Branching

In Army ROTC, it's a special occasion to find out which branch you're assigned to and what duty you'll be training for. There's the Army Active, Army Reserve, and the National Guard. Within those branches you could get a combat slot (most common), amory, nursing, pilot, or other position based on your preferences, scores, and military need. The big reveal is called the Branching Ceremony.

The ceremony was closed to the public, but live-streamed on Facebook for families to watch. I took a few screen shots from my computer. Here, the highest ranking officer in SC came to speak. He's a Major General (2-star) and started by giving the cadets a few words about leadership.

Then, each cadet was called one at a time to the front to receive a small gift while their branch and assignment was announced. Our son's first choice was National Guard and logistics (ordnance). 

In this video, he is the 2nd person called. You can click the [ ] symbol in the bottom right to expand on your screen.

Logistics officers are multifunctional and rely heavily on data analytics in order to provide timely support during all phases of operations both in peacetime and war. Individuals in this branch must possess extensive critical thinking capabilities in varied stressful situations.

The U.S. Army Logistics Branch is comprised of three functional areas: 

• Transportation Corps (movement of personnel and material by truck, rail, air, and sea)
• Ordnance Corps (movement of weapon systems, ammunitions, communications, and electronics as well as making sure they are in perfect condition)
• Quartermaster Corps (support for general supply, food, gasoline, and mortuary affairs)

So, he got his first choice within his first choice - ordnance!! Now we're just waiting to hear which unit (location) in SC he'll be assigned for his monthly training. Both of these guys were assigned Ordnance, and they happen to be best buds. 😁 So happy for them!