Can I go from Army National Guard to Active Duty Air Force?

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 29 Mar 2019 17:51:42 -0400

I'm an E-4 medic in the guard. Can anyone tell what the process is like and what my odds are?p

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 29 at 2019 5:53 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 29 Mar 2019 17:53:55 -0400

You're gonna have to talk to an Air Force Recruiter to get those answers.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 29 at 2019 6:12 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 29 Mar 2019 18:12:29 -0400

After your full 8 year contract is up for certain. While your 8 year (including IAR) is still Active I don’t think this is possible but you’d have to talk to the Air Force.

Response by SGT Eric Davis made Mar 29 at 2019 6:15 PM

SGT Eric Davis — Fri, 29 Mar 2019 18:15:36 -0400

Is your contract almost up in the guard?
If not then you willl have to get a dd form 368 conditional release signed and approved from your chain of command!

Response by SSgt Jonathan Townsend made Mar 29 at 2019 10:54 PM

SSgt Jonathan Townsend — Fri, 29 Mar 2019 22:54:41 -0400

Yes, you will need your branch to release you and finish your contract with the new branch. A prior service recruiter can assist you with this.

Response by SFC Stephen P. made Mar 30 at 2019 4:03 PM

SFC Stephen P. — Sat, 30 Mar 2019 16:03:42 -0400

My experience is that USAF is not all that eager to hire prior service, and many states are reluctant to release guard members.

USAR usually allows for local commanders to sign the 368s, but on the guard side I've seen that authority reserved to the state AG.

Your recruiter is probably your first step. If there is any realistic chance of a transfer, he will be motivated to facilitate it and guide you through the process.

Response by SSG Brian G. made Mar 30 at 2019 6:32 PM

SSG Brian G. — Sat, 30 Mar 2019 18:32:29 -0400

Talk to an Air Force recruiter. As far as I know and have heard, inter service transfers are not done. You have to complete your enlistment with one branch, be discharged and then enlist in the other branch. It's not different than if you were active Army and wanted to go Air Force. You would still have to complete you enlistment.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 31 at 2019 10:41 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 31 Mar 2019 10:41:56 -0400

I do Chaplain recruiting but it’s still recruiting. We get transfers all of the time. It’s a beast getting them from the Guard though. You guys have to get your 368 signed off by state or TAG and from a packet that I just put together from Alabama’s NG, they barely wanted to release him due to numbers. That would be an issue as well. Recruiting centers for us are set up differently across the board. More so based off of how the Station Commander wants to run it but unless it’s set up a certain way, every recruiter recruits for prior service. I won’t lie, it’s a lot of work to do for PS packets but that’s no excuse to not get the job done since it’s our job as detailed recruiters.

My suggestion would be to go to and Air Force recruiter first who is willing to work with you and then engage your COC to see if they will be on board with releasing you. Again, I’m not sure how all centers work but I’m pretty envolved with my applicants and will engage my COC to call my applicants COC to see what can be done. I can only speak for myself here.