Posted on Nov 7, 2022
Am I out of line for wanting to file a complaint against a recruiter for not processing my direct commissioning packet in a timely manner?
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A year ago I began starting the paperwork for direct commissioning as a nursing officer. Along the way I was given the runaround, not getting responses from the recruiter. In October I was command-directed over to a sister company to deploy. I made my leadership aware right aware that I was pursuing this route. They said they would work to find out where the application was at and I was going to do the same to assist. I called and emailed several times until I got in contact with someone in charge of them last week. This morning I received an email from the original AMEDD recruiter who changed jobs. Telling me that my packet is nowhere near ready. I understand that I should be happy with the chance to mobilize. I am just a little frustrated that after a year of myself working on this packet and having a quick turnaround that the recruiters failed to do their job at all. Am I out of line for wanting to file a complaint? If so who do I file with?
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Direct Commission
Direct Commission
Posted 2 y ago
Responses: 5
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You've made the classic mistake of over estimating your value. The Army isn't short on Nurses to access. Direct commissions were all the rage back during the surge, about a decade ago, when the Army couldn't get enough medical personnel on board. Now, they fill their requirements with the AECP from Active Duty and plenty of scholarship programs. Direct Commissions are somewhat of an exception. There are several career fields that still allow direct commissions, but you would be coming in as a 2LT/1LT so you are competing with all the brand new accessions. That means you are a person with a (usually) three year obligation to the Army while scholarship and AECP Soldiers have a bigger commitment. That makes you an outlier and statistically insignificant.
AMEDD Recruiters do not have a recruiting quota, they are not required to recruit you. There is no incentive for them to recruit nurses, especially when the critical shortages are usually doctors and dentists. We have programs to create nurses, PA's, and Physical Therapists, but not doctors, dentists, and Pharmacists. On top of that, AMEDD Recruiters are generally in high demand from people contacting them about scholarships for medical, specialty, and support programs.
So, your recruiter didn't need to recruit you because you probably weren't part of their mission, you were a direct commission meaning the Army doesn't get much commitment from you, and you were working with a Recruiter who was in the middle of a PCS.
You can complain to the station commander. They may say nice things to make you feel better, but the truth is the Recruiter probably had more important priorities to recruit than you. Especially if you needed a waiver for anything.... Recruiters hate waivers.
AMEDD Recruiters do not have a recruiting quota, they are not required to recruit you. There is no incentive for them to recruit nurses, especially when the critical shortages are usually doctors and dentists. We have programs to create nurses, PA's, and Physical Therapists, but not doctors, dentists, and Pharmacists. On top of that, AMEDD Recruiters are generally in high demand from people contacting them about scholarships for medical, specialty, and support programs.
So, your recruiter didn't need to recruit you because you probably weren't part of their mission, you were a direct commission meaning the Army doesn't get much commitment from you, and you were working with a Recruiter who was in the middle of a PCS.
You can complain to the station commander. They may say nice things to make you feel better, but the truth is the Recruiter probably had more important priorities to recruit than you. Especially if you needed a waiver for anything.... Recruiters hate waivers.
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MSG (Join to see)
SFC Boyd is 100% on target. Moreover, I suggest you keep things professional and not throw anybody under the bus because you are not getting your way. There is generally a reason why things pan out the way they do and they are not always malicious. Use your immediate chain of command moving forward with AMEDD packet RFIs once you get things rolling. Best of luck to you!
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Before you file that complaint - ask your self if you have really done your due diligence to follow up. Not saying people should not be held accountable for their mistakes; but you own your career. Have you really followed up consistently? How long ago did the recruiter PCS? Who is next in line to review? If you don't have these answers... look inward with that complaint and try to get it back on course. You are the only one you are working on... the Army is working of 100s of thousands of soldiers... I have never left a single part of my career up to any other person other than myself. Sometimes it felt like a full time job, but shit got done.
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SPC (Join to see)
Thanks SSG for replying. I would like to say this is National Guard Issue. The recuiter did not PCS, she simply changed jobs within the state. I can tell you who was in line after her and who took over and roughly when he did. I do have several chains of emails I sent, I understand not the best way to go about things but I am ICU nurse who works over nights.
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SSG (Join to see)
SPC (Join to see) - If you feel that you have done all you can do, then you certainly can make a complaint. However, I would try the COC first; both yours and the recruiters to find the answers first. Your personal time and career will make that harder; but that is also on you to make it work.
Also know that making an IG complaint is a big deal. They are going to ask you what you have done and to show what you have done and why you feel you are not being processed. IG will help navigate it all for you.
At the end of all of it I hope you get the answer you are looking for, or at the least an answer! Best of luck to you!
Also know that making an IG complaint is a big deal. They are going to ask you what you have done and to show what you have done and why you feel you are not being processed. IG will help navigate it all for you.
At the end of all of it I hope you get the answer you are looking for, or at the least an answer! Best of luck to you!
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What do you hope to gain from filing a report? Paperwork goes missing all the time. People PCS and change jobs all the time without getting a change to do a handoff with the next person.
It took me a year to find a recruiter/retention NCO that knew what a direct commission was .
IG would be the agency to complain to-the look at processes and procedures.
It took me a year to find a recruiter/retention NCO that knew what a direct commission was .
IG would be the agency to complain to-the look at processes and procedures.
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SPC (Join to see)
Thank you Ma'am for replying. Well, I would hope to fix the process that is broken. Think of this from the outside looking in, if I were a civillian who wanted to join, and a year after having started the process you were told your packet was no where near ready, it would leave a pretty bad taste in your mouth about wanting to serve and you would be left feeling very frustrated.
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