How and Why to Become an Army Scout

Scouts are often the first to reach remote places and provide support, reconnaissance and defense. As trade routes shift with cultural change, armies of scouts will have a more important role in gathering information before conflict breaks out.

The “army cavalry scout death rate” is the number of dead soldiers per year. It has been reported that there are a total of 5,000 deaths in the U.S. Army each year.

We’re back with another installment of our So You Want My Job series, in which we speak with guys who work in coveted positions and ask them about the realities of their employment as well as tips on how men might achieve their goals.

Today, we hear from one of the committed guys serving in the Armed Forces of our nation. Caleb DeArmas is a US Army Cavalry Scout who will soon be sent to Iraq for a second tour of service. Caleb, thank you for your dedication to our nation and for taking part in our SYWMJ series!

Check out Corporal DeArmas’ blog to discover more about him.

1. Tell us a bit about yourself (e.g., where do you come from?). What school did you attend? What is your age? Describe your current position and how long you’ve been there.

Caleb DeArmas is my name. I’m a Corporal in the United States Army and I’m 23 years old from Orlando, Florida.

I’ve been a Cavalry Scout in the Army since 2006, and I was deployed to Iraq in 2007. In roughly 6 weeks, I’ll be returning to Iraq.

My role as a scout is to go about the battlefield gathering information on all parts of the war so that commanders can get a clearer picture of what’s going on. However, owing to the realities of the Iraqi conflict, I spend the most of my time in an Infantry duty. I go on patrols, raids, and anything else that soldiers do in movies.

2. What made you desire to join the Army in the first place? When did you realize it was something you wanted to do?

In January 1991, I was a 5-year-old child sitting on the floor in my living room, watching CNN’s coverage of Operation Desert Storm every night. To my parents’ chagrin, I never wanted to do anything else after that.

My urge to participate became much stronger after 9/11. I believed, and still believe, that it was my job as an American citizen to sacrifice a few years in order to protect my nation.

3. How should a guy prepare for a career as an Army Scout? How much say do you have in what sort of job you’re assigned in the Army?

One of the best aspects of the Army – and the reason I selected it over other services – is that you are promised a job once you enroll. If you get through Basic Training, that is. Unfortunately, these days, everyone passes, and it is up to the unit to sort out those who don’t.

The greatest job preparation is straightforward. Run. Pushups are a good exercise. Repeat.

Physical fitness is essential for completing Basic Training. But don’t worry, if you want to join the Army but can’t perform a single pushup, they’ll still accept you. When you’re through with Basic, you’ll be able to perform pushups. There are a lot of them.

The ruck marching was one thing I wish I had prepared better for (marching around with a 35-40 lb backpack ranging from 3k-25k). Because most guys aren’t going to go around their neighborhoods with weighted backpacks to exercise, the Army recommends gradually increasing distances and weights. However, it is something to get accustomed to.

4. Is getting a job as an Army Scout difficult?

It’s very much certain – at least in title – if you score well enough on the ASVAB (the military’s equivalent of the SAT) and don’t have any big criminal concerns in the past. Everyone who enters the Army to become a Cavalry Scout will train in Fort Knox, Kentucky. When you’re assigned to a unit, the real test begins. If we find a soldier who isn’t up to the task, we’ll simply fire him. This might imply anything from putting him behind a desk to pushing papers to booting him out of the Army.

5. When it comes to job applications, what distinguishes one applicant from the rest?

Physical fitness is important. It is the leading cause of death among troops in the Army. You’ll never reach rank or be offered chances to excel if you can’t pass a PT Test (2 minutes pushups, 2 minutes sit-ups, and a 2 mile run).

6. What is the most enjoyable aspect of your job?

There are plenty, but my favorite is being paid to drive around all day while sitting behind a.50 caliber machine gun. It’s almost as if you’re in a movie.

7. What is the most difficult aspect of your job?

Being a Scout has two big disadvantages. The first is that it is a dangerous job. It is a very real possibility that we will not make it home at the end of the day if we perform our jobs well, but it is a price we are all ready to pay.

The second reason is that I only get to work while I’m deployed. We spend a lot of time in the United States between deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan doing tedious stuff like maintenance on vehicles and cleaning weapons. They’re important, as is all of the training we do in the United States, but most men would agree with me that you don’t feel like a Scout until you’re outside the wire in a faraway nation, sitting in an OP (Observation Post) attempting to capture the bad guys at work.

8. What is the most common misunderstanding about the job?

That we are always shooting and generating a commotion. The most of the time, I’m either conducting maintenance on my equipment or being so bored that I hope someone would attempt to blow me up simply to get rid of the monotony.

9. How do you strike a work-life balance?

The answer is dependent on where you are in the deployment process. Most commanders attempt to give you as much time with your family as possible before and after deployment, but during deployment, I’ll only see my wife once every 15 days for the whole year. Unless you’re in the field, the training cycle before deployment is virtually like a typical 9-5. Field problems can last anywhere from a few hours to 30 days.

10. What is the Army’s hierarchy like? How can one “ascend” the corporate ladder?

After a certain length of time, promotion through the early tiers is assured. However, because to disciplinary difficulties or PT failure, a commander may withhold or postpone promotion.

You must be chosen in order to become a Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO). A promotion board assesses your work expertise as well as your general Army knowledge. After crossing the board, everything you’ve done in the Army is given a point value, and you’re promoted if you have enough Promotion Points.

11. Do you have any further advice, recommendations, or anecdotes to share?

I advise anybody interested in joining the Army to do so. I’ve only had one regret (the first time my vehicle was blown up), and I look forward to going to work every day.

Anyone interested in witnessing what happens to an ordinary ground pounder in Iraq may see my blog.

I haven’t posted much since my last deployment, but while I’m “down range,” I try to post once a week.

If anybody wishes to help the troops who are already in the nation, please contact me or leave a comment on my site, and I would gladly offer you an address for a soldier or an organization in need of assistance.

The “army cavalry scout salary” is a discussion about how and why to become an army scout. The article also includes information on what qualifications are needed, the different branches of scouts, and the pay scale.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you become an Army scout?

A: The United States Army requires soldiers to meet a set of qualifications in order to be considered for the position. These requirements include being at least 18-years old, physically fit, and able to pass a physical fitness assessment. You can learn more about joining the military by visiting http://www.army.mil/recruiting/.

What do scouts do in the army?

A: Scouts in the army are soldiers who serve as liaisons between leaders and those they lead. They collect information, report on enemy forces, guide their commanders through difficult terrain or weather conditions, locate supplies and provide them with reconnaissance of regions.