Posted on Apr 9, 2020
Can I sign a declination of continued service statement?
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I am on my initial enlistment. I just found out that I am on orders to Korea with a report date in October. My wife and I just had a baby so this is not the best timing. Am I able to sign a declination statement or a first term statement and get out of these orders? I wanted to re-enlist, but my window doesn’t open until after I report and I have been told that even if it was before, I can’t re-enlist to get out of these orders. What other options might I have to get my orders to Korea deleted?
PCS
Korea
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 7
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A declination is a declination to reenlist not a declination for an assignment. You never have the option to decline an assignment, only the option to reenlist for the assignment in front of you.
Korea is a one year tour, unaccompanied. If you can complete one year unaccompanied from your report date, then there is nothing to decline. You will report to the assignment or be AWOL.
Your options are to ETS after Korea, bring your family with you and do two years, or to reenlist in Korea for a follow on assignment after Korea.
As for the first term statement you've heard about - it only applies if you need to reenlist to meet the SRR for the assignment (you don't), you are on your first contract AND you have four years from your BASD to your BASD You don't meet all three requirements
Korea is a one year tour, unaccompanied. If you can complete one year unaccompanied from your report date, then there is nothing to decline. You will report to the assignment or be AWOL.
Your options are to ETS after Korea, bring your family with you and do two years, or to reenlist in Korea for a follow on assignment after Korea.
As for the first term statement you've heard about - it only applies if you need to reenlist to meet the SRR for the assignment (you don't), you are on your first contract AND you have four years from your BASD to your BASD You don't meet all three requirements
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SFC Michael Hasbun
SPC (Join to see) - That's only if you don't have enough time in service remaining to complete the tour.
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SFC (Join to see)
SPC (Join to see) as SFC Michael Hasbun pointed out, you are only eligible to decline to reenlist or extend. You can only do that if you don't have enough time to complete the tour.
As for reenlistment over there, there is no reenlistment that will curtail your DEROS. DOD sets the policy on tour lengths. The only thing that will curtail a Korea tour is an emergency Compassionate Reassignment, or an OCS/WOCS date.
As for the declination statement, the assignment would generally be deleted, but the branch is capable of waiving the SRR and sending you anyway if needed. So, if your thought process has led you down the path of thinking about asking for the four month COVID deferment for hardship and then declining, chances are that won't work out. Someone, somewhere by now will have mentioned to you the ALARACT about deleting or deferment of Korea orders. That ALARACT only grants enlisted Soldiers a four month deferment. In addition, it needs to be endorsed by your CG and show how COVID specifically caused a hardship. In your case, this is not applicable.
As for reenlistment over there, there is no reenlistment that will curtail your DEROS. DOD sets the policy on tour lengths. The only thing that will curtail a Korea tour is an emergency Compassionate Reassignment, or an OCS/WOCS date.
As for the declination statement, the assignment would generally be deleted, but the branch is capable of waiving the SRR and sending you anyway if needed. So, if your thought process has led you down the path of thinking about asking for the four month COVID deferment for hardship and then declining, chances are that won't work out. Someone, somewhere by now will have mentioned to you the ALARACT about deleting or deferment of Korea orders. That ALARACT only grants enlisted Soldiers a four month deferment. In addition, it needs to be endorsed by your CG and show how COVID specifically caused a hardship. In your case, this is not applicable.
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SPC (Join to see)
SFC (Join to see)
Thanks for the information. I know that branch is able to send me anyways even if I signed the Dec statement, but what are the chances of that happening? And are first term Soldiers allowed to sign a dec statement? I’ve heard conflicting things.
Thanks for the information. I know that branch is able to send me anyways even if I signed the Dec statement, but what are the chances of that happening? And are first term Soldiers allowed to sign a dec statement? I’ve heard conflicting things.
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SFC (Join to see)
SPC (Join to see) no one can tell you the odds of your branch creating an exception to policy to send you. I can guarantee you that the odds of you getting a deferment so that you would be eligible to sign a declination are absolutely zero.
The first term statement you're referring to is a statement declining to reenlist. You have the time to go on your tour unaccompanied, so you are not eligible. A first term statement only applies when: you must reenlist to meet the SRR; you are on your first enlistment contract; you will have less than four years from your BASD to your current ETS.
The first term statement you're referring to is a statement declining to reenlist. You have the time to go on your tour unaccompanied, so you are not eligible. A first term statement only applies when: you must reenlist to meet the SRR; you are on your first enlistment contract; you will have less than four years from your BASD to your current ETS.
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A DEC statement will prohibit you from re-enlisting. If you decline an assignment, you may as well prepare to get out of the military. You can request a cancellation through HRC or suck it up.
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SPC (Join to see)
I’ve been told that first term Soldiers can’t sign dec statements, but I’m not sure if this is true or not
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