I'm going to try to answer these in one post.
MTOE vs TDA: MTOE stands for Modified Table of Organization and Equipment. These are set up like most Army units. Vets are the officer in charge of a squad with approx 6 to 8 enlisted soldiers. So far, the mix has been 1 vet tech and the rest food inspectors, in my experience. TDA stands for Table of Distribution and Allowances. They run fixed sites. Much more clinically focused. As far as where you get assigned, it's up to the needs of the Army (a term that will become very familiar in an Army career). Basically, they send you where they need you with a little input from you. You have to keep in mind that the Army is a mission focused organization. Vets play a role in keeping the force healthy. As a result, food inspection is one of the main missions. That's not to say there isn't a heavy clinical or research aspect, but it doesn't make up the bulk of the force. As far as privately owned animals are concerned, they take a back seat to anything military related.
"what sort of work do you do routinely?" - once again, this depends on your assignment. If in an MTOE unit, they do a lot of normal soldier things. As an officer, you can expect to be pretty bored unless you're going to the field. The vet that just left worked in his battalion's operations section where he planned field exercises. A lot of it seems to be trying to figure out how to get your people the training they need.
"how do assignments work for your MOS?" Not sure exactly what you're asking. All basic vets have the same MOS. Assignments are based on needs of the Army and your rank. Some jobs are captain jobs, others are major jobs.
"How frequent are deployments and how long are they in your experience?" Ok, this one I can answer solidly! The Army has stated that it does not want to deploy anyone longer than 12 months. That's the goal. This is also based on needs of the Army. The last unit was here for 12 months (Dec 08 to Nov 09). The new one will probably be here a little longer for reasons I can't discuss here. These are characteristics of deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. These are getting fewer and fewer. There are special units that deploy in 3 month periods to a variety of places outside the two major theaters of operations. There are units that routinely go to South America, The Philipines, and the Horn of Africa.
Have you gotten to do any humanitarian missions, and if so what were they like? Neither of the vets I've worked with have done a humanitarian mission. Personally, I've held a VETCAP (veterinary civil assistance program) at the outpost I had in southern Iraq. Like all the other unofficial HA stuff I did, it was fun and rewarding. I'm hoping that I can describe it well on my application.🙂
"What would you consider the most challenging part of working for the Army, and the most rewarding?" For me, the most challenging part about the Army is getting up in the morning to go to work. Of course, I've been doing this for 8 years, I'm on my third year long deployment to Iraq, and in a job I dislike, so take that with a grain of salt. To be honest, there aren't really any great challenges, just a lot of little ones. There are schools that are challenging. As a vet, if you are offered Airborne or Air Assault schools, you should jump on them. The first is a major physical challenge because you are always moving. The second is much more mentally challenging - there is a lot to memorize. Neither has any issue with booting you out for the smallest problems. The biggest rewards come from seeing your soldiers succeed on their own. When you get them trained to the point where you can simply give them a task, purpose, and end state and have them accomplish it without any further guidance, it makes you beam with pride.
"How many people in your field stay in for twenty?" I'll have to ask about this one, but from my limited talked with the last vet and some of my observations, it seems to be on par with the rest of the officer corps. It's a very personal thing. Some people only come in to get school paid for and have no intention of staying longer. Others intend to make it a career from the start. Many females decide to get out once they start having children. These days, it pays to keep an eye on the political arena when deciding on staying in. Retirement benefits keep being eroded.
"I've heard that the Army is the only branch that has veterinarians and they provide services to all the other branches-is this true?" The Army is the only branch that provides clinical services. I know the AF has vets, but from my experience, they are focused on public health. As one of my neighbors said, AF vets study STDs. Not sure how true that is, but was enough to keep me green.
One nice thing about the Army is that there is a lot of variety. If I get into vet school, I hope to eventually get assigned to a special operations unit. I think I would be a good match for this community based on my experience. I spent 5 years as an enlisted infantryman in the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault). I crossed the border in 2003 in a Blackhawk helicopter and spent the next year patrolling Mosul, Iraq. I went to OCS in 2005 and was commissioned a Signal Officer. I was assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division where I deployed to the southern desert of Iraq in 2007. I was placed in command of a small outpost in a farming community where I established security, built rapport with the local nationals, and cultivated friendships that allowed us to leave that area due to the improved security situation. I'm now the signal officer for an artillery battalion in western Iraq where I maintain a network of computers and plan missions. It is really boring, which is why I disappear into the vet clinic when there is nothing else going on. I've spent 8 years in units where the bulk of the language would not go well in polite company. There are other units that are not combat arms where I wouldn't fit in well (or would require some major modifications to the way I tend the phrase things), and I've been told as much. Being a vet in the Army is a two fold job. You're a specialist medical professional, but you are also a leader. There are a lot of things that you'll have to deal with that you wouldn't in the civilian world, like signing for a $2 million facility. As an officer, you are responsible for the full dollar amount of any equipment that you lose, which is why we sign everything down to enlisted personnel. They only have to pay up to half a month's pay for two months. You'll have a leg up with your enlisted experience, especially if you start learning supply accountability early. Overall, I think it's a good career. I will stay for 20 even if I don't get in. If I do get in, I'll probably stick around for 25 or 30.
