Expert: John L - 10/26/2009

Question
My son is a 1st class cadet completing his final year at an officer procurement school, scheduled to commission in May upon graduation.  MOS assignments just came in and he is disappointed to the point that he is looking for options.  Career plans had always been Army/Infantry with move into Special Forces and ultimately, he hoped, a shot at Delta Force.  Honor roll each semester and excelled in Army training exercises...MOS assigned was Quartermaster...a far cry from what he envisioned as his military career.  He is currently researching and looking for options. He fell right below the top 10% nationally. He is thinking of turning his commission down and enlisting if he can get Infantry.  Any suggestions?  Please advise.

Answer
Wow!!  Turning down a commission?  I understand his plight, but they are usually taught that the needs of the Army outweigh personal needs.  Turning down a commission is a big deal and can hurt a military career down the road.  Not officially of course, but trying out for SF, that can come back as a psychiatric disqualification.   They are wierd about that.  I am suprised that he did not get Infantry if that was his first choice.  He can try to get it changed to infantry and if he chooses to go enlisted as Infantry he might be happy, he might regret it, especially if he does not make SF.   
He really needs to seek the counsel of a trusted advisor at his school.

Good luck