Can an AC officer obtain a Reserve/Guard commission after being twice passed over for MAJ?

2016-10-09T06:56:14-04:00

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 9 at 2016 6:57 AM

2016-10-09T06:57:51-04:00

I have seen it happen.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 9 at 2016 7:41 AM

2016-10-09T07:41:09-04:00

A little background -- I have nothing negative in my file, just not a high enough ACOM to COM ratio of OERs. Only one ACOM

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 9 at 2016 8:28 AM

2016-10-09T08:28:49-04:00

Though my info is dated, back when I was in I knew several officers who had been nonselect in the AC, went into the reserves, got into AGR slots and made MAJ, LTC and COL in the reserves. So they ended up remaining on active duty almost the entire time and got promoted as well.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 9 at 2016 8:40 AM

2016-10-09T08:40:56-04:00

I helped a two time pass over CPT go from Active Duty into the Reserves. It's a bit of work, but it can be done.

Response by CPT Aaron Kletzing made Oct 9 at 2016 9:48 AM

2016-10-09T09:48:29-04:00

Yes this is possible

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made Oct 9 at 2016 9:49 AM

2016-10-09T09:49:46-04:00

I got tossed from AD when the selection percentage was 13-15% for those who were CEC for 10 years in favor of line staff transfers. So that meant my record at the next board on the Reserve side was quite different from the folk who were reserve all the time. So I picked up O-4 on the first look and went on from there. The AD side's loss was the Reserve side's win. Turned out to be a blessing in disguise when things started going South in the sandbox in the 90's. We had very capable and deeply experienced officers who performed well.

BTW, the fruit salad mania that has perversely been allowed to run wild is a detriment that allows reporting seniors and board members to be lazy. It obscures the real performance levels and capability of the SM. A perceived ratio problem becomes an easy reason to toss at third crunch time. That's why SMs closer to the flagpoles tend to fare better. They get more anointment and ointment.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 9 at 2016 1:34 PM

2016-10-09T13:34:59-04:00

Yes, it happens all the time, but the component still has to accept you. I was the CM USAR Career Manager and we routinely had AC 2x NONSELs come over into the traditional reserve TPU (USAR) system. The USAR still has a substantial amount of billets to promote into, in your case to MAJ>LTC. Just make sure that you knock out ILE, at least the common core, as soon as possible. There are several ways to get it done. Talk to the silver siege officer at your installation or regionally. You can get this POC from the RC career counselor's office or the servicing Army Reserves Career Division BN. Good luck!

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 9 at 2016 1:45 PM

2016-10-09T13:45:17-04:00

Just remember, TPU and AGR are two separate entities. One is traditional reserves, and the other is full time. There is no automatic transfer to AGR; you apply through your HRC portal, and hope to get an offer. No guarantee.

Response by LTC John Shaw made Oct 9 at 2016 2:01 PM

2016-10-09T14:01:16-04:00

Yes it is possible in the Reserve or Guard.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 10 at 2016 12:33 AM

2016-10-10T00:33:50-04:00

I think they would release you from active duty if you have service obligations you would be in thing or reserves you are now boarded with the reserves

Response by CPT Pedro Meza made Oct 10 at 2016 12:37 PM

2016-10-10T12:37:01-04:00

It depends in what reserves or NG unit the officer applies for, the needs of the ARMY is the rule by which reserves and NG fill vacancies. Bets solution id for the officer to see a recruiter or go speak with the administrator of that unit, the final decision be the unit commander.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 10 at 2016 11:51 PM

2016-10-10T23:51:58-04:00

Typically no. But desperate states have loop holes to meet manning needs. No chance in army reserve.

Response by BG Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 12 at 2016 7:24 AM

2016-10-12T07:24:11-04:00

I was passed over in the AC and went to the RC and did OK for myself...

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 12 at 2016 8:32 AM

2016-10-12T08:32:25-04:00

Sure you can: for that matter, my USN brother DID it. We in the Reserves get a lot of AC transfers in. What I'd like to know, myself, is how best to jump FROM the USAR into AC once I pin the oak leaf on.

Response by MAJ David Guyette made Oct 12 at 2016 9:00 AM

2016-10-12T09:00:08-04:00

Yes, I did it myself into a USAR unit, and had a great career on the reserve side with a bunch of deployments. You should look at units with shortages and be flexible on your branch. CA and PSYOP units are usually looking for people with AC experience since they usually deploy to support active units.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 12 at 2016 9:43 AM

2016-10-12T09:43:06-04:00

I talked to a Silver Siege officer about this. It does require a waiver from HRC once you are passed over the second time. Once that happens, start talking to the SS officers to get that process working. Basically he said he has never seen a waiver denied with a clean profile. Those with referred reports or UCMJ might be subject to a waiver denial. On another note, the CPT that took over my last command received a pink slip during the OSBs. He was a year group behind me as well. He picked up Major in the reserves a month ago, ahead of schedule had he stayed AC. So there is plenty of light on the other side.

Side note: If you are considering AGR, it is a process to get into. Realize there are two ways/application processes to get in depending on if you pursue Guard or Reserves.

Response by MAJ Clyde Howell made Oct 12 at 2016 10:08 AM

2016-10-12T10:08:50-04:00

Yes, you can. I knew a West Point graduate who was passed over and left Active Duty. He had to resign his Regular Army commission and accept a commission in the Army Reserve component. He came over with the same rank and joined us in our IMA unit.

Be advised, though, that there is some transition that may be uncomfortable. Depending upon how you have viewed your RC companions in the past you may present a persona or attitude that elicits some negative reception. Additionally, your status as a reservist will be completely different with the RA folks that your status as RA was. This can be a personal difficulty.

So, what I am saying is that it can be done. Howe well you make that transition is pretty much up to you.

Response by CAPT Lyle Brown made Oct 12 at 2016 12:39 PM

2016-10-12T12:39:55-04:00

When I was an Navy AD LT, the A-6 Intruder was cancelled (my plane), Bombardier/Navigator promotions to O-4 dropped through the floor. After being 2-FOS, I went RC.
A guy with a 11 year AD career looks really strong up against a bunch of RC members with 6 or less years AD.

Response by LTC Charles T Dalbec made Oct 12 at 2016 1:52 PM

2016-10-12T13:52:21-04:00

The Compo one Officer is most likely a Reserve Officer and when he bus seierated from AC needs to request being assigned either to the Imduvufusl Ready Reserve IRR or a Troop Program Unit TPU in the Active Reserve with the lnoledhebtgstbhe will need a minimum of twenty years of 'good service' and eight consecutive years to be eligible to retire at sixty years of age. If my memory serves me right. Hooah.

Response by LTC John Wilson made Oct 12 at 2016 4:59 PM

2016-10-12T16:59:07-04:00

Absolutely! Go see your local USAR recruiter as part of the ACAP. There are USAR units in desperate need to commissioned officers that will be happy to have you. Once you have a billet, the recruiter will set up a contract and you can be sworn into the USAR before you ETS. Your "enlistment" in the USAR may be scheduled to start the next day after your AC release date.

Even if you did not make Major on the AC side, you can still make it to Major on the USAR side. You will start as a TPU (a traditional part-timer), but there are numerous opportunities for Active Duty "short tours," deployments, or you may go AGR (Active Guard Reserve) which is full-time active duty in USAR units.

If you cannot find a unit with a billet in your branch, you may have to branch transfer; however, most units will pay to send you to the necessary schools.

Response by MAJ Michele Bretz made Oct 12 at 2016 8:21 PM

2016-10-12T20:21:09-04:00

In 2000, they were downsizing in the nursing corps and I was passed over for the second time. I left active duty as a CPT and reported into my reserve unit as a MAJ due to my time in grade. Yes, the nurses eat their own!

Response by COL John Hudson made Oct 13 at 2016 1:18 AM

2016-10-13T01:18:25-04:00

John, "It Depends" on the reasons you were passed over for. You may need to provide a copy of several previous OER's as part of any application process and any adverse issue will pop up. However, depending of which type of unit organization and position you're applying for, it may not matter if your field of expertise is highly prized and applicants are much sought after.

I spent six years on AD, then transferred to the inactive reserve. Almost to the day, ten years later, I went in a TPU (Troop Program Unit) - the old 'one drill a month with two weeks of Annual Training" routine. I was given back my commission as Captain - the rank I held when I left AD, and sent to AD for re-qualification flight training. I was able to satisfactorily complete a 30-year career.

Response by MAJ Bill Darling made Oct 13 at 2016 11:15 AM

2016-10-13T11:15:05-04:00

While things have changed significantly since I was a career management officer for Reservists in the early 00s, AC officers do very well in the Reserves as their pass over status had no negative impact that I could see (granted, when selection rates were much higher)

Back then all reservists competed against each other (I think AGRs now compete against AGRs, I cannot speak to other groups) so by virtue of having OERs, most AGRs and most former AC officers had a full and complete record versus TPU reservists who had infrequent IRR spans and IRR officers who typically had long IRR spans. In short, the board had something in writing to base potential on versus a big black hole in the de facto resume.

Response by CPT Douglas Griffith made Oct 16 at 2016 12:27 AM

2016-10-16T00:27:34-04:00

Yes

Response by CPT Gurinder (Gene) Rana made Nov 23 at 2016 2:35 AM

2016-11-23T02:35:24-05:00

Yes. An AC officer gets released from AC into the RC Control Group. The officer should find an RC TPU unit to join and drill with. After three years, that officer can apply and can be recommended for AGR service in the RC and return to AD. Finding the right unit and CO to support you is the most difficult part. Accession into RC is easy.