Posted on Apr 28, 2024
SGT Infantryman
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I’m in the Army National Guard, my ETS is in December 2024. I want to enlist in Active Duty. What’s the process, and when can I start contacting an Active Duty recruiter and approximately how long takes the process ?
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SGM G3 Sergeant Major
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If you want to try for a conditional release, talk to a recruiter now, get the DD 368 submitted now. That process averages about six months and you might be able to contract with active duty in October or November.
Then provide that contract and new order back to your state, and hope they get the separation done so it doesn't impact your DEERS and Tricare on active duty.

Or you could just wait, contact a recruiter in October or November, have them start on a contract for the day after your ETS date. Then sign that contract on that day after your ETS.
That would be a month or two later than a conditional release, but less paperwork,
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MSG Intermediate Care Technician
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If you want to transfer NOW instead of waiting for December, you go speak with an Active Duty Recruiter. You'll fill out a DD Form 368, Request for Conditional Release, that will be sent up your entire Chain of Command (including TAG for your State). Depending on how open minded you are for getting a new MOS (or keeping the same), new rank (rare that NCOs keep their rank when going from Reserve/Guard to Active Duty), and choice of assignment (doubtful you'd get choice of assignment), from start to finish you're looking at 3-6 months.

If you wait until after you fully ETS from the Guard, you will go talk to an Active Duty Recruiter. No DD Form 368 needed. Start to finish, perhaps 2-3 months at max.

Common denominator is that yo need to speak with an Active Duty Recruiter that is nearest to your HOR.
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MAJ Ronnie Reams
MAJ Ronnie Reams
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Why the NCOs lose rank now? Back in my enlisted days, RA NCOs transferred to ER or NG without loss of rank, be they regular promotion, blood stripes or shake and bake.* Reserves happy to get NCOs with combat time, most of theirs from the war or KPA. I would guess that same situation now but RVN, and Middle East.

*kinda like an OCS for NCOs, in other words, a 90 days wonder.
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MSG Intermediate Care Technician
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MAJ Ronnie Reams - It's easier to place NCOs in the Reserves or Guard without loss of rank. Not so much when going from Guard/Reserve to Active Duty
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Lt Col Director Of Operations
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As MSG Livingston said the Reserve Components readily accept the Active Duty rank of an incoming member while the reverse is not true. For the Air Reserve Components enlisted promotion requirements are different then on active duty. For the enlisted in the reserves/guard they just need to meet the TIG, TIS and PME requirements (if any) for the next rank plus either be in a billet for the next higher rank already or move into one. No testing is required. Also, when an enlisted reserve member switches to active duty the number of military days performed in that rank is factored in the determination on the rank for when they go to active duty. I have known of a few individuals that went from the Air Force Reserves to Active Duty and they all lost a stripe in the process.
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SSgt Christophe Murphy
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All of your questions can be answered by a recruiter. They have the latest information and will be the ones to take action on everything required.
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