Branch Orientation Benjamin Brownlee MS-I W&J ROTC

Branch Orientation Information Briefing  This briefing is unclassified.  Inform cadets of various Army branches available to them for their Army careers.  Aid in cadets’ decisions in commissioning.

Combat Arms: Infantry  Forms the heart of the Army’s fighting strength.  Goal: Destroy or capture the enemy, or repel his assault by fire, close combat, and counter attack.  Only close combat between ground forces decides battles.  Rifle forces play a key role in close combat situations:  Infantry, airborne, air assault, light, and rangers  Home of the infantry: Fort Benning, Georgia  Closed to women

Infantry Officers  Must maintain combat readiness at all times.  Infantry leaders must be excellent leaders and take care of soldiers  Platoon or company commanders and staff work  Higher levels offer increased responsibility  “The Army’s greatest challenge”

Rangers Army Rangers are elite infantry soldiers, formed as early as 1676 in America under Colonel Benjamin Church. - Organized into “Roger’s Rangers,” 9 companies for the Frenchand Indian War and the Revolution. - Pointe du Hoc - Long Range Reconnaissance Patrols (LRRP) in Vietnam - “Black Hawk Down” - Led the Invasion of Afghanistan, 2001

75 th Ranger Regiment Members of the 75 th Ranger Regiment participate in the Ranger Rendezvous in 2009

Air Assault - Today, the Air Assault mission is the primary role of the 101 st Airborne Division. - Key operations in the Vietnam War, Invasion of Iraq : 10 th Mountain Division Army’s first Air Assault from an Aircraft carrier (Army’s largest operation from an aircraft carrier since the Doolittle Raid)

Combat Support: Military Intelligence  Mission: To provide timely, relevant, accurate and synchronized intelligence and electronic warfare support to commanders.  Part of the Army since its founding in  1863: General Hooker establishes the Bureau of Military Information  1885: Military Intelligence Division; reorganized as the Military Intelligence Service in 1942.

MI Details  Consists of 28,000 military and 3,800 civilian personnel; one of the largest Army branches.  Determines an enemy’s plans, intentions and capabilities.  Battlefield Surveillance Brigades: Improve situational awareness for commanders at division level and higher

MI Officers  Engaged in fighting the “silent war” at tactical, operational and strategic levels.  Collect and disseminate intelligence data.  New officers attend MI Officer Basic Course  How to collect and provide intelligence reports to others  Work with high-tech equipment in radio communications, computer analysis, digital imaging, and satellite data.

101 st MI Battallion A soldier pushes a Shadow 200 UAV

Combat Service Support Ordnance Corps  The largest Corps in the Army.  The Ordnance Corps is responsible for keeping the Army's combat forces moving and shooting.  Develop, produce, acquire and support the Army's weapons systems, ammunition, missiles, and wheeled and tracked vehicles.  Provide Explosive Ordnance Disposal, during peace and war.

Ordnance Corps Officers  New officers attend the Ordnance Officer Basic Course at either the U.S. Army Ordnance Center and School or the U.S. Army Ordnance Missile and Munitions Center and School  Leaders must be smart and articulate.  Manage large groups of personnel and high-tech equipment  Officers trained in one of the areas of:  Tank/Automotive Materiel Management  Missile/Electronic Materiel Management  Munitions Materiel Management  Explosive Ordnance Disposal

Explosive Ordnance Disposal

Reference Material and Sources    