Best Army Rank / Best Army Jobs?

hobbit · Post by **hobbit** » November 24th, 2006, 11:57 pm

Yea, OK, every military man/woman would probably like to be a four star general or command sergeant major of the army, but let's get real here.

Before I got out in 1971, I thought long and hard about staying in because a MACV (CIA) Colonel I'd worked with in Vietnam recommended me for the Army Intelligence School in Maryland. The particular school I'd have attended was nearly a year long, and the language school following was six months. I'd have come out of the schools with the rank of Warrant Officer 1 or 2, and probably would have retired after 20 years with the rank of Warrant Officer 3.

The beauty of the job was that you never wore a uniform again. You didn't attend formations, or drills, or army functions of any kind. In fact, you'd do everything to convince the world that you had nothing to do with the US Army. Most of your career would be spent overseas, living with the masses and not at the embassies, and on a permanent TDY basis to boot.

Maybe I'm just an old fart waxing romantic, but there've been many times over my life that I regretted not pursuing such a career. No doubt it'd have had its drawbacks, but I'm pretty sure boredom wouldn't have been amongst them.

RANGER513 · Post by **RANGER513** » November 25th, 2006, 6:47 am

Sounds like that might have been a very interesting job, Hobbit ?

But, BY FAR, the best job in the Army ?

Ranger Team Leader !!!!! :D

Best damn job I ever had. Timing was perfect for me, I was the senior team leader in my plt. for Panama in '89.

My .2

Chiron · Post by **Chiron** » November 25th, 2006, 7:06 am

hobbit wrote: The beauty of the job was that you never wore a uniform again. You didn't attend formations, or drills, or army functions of any kind. In fact, you'd do everything to convince the world that you had nothing to do with the US Army. Most of your career would be spent overseas, living with the masses and not at the embassies, and on a permanent TDY basis to boot.

Would you be able to carry say a 9mm legally? After all you are on your own and in essence a spy. Not that you qualify as a 00 but an expendable asset. An asset that would have to blend into the local community with maybe a local wife and kid. If you are comprised you are dead or the dead are those that caught you.

hobbit · Post by **hobbit** » November 25th, 2006, 10:16 am

RANGER513 wrote: the best job in the Army ?
Ranger Team Leader !!!!! :D

Certainly one of the most prestigious, I'll grant you that. I still hold my team leader in awe after 35 years.

chiron wrote: Would you be able to carry say a 9mm legally? After all you are on your own and in essence a spy. Not that you qualify as a 00 but an expendable asset. An asset that would have to blend into the local community with maybe a local wife and kid. If you are comprised you are dead or the dead are those that caught you.

I doubt such people are armed. That'd only draw suspicion.

rgrpuck · Post by **rgrpuck** » November 25th, 2006, 10:38 am

Best Job ....A SPC M-60 gunner with a TAB.

Second best...... Infantry Company 1SG

Draco · Post by **Draco** » November 25th, 2006, 11:27 am

Infantry Platoon Leader!!!

or maybe a Company Commander with a BN CDR that wasnt a zero defect asshat!

KW Driver · Post by **KW Driver** » November 25th, 2006, 12:02 pm

gunner was cool.

TL kicked ass.

SL, not too bad.

Warrant, especially a pilot, most especially an Instructor Pilot, is the best kept secret in the Army. all the benefits of being an officer with none of the drawbacks.

"an Officer when they need something, invisible when things are going good, and a PVT when some work needs doing."

fireranger · Post by **fireranger** » November 25th, 2006, 12:32 pm

Most rewarding - Team leader.
Biggest sham - PL's RTO.

Earthpig · Post by **Earthpig** » November 25th, 2006, 12:45 pm

The very best job had to be that of an untabbed AG. You got to carry all your stuff, all your gunner's stuff, do pushups, carry some stuff, and do pushups. It fucking rocked!

RLTW
EP

rgrpuck · Post by **rgrpuck** » November 25th, 2006, 3:19 pm

EarthPig wrote:The very best job had to be that of an untabbed AG. You got to carry all your stuff, all your gunner's stuff, do pushups, carry some stuff, and do pushups. It fucking rocked!
RLTW
EP

Mine was a kid named Rudig........ All 4 foot 11 of him .....that kid was total heart. He would run a 12 mile standard with all the AG gear and never fall back. The only problem he had was he swam like a brick.

Looon · Post by **Looon** » November 25th, 2006, 4:58 pm

I got all you PIG teamers beat.............PFC without tab, Gunner............

And Ill add........being an ammo bearer on a 60 team aint bad either. At the time, I think NY Ranger and I, might of been the only two in Bco. Turn over rate was fast. The only person in my squad with a tab, was our squad leader. We always got hosed when it got time to send someone to suck school.

Silverback · Post by **Silverback** » November 26th, 2006, 1:48 am

Don't take this the wrong way but...any combat arms job any day spent deployed (being operational is implied) against the enemies of our children's future in either Afghanistan or Iraq.

There is a certain underlying and pervasive feeling of wellbeing when you have the opportunity to do EXACTLY what you signed up to do.

God bless everyone here and God bless the United States of America

hobbit · Post by **hobbit** » November 26th, 2006, 3:10 am

Silverback wrote:Don't take this the wrong way but...any combat arms job any day spent deployed (being operational is implied) against the enemies of our children's future in either Afghanistan or Iraq.

There is a certain underlying and pervasive feeling of wellbeing when you have the opportunity to do EXACTLY what you signed up to do.

God bless everyone here and God bless the United States of America

Sniff (hobbit wipes a tear from his steel blue eyes). You've got the beginnings of a great country & western song there.

91W · Post by **91W** » November 26th, 2006, 9:30 am

Medic in an ER in a combat zone. To be given the task of helping wounded warriors return home or back to battle is a humbling experience.