Fort Knox, Ky. – Tents pitched and displays ready, representatives of different Army branches welcomed Cadets of 8th Regiment, Advanced Camp, on Aug. 6, 2024, to learn more about their possible career paths. With 17 branches to choose from, the Army offers 

a sometimes overwhelming number of choices. Cadet Summer Training hosts Branch Orientation Day to help Cadets narrow it down.

“So on Branch Day, there’s a bunch of representatives from each branch, and as Cadets, we’re able to go up and talk to them and get more information,” said Cadet Lindsey Callan, Penn State University. “For me, I don’t know exactly what I want to branch, so being able to talk to Non-commissioned Officers, I’m able to get more of an idea of what my life could potentially be like in that specific branch.”

While the Army and its various ROTC programs across the country offer resources to educate Cadets on the different branches, having so many representatives together offers a unique opportunity.

“You can do all the research that you want, and I did a whole lot of research before I came, but being able to actually talk to people and officers in the branch is really helpful because it gives you a good insight of what it’s gonna be like if you go in that branch,” said Cadet Samantha Bartels, Oregon State University.

Branch Orientation Day is structured to allow Cadets plenty of time to visit each booth and speak with the representatives of their top branches in depth.

“You get an overview of the branch and then you could ask individual questions with them afterwards, so I thought that was really helpful,” Callan said. “I was able to get my questions answered and then hear other people’s questions that were really good for my knowledge on the branch.”

Branch assignments are an important part of a Cadet’s journey; once branches are ranked and assigned, they will dictate the Military Occupational Specialty options that Cadets have in their Army career. The branch a Cadet is assigned will be their branch until their contract with the military ends. Transfers are limited.

“I have an eight year contract with the Army after I graduate,” Bartels said. “With the National Guard, this is going to be a part-time job for me for eight years so I want to really enjoy what I’m doing. That’s why it’s so important to really take all you can get out of branch day here at CST, because it’s what you’re going to be doing for the next however many years you have on your contract, and then if you enlist for more years.”

While many Cadets have an idea of which branches interest them, it’s difficult to ensure they haven’t overlooked a potential fit. CST’s Branch Orientation Day is there to fill in those gaps.

“I 100% appreciate CST hosting this because I had two top branches on my mind, but here, I was able to learn about another branch that I’m interested in now, so I’ll definitely do more research on it when I get home,” Callan said. 

Branch Orientation Day still has something to offer Cadets who are already set on their ideal branch. Bartels is especially interested in infantry.

“I like the constant go, go, go mentality of infantry,” Callan said. “You create really strong bonds with people when you’re going through tough situations. But being a female and wanting to branch infantry is not super common; it’s a very male dominated branch. So although there wasn’t a female infantry soldier to go and talk to at the table today, they told me that they have a female representative and then they gave me her contact information so I could talk to her, so that’s very helpful.”

Whether it’s introducing Cadets to new branches or giving them even more resolve to pursue their favorite branch, Branch Orientation Day provides a great conclusion to CST.

“Just keep an open mind,” Callan said. “This is your chance to learn as much as you can about all the branches.”