airdefenseartillery.com.
Adjutant General
Corps - They are responsible for keeping track of people and ensuring
that their records are always kept straight. They also act as the
Army’s post office.
Armor* - These are the tanks.
The M1A1 main battle tank weighs 70+ tons and can go 42 mph over rough
terrain. It also sports a 120mm main gun that’s big enough to stick
your fist in the barrel.
Field Artillery -
The field artillery shoots surface to surface rockets, missiles, and
projectiles at the enemy. They can attack ground targets up to 180
miles away.
Infantry* - These are the
guys on the ground who get up close to the enemy and fight with rifles,
rocket launchers and grenades. They can fight dismounted (on foot)
or in Infantry Fighting Vehicles alongside tanks.
Special Forces* - Officers
can’t get into Special Forces until they’ve been in the Army at least
three years because "SF" takes only the best, brightest,
and most experienced soldiers. SF conducts worldwide guerilla and
anti-guerilla missions as well as training indigenous soldiers of
other nations and helping local people to maintain democracy.
Medical Service
Corps - They run hospitals and clinics as patient administrators
and provide patient care on the battlefield.
Veterinary Corps -
Our veterinarians tend to more than just service members’ pets. They
also inspect food before our troops eat it, keep MP working dogs healthy,
and deploy all over the world to assist native people in keeping their
livestock healthy.
Aviation - We have both
fixed-wing airplanes and helicopters. Of the two kinds of helicopters,
one hauls people and stuff around to get them where they need to go
FAST. The other kind are called "attack helicopters" and
they fight mainly against enemy tanks. The Army even has more aircraft
than the Air Force.
Chaplain Corps - Chaplains
attend to the spiritual needs of our soldiers. They also act as the
gauge of a unit’s morale and are in charge of counseling soldiers
and their families.
Chemical Corps - They
defend the Army against Nuclear, Biological and Chemical weapons.
Civil Affairs -
Like SF, you rarely can go directly into Civil Affairs right out of
ROTC. These people use their language fluency and interpersonal skills
to provide a liaison between the Army commander and the indigenous
people in the area. The vast majority of officers in this branch are
in the Army Reserves.
Engineers - They build
everything from houses and buildings to bridges and airfields. They
also destroy the enemy’s stuff by blowing it up with plastic explosives.
In war, they build minefields and trenches to protect friendly troops
from the oncoming enemy.
Finance - These people
pay us. Lots of money comes in and goes out of the Army, so they have
a busy job keeping track of where it goes and who gets paid.
Judge Advocate General Corps
- The army's lawyers, working either in prosecuting, defense, or administrative
law.
Military Intelligence - They tell the rest of the Army what the
enemy is doing and where the enemy’s weakest spot is so we can hit
where it hurts them the most and us the least.
Military Police
- These are our police officers who keep law and order on base and
on the battlefield.
Quartermaster - They plan and direct activities that supply soldiers
with food, water, petroleum, repair parts, weapon systems and a multitude
of services.
Transportation Corps - This
branch ships Army equipment around the world by rail, road or water.
In fact, the Army has more ships than the Navy.
* = Only males are allowed in this branch
