Also called: Army 19A, Tank platoon leader, Cavalry officer
Leads tank and cavalry units, commanding crews of M1 Abrams tanks and armored scouts.
Armor lieutenants lead four-tank platoons in huge desert training battles at Fort Irwin, plan maneuvers on maps, and are responsible for 16 soldiers and millions of dollars of vehicles. Later they command companies and squadrons.
RMC (base pay + housing/food allowances + tax advantage) for officers O-1 (2nd Lieutenant/Ensign) to O-5 (Lieutenant Colonel/Commander), 2026 estimate. A 20-year career also earns a lifetime pension starting right after retirement.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 4 years after high school. Bachelor's degree plus a commission through ROTC, a service academy, or Officer Candidate School, then the Armor Basic Officer Leader Course (~5 months). Free-college benefits: Tuition Assistance (up to $4,500/yr) while serving, the Post-9/11 GI Bill (36 months of tuition + housing stipend) afterward, and SkillBridge internships before separating.
Ways in: Military, 4-year college. Training cost: Get paid while you train.
Majors to look at: History, Engineering, Political Science.
Growing about average. Military specialties are not in BLS projections. The services recruit for this job every year and openings track force size and retention rather than market growth.
Low risk for 10 years. Robot vehicles may join tank units; leading crews in battle stays human.
Classes: Leadership class, Physics, US history.
Official data: O*NET occupation 55-1013.
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