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Hello everyone. I recently took the ASVAB at MEPS the other week and didn't do as well as I know I can. I've been out of school for a while and I'm a GED holder, looking to enlist active duty Army in the military intelligence field. Didn't study prior to the test, or take the PICAT. Spoke to both my recruiter and station commander, who both said I can't re-take it, because my AQFT score qualifies me for enlistment and the score is set for 2 years.
Is there any way I can possibly get the Army to waiver me, so I can re-test in a month? My recruiter and station chief both kept using the term "get your foot in the door" as far as picking a job and taking FAST classes to boost my scores at the end of my enlistment.
I'm not willing to do that, because this is going to be two to three years of my life I'm giving to the Army, I don't want to enlist on a whim just to get my scores up after X years of service doing a job I'm not entirely committed to. I would appreciate any advice or answers this community can give.
Is there any way I can possibly get the Army to waiver me, so I can re-test in a month? My recruiter and station chief both kept using the term "get your foot in the door" as far as picking a job and taking FAST classes to boost my scores at the end of my enlistment.
I'm not willing to do that, because this is going to be two to three years of my life I'm giving to the Army, I don't want to enlist on a whim just to get my scores up after X years of service doing a job I'm not entirely committed to. I would appreciate any advice or answers this community can give.
Posted 4 y ago
Responses: 13
I think you're putting the cart before the horse here. For starters, you're a GED applicant, you're lucky to be getting offered a job at all. I was a GED applicant with a 98 on my ASVAB and I was offered Infantry, Artillery, Cook, Rigger, and COMSEC repair. As for other services, even the Marines don't want GEDs. The other services, when they do accept GEDs, have a limit on how many GEDs they'll accept a year and are limited to what they can do. I was turned away from the Marines be of my GED and enlisted as a Cook and went straight to Ranger Regiment
Your goals for language and signal repair are not compatible. There are two language MOS for you in the Army, and neither is a repair job. The score for 35T which is what you're describing is a 112 ST score. If you haven't already scored high enough for MI you're going to need more than a few weeks of study to jump your ST score what would probably be 20-30 points.
As everyone will tell you, anything can be waivered. However, exceptions to policy are for exceptional people or exceptional circumstances. Your recruiting station commander has to ask the General who approves these requests, to approve your waiver. When the General asks what about you or your situation is exceptional "he didn't study and he doesn't like his choices" does not qualify as exceptional. Maybe if your mom had just died, or you were recovering from COVID, you could claim those as exceptional circumstances. If you had a letter of recommendation from a senator or a masters degree that might be an example of an exceptional person. In this case, you were just ill-prepared and exactly the type of situation this policy was made for.
Nobody cares if you're entirely committed to your job or not. 80% of the people who walk into my office initially ask about reclassing because they're not sold on their job. When you got your first entry level job no one expected you to be committed to that. People beginning a new career aren't expected to be committed to their first employer. But it's a job, it makes money and gets you experience along the way.
Reclassing you once you're in the Army would not be very difficult. That's not to say you'll get the job you want, but you're not going to get it waiting around to retest either. There are limited class seats for jobs and there's no way to predict when class seats for the job you want will be available. You could be totally qualified for the MOS you want and there might be no available class seats for the next year for that job. Same thing for reclass once you're on Active Duty.
There is no recruiter in the world gate keeping you from joining the Army. They have the toughest job in the Army and they just want to put you in. They aren't salesmen selling you a car, you can't bluff them and they aren't bluffing you. If they could close the deal by getting you retested they would do it. They're more like your real estate agent helping you pick your next house based on what you cna afford. At this juncture, they've told you what your line scores can buy you. They don't care what you pick, they don't care what you score, their only job is to help you get what you are qualified for. If you're not willing to give up two to three years in the Army doing a job you aren't committed to, then go back to the career you were committed to before you considered joining. FYI, it's not a 2-3 year commitment for the job you want, it's more like 4-5
Your goals for language and signal repair are not compatible. There are two language MOS for you in the Army, and neither is a repair job. The score for 35T which is what you're describing is a 112 ST score. If you haven't already scored high enough for MI you're going to need more than a few weeks of study to jump your ST score what would probably be 20-30 points.
As everyone will tell you, anything can be waivered. However, exceptions to policy are for exceptional people or exceptional circumstances. Your recruiting station commander has to ask the General who approves these requests, to approve your waiver. When the General asks what about you or your situation is exceptional "he didn't study and he doesn't like his choices" does not qualify as exceptional. Maybe if your mom had just died, or you were recovering from COVID, you could claim those as exceptional circumstances. If you had a letter of recommendation from a senator or a masters degree that might be an example of an exceptional person. In this case, you were just ill-prepared and exactly the type of situation this policy was made for.
Nobody cares if you're entirely committed to your job or not. 80% of the people who walk into my office initially ask about reclassing because they're not sold on their job. When you got your first entry level job no one expected you to be committed to that. People beginning a new career aren't expected to be committed to their first employer. But it's a job, it makes money and gets you experience along the way.
Reclassing you once you're in the Army would not be very difficult. That's not to say you'll get the job you want, but you're not going to get it waiting around to retest either. There are limited class seats for jobs and there's no way to predict when class seats for the job you want will be available. You could be totally qualified for the MOS you want and there might be no available class seats for the next year for that job. Same thing for reclass once you're on Active Duty.
There is no recruiter in the world gate keeping you from joining the Army. They have the toughest job in the Army and they just want to put you in. They aren't salesmen selling you a car, you can't bluff them and they aren't bluffing you. If they could close the deal by getting you retested they would do it. They're more like your real estate agent helping you pick your next house based on what you cna afford. At this juncture, they've told you what your line scores can buy you. They don't care what you pick, they don't care what you score, their only job is to help you get what you are qualified for. If you're not willing to give up two to three years in the Army doing a job you aren't committed to, then go back to the career you were committed to before you considered joining. FYI, it's not a 2-3 year commitment for the job you want, it's more like 4-5
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if you didn't score high enough for the military intelligence field, you should look elsewhere. it takes attention to detail and commitment which you clearly lack
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1. Waiver for entrance exams are like unicorns- folks talk about them, but you never see one. 2. You can opt out and come back in 6 months- God only knows what will be open then., or you can take their advice. 3. If you aren't willing to commit your life, liberty, and 110% the you are wrong for us and we don't need you.
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Ray Werenthal
I'm not in the Delayed Entry Program or anything like that, just a civilian exploring his options so how exactly would I opt-out and come back in 6 months? The station commander told me the test scores are valid for 2 years.
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SGM Bill Frazer
Use to be that if you hadn't signed a contract, you could walk away, and down the road you could try again fresh. Anyway keep in mind what they offer is for like 2-4 weeks and then it changes and may noy re appear for a years or until the Next fiscal year.
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Current recruiter here. You are stuck with your scores for 2 years. There isn’t pulling strings with the officers. It’s Military Entrance Processing Command (MEPCOM) policy. You are not restricted to waiting 2 or 3 years to FAST Class. You can do it as soon as your gaining command allows. You don’t have to sign a 3,4, or 5 year contract. You can sign a 2 year and in approximately 9 months you’ll be in your re-enlistment window to hopefully secure the job you want. Bottom line is this, you haven’t set yourself up for success here. You didn’t study, and it shows. There are certain requirements for you to go active duty as a GED Holder and then add your wanted job into the mix and you are asking for a very rate occurance. You can threaten or not threaten with talking to other branches but I would be wary how you approach that conversation. You might be disappointed in the answer you receive and you might be asked to find a new recruiting station. I wish you the best in your journey, hit me up if you have any questions about anything.
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Ray Werenthal
SSG (Join to see) - Why not? I'm just worried about failing at DLI and getting re-classed and essentially screwed for the remaining 4 years on my contract.
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SSG (Join to see)
Promotion potential is horrible. If you get reclassed, it’s usually to another 35 series. But why do you want to do intel?Ray Werenthal
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Ray Werenthal
SSG (Join to see) - The 35P is the only 35 series MOS I'm qualified for under this ASVAB's score, though. I'm primarily interested in intelligence work because I want to work with signals equipment, the job looks rewarding, and I think I'd do good in that field as opposed to say, combat arms or administrative fields. Potentially once I get out of the army, I want to try and learn Persian fluently, and then work on getting my BA in either an international relations or security-studies field.
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Besides your AFQT, what are your line scores? Those are really important when it comes to choosing MOS. Get those from your recruiter, do some research, and see if there are other MOS you might fit in. You can use those same scores to look other service MOSs as well before stepping into their offices.
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It seems we used to allow a 6 month retest in mid 80s, but testing falls under MEPCOM. High school tests are an extension of the DOD program. Not sure about current restrictions. Shame on your recruiter for not preparing you for testing better, if it applies. We never retested for a MOS slot, only entrance. It gets counterproductive to sell a particular MOS, with someone marginally qualified at best.
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Ray Werenthal
The MEPS regs state:
" Each Recruiting Service and HQ USMEPCOM (J-3/MEOP-TD) has a Manpower Accession
Policy Working Group (MAPWG) representative appointed to address special situations dealing with enlistment testing policy. At any time, the MAPWG can approve exceptions to current testing policy based on individual cases."
"Recruiting Service personnel request waivers to testing policy, through their Service’s chain of command to their MAPWG representative. This representative will confer with J3/MEOP-TD and make a determination. If the exception is approved, J-3/MEOP-TD will notify Sector testing section and the MEPS of the required action. "
" Each Recruiting Service and HQ USMEPCOM (J-3/MEOP-TD) has a Manpower Accession
Policy Working Group (MAPWG) representative appointed to address special situations dealing with enlistment testing policy. At any time, the MAPWG can approve exceptions to current testing policy based on individual cases."
"Recruiting Service personnel request waivers to testing policy, through their Service’s chain of command to their MAPWG representative. This representative will confer with J3/MEOP-TD and make a determination. If the exception is approved, J-3/MEOP-TD will notify Sector testing section and the MEPS of the required action. "
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CWO3 (Join to see)
Ray Werenthal - Good research. My info was from 84-87. Get an ASVAB prep book. It explains areas to concentrate on, and the makeup of the various scores. Without knowing your AFQT, GT, EL, and others it is a crap shoot to advise. Feel free to email those to me for privacy, which I will uphold. Good luck.
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Ray Werenthal
CWO3 (Join to see) - I've already got one. My plan now is to contact the AF and CG, see if they'll let me re-test with them. That way this week when I meet with my station commander, I can assess all my options. I'll let them know that I'd appreciate if they could get me a waiver. Wait and see if it gets approved or denied. If it's denied, I'll just tell them I'm keeping the Army in mind, but I want to explore different branches.
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MSgt Kerry Lundy
It may be tough getting in to the USAF now. I am retired USAF and keep up with what is going on now. I read last week that USAF is asking members to volunteer to transfer to the Reserves. They will have the capability to access your scores so when you contact them you best be up front with the scores. Sounds to me like you are job shopping without being prepared and you are hoping to get in to INTEL? Lots of luck on that one. You are displaying a lack of self discipline in your lack of preparation for your entrance exams. Lack of proper preparation could be very costly and deadly in the INTEL field. Good Luck!
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There’s some good advice in the thread and some good information. At the end of the day I have to agree with the majority here. If you knew what job you wanted then you should have known prior to taking the test what scored you needed to achieve to get said job. If you wanna serve your country and be and AD service member then take what you can get now to get your foot in the door. Study up, take classes do what you gotta do to get your scores up and let the Army pay for it! And what says you’re gonna love being in MI? Maybe there’s something else out there doe you that you’ll like more, you never know! That’s what’s great about the Army, you have so much opportunity to do different things.
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Didn't get the ASVAB score you wanted? You can retake the test for a new score, but there are a few limitations to consider.
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PO2 (Join to see)
Coast Guard does not let you retest for sake of bettering your score. However going branch to branch, with proper research, will give you an idea of which branch you’ll truly fit in with, enjoy your time with and get the most from. Do research if you haven’t, have questions at the ready and talk to everyone. Request one on one talks with the ratings your interested in through the recruiter Ray Werenthal
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Ray Werenthal
PO2 (Join to see) - The Coast Guard still has a minimum AQFT requirement of 50 to enlist with a GED, which is my current standing. I scored a 47. so I'd need to re-test. I know for a fact I can do better, I just need someone to give me a second chance, but it doesn't look like that's going to happen with the army.
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Ray Werenthal
PO2 (Join to see) - From a bit on a website I found:
"If you are not happy with your ASVAB scores, you must wait six months to retake the test. However, if you can convince a Coast Guard Recruiter that your scores do not accurately reflect your education, training and experience you may be able to get that six-month wait period reduced to one month." I've seen similar things about the USAF. Any idea if it's true?
"If you are not happy with your ASVAB scores, you must wait six months to retake the test. However, if you can convince a Coast Guard Recruiter that your scores do not accurately reflect your education, training and experience you may be able to get that six-month wait period reduced to one month." I've seen similar things about the USAF. Any idea if it's true?
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PO2 (Join to see)
As far as I am aware you can get a +2 ASVAB point addition to the total score. You can always make an attempt to talk them into letting you retest, but be prepared for possible scrutiny or questioning on why. If your interested in IS: (Intel Specialist) you need VE+AR=109. Coast guard is special in a way that you will not go to A school after boot camp for IS. You will go to a unit as a non rate, and have to apply for the school once qualified in your unit. That will give opportunities to improve your score or get proper endorsement for IS. Ray Werenthal
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Study and retake then... I would be very wary of expecting to reclass to what you want later on. It rarely if ever works out.
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Ray Werenthal
That's exactly what I plan on doing. Army recruiting regs state the Army can't re-test someone just to get their scores up. Hence why I'm having a meeting with my recruiter (who didn't even tell me about the PICAT test prior to us meeting at MEPS) next Friday,
to discuss my options. The station commander also called to talk to me, using that line. He told me that I can "just enlist as any MOS I'm good for now, then take FAST courses once I'm done with that contract." However... that's going to be 2/3 years of my life that I'll never get back...*just* to be able to re-test and see what jobs I'm qualified to re-enlist as. When I meet with them I'm going to ask if they or their commander can issue a waiver. If they can't, or their officer(s) won't I know for a fact the Air Force and Coast Guard let applicants re-test per their regulations. So if they won't issue me a waiver at this station, I'll just go re-test with a different branch.
to discuss my options. The station commander also called to talk to me, using that line. He told me that I can "just enlist as any MOS I'm good for now, then take FAST courses once I'm done with that contract." However... that's going to be 2/3 years of my life that I'll never get back...*just* to be able to re-test and see what jobs I'm qualified to re-enlist as. When I meet with them I'm going to ask if they or their commander can issue a waiver. If they can't, or their officer(s) won't I know for a fact the Air Force and Coast Guard let applicants re-test per their regulations. So if they won't issue me a waiver at this station, I'll just go re-test with a different branch.
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You can retake the ASVAB 30 days after your initial test. If its your second or more test there is a longer waiting period. Your recruiter does not want you to retake the test in the case you retake and drop your score below 31 which would make you ineligible to enlist. Jobs are based on your line scores so I'm guessing the line scores required for the job your seeking weren't high enough. My advice is see what jobs are offered and pick one that sounds like something your interested in and take the guaranteed assignment of choice option. Enjoy that geography take the class that helps you increase your line scores and choose the job you want on your reenlistment. You wouldn't be the first person to retake an Asian and end up not being qualified at all. After your already in the military your aqft score will never be used again, only line scores. Hope that helps
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