My parents decided to send me to the Army and Navy Academy in Carlsbad, CA, this semester. I've been here for 3 weeks now. I am a sophomore, and am from Irvine, CA.

If anybody has any questions about the school, etc. feel free to ask.

What does it take to get into research handling semi-autonomous vehicles? Are those reserved for "grunts", or officers?

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"A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong gives it a superficial appearance of being right." -- Thomas Paine

Being intelligent is not a felony. But most societies evaluate it as at least a misdemeanor. -- Heinlein

Creationists make it sound as though a "theory" is something you dreamt up after being drunk all night. -- Isaac Asimov

What's a "semi-autonomous vehicle"?
I'm picturing a giant Mechwarrior that has a human pilot and an AI system (hence, semi-autonomous), but I don't think that's what you mean.

Tsk. I figured people on a science forum would know about this cool stuff!

http://www.frost.com/prod/servlet/ma...docid=46283445 A boring article on it.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science...cb0ff653cb2903 Another boring article

http://www.globalsecurity.org/milita...-gladiator.jpg The Gladiator Unmanned defense system; meant to lay down ground fire, set up smoke screens, and detect and disarm mines (and also be able to detect chemicals), to lessen Marine casualties.

http://www.aeronautics.ru/img/img006...r_armed_01.jpg The Predator Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

There's also a sentry turret being set up along the DMZ between North and South Korea, that basically runs by itself, practically, but can be remote-controlled by an operator. Almost all Unmanned Vehicles are equipped with Nightvision capabilities, as well as normal vision. Top of the line sensors.

They're semi-autonomous in that they have some programming (think of it as "auto-pilot"), but can be remote-controlled by a soldier that knows what he's doing. So he'd use a remote control device to fly the aircraft (like a simulator, only not), or control the Gladiator vehicle by remote.

Mechs are silly things...

__________________
"A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong gives it a superficial appearance of being right." -- Thomas Paine

Being intelligent is not a felony. But most societies evaluate it as at least a misdemeanor. -- Heinlein

Creationists make it sound as though a "theory" is something you dreamt up after being drunk all night. -- Isaac Asimov

Hmmm, I'm actually a sophomore in high school.

But you'd need to go to West Point or Annapolis or some other college and join a contractor working with the military on that.

Yeah best bet on research would be with a contractor

Operators of such equipment are Warrant Officers, normally.
Grunts would be prep and mechanical

How are you housed and is it a co-ed Academy?

How do you become a Warrant Officer?

__________________
"A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong gives it a superficial appearance of being right." -- Thomas Paine

Being intelligent is not a felony. But most societies evaluate it as at least a misdemeanor. -- Heinlein

Creationists make it sound as though a "theory" is something you dreamt up after being drunk all night. -- Isaac Asimov

A NCO applies for the Warrant Program. Depending upon rank and experience, the successful candidate becomes a Warrant or Chief Warrant Officer.

Typically, Commissioned Officers (what most people mean when they say "officer" -Lieutenant through General) are there to provide leadership, plan offensive and defensive strategy and tactics and direct the execution of all military maneuvers. Commissioned officers are senior to Warrant, Staff Non-Commissioned and Non-Commissioned Officers.

In most services, Warrant Officers (Warrant Officer through Chief Warrant Officer Five) are former NCOs (read: sergeants) who want to move up into the officer ranks, but retain a specialization in a technical field. Warrant Officers are usually in a support-type field, and advise the commanders on their area of expertise. Warrant Officers are senior to Staff Non-Commissioned and Non-Commissioned Officers.

The Staff-Non-Commissioned Officers (Staff Sergeant through Sergeant Major) and Non-Commissioned Officers (corporals / sergeants) are there to supervise the troops, advise the officers and direct the execution of specific tasks.

The troops catch the most Sh-- but they also get the most sh-- done.

In most services, Warrant Officers (Warrant Officer through Chief Warrant Officer Five) are former NCOs (read: sergeants) who want to move up into the officer ranks, but retain a specialization in a technical field. Warrant Officers are usually in a support-type field, and advise the commanders on their area of expertise. Warrant Officers are senior to Staff Non-Commissioned and Non-Commissioned Officers.

I have experience with the US Army and Air Force. The Air Force doesn't have any warrant officers. Personally, I believe that's a mistake but they didn't ask my opinion. In the Army, warrant officers have specialized skills such as military intelligence (no snide oxymoron jokes, please). I don't know about now, but many Army helicopter pilots in the past were warrant officers. A commissioned officer requires a bachelor's degree while a warrant officer usually doesn't.

I've heard that the Navy and Marine Corps have warrant officers but don't have any first hand experience in those services.

Yep. Both services do. While the USMC used to have flying sergeants and WOs (WWII and Korea), only the Army retains WO pilots (and then only for rotary wing craft).

Didn't know the AF didn't have any WOs. The only AF types I've worked with were ground attack pilots, SP's and frog footers.