Can I simultaneously apply to become an officer (Contracting or the Personnel career fields) and to cross-train out of 2AX2 into Contracting?

2018-03-07T20:35:38-05:00

This is a 2 part question,I’ve been active duty Airforce for 5 years in the maintenance career field,but I’m looking to use my college degree and either go officer in the Contracting Career Field or the Personell Career Field,or possibly Cross train out of 2AX2 into Contracting I’m currently on my first enlistment,no awards and 4 and 3-Promote EPR’s can I apply to both at the same time? Because my time to re-enlist would be next April? So I have the options to make a solid decision?

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 7 at 2018 8:44 PM

2018-03-07T20:44:52-05:00

I was in the Army but in a similar situation. I decided to get out and use the Post 9/11 GIBill for a nursing degree. It is a tremendous amount of money and opportunity. I went straight into a degree program and used all four years, even though I had previous college. Best decision I could've made. Now I'm going back in with direct commission as 1LT, just selected a few months ago. If you want to serve your country in a higher capacity and further your career, I suggest you get that degree and become an Officer.

Response by SGT Joseph Gunderson made Mar 7 at 2018 8:48 PM

2018-03-07T20:48:32-05:00

In all honesty, you are an E3 after five years; perhaps you should be looking outside of the military for a career because this one doesn't seem to be working for you.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 7 at 2018 10:22 PM

2018-03-07T22:22:16-05:00

Applying to OTS does "Code" you. Meaning, once you apply you are not eligible for PCS orders for a short period while your application is being processed and the board convenes. I would never dissuade someone from applying if you are eligible. You might as well knock on every door until they lock themselves shut. Considering how competitive your package will be is important when prioritizing which path you want to focus on first.

Make sure you look on the retraining advisory list, I am pretty sure a TON of 2AX2 shreds are short manned, meaning your CFM will not release anyone from the AFSC.

If you don't know what some of these things are, feel free to drop a comment.

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Mar 8 at 2018 1:54 AM

2018-03-08T01:54:03-05:00

Elaborate of you can, what !ajormon the bachelor's, what specific coursework, list specific course titles and topics, GPAs if you want to, I knew many in acquisitions, youmqiestion interests me, try to do a really detailed bio sketch if you can, incl reading,mhobbies, interests which svcs you've looked at, etc, IPP try to suggest things, if I overwhelm, which intend to, in overexiberamce, just pet me kmow, and ippmratchet it down a notch, OK? Youmqiestion genuinely interests, me, I'd ne most eager to hear more, honest, many thanks....

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Mar 8 at 2018 11:43 PM

2018-03-08T23:43:49-05:00

I was just curious to ask something further, if I might, I read what others wrote in, and realize I may not have understood what you'd been asking. I gather you're AFSC 2AX2, as you'd said, and want to go into a contracting unit, while you'd apply to OTS simultaneously. When I went in, I wasn't prior enlisted, which, in retrospect, I think, would've helped me considerably to have been, if only for sake of perspective, certainly, I think I'd have understood the environment more before going on active. When I'd gotten out of OTS, which had been at Lackland at that time, not at !axwelp as it is now, I'd been assigned to a system program office (SPO), assigned to a contractor. I'd have had a chance to go overseas, I think, had I stayed here, I was AFSC 2825, electrical engineer, being used in an AFSC 2724 acquistpition spot. In some ways, I regret not having stayed there, as I'd have been able, I think, to have seen foregin countries, however, I'd really wanted pure science, and asked to be allowed to PCA, not PCS, internally at my installation, to a pure science research lab, which I did genuinely find of more interest at that point, if perhaps somewhat short sightedly. He reason I'd asked to kmow more about your circumstances was that your interests merely seemed to ne quite similar to where I'd initially found myself, when I'd been in that 2724 spot, honest. I was just wondering, for that reason, what your undergrad major is, I'd seen you also brought up your EPRs, which, when I'd been in, where termed APRs, though I never got to actually write any commissioned or enlisted evals at all, though that was covered at OTS when I'd been there in some depth. I was also just curious, do you definitely want to try for OTS only, or are you also looking at other services? I only ask as, when I'd been at OTS, there were many others who'd gotten in from other services, one guy had even been former Navy enlisted, wearing enlisted Navy dolphins, the only time I ever saw that. So I know it is possible to interservice when going to an OCS or OIS (direct commission indoc) program of any kind, I'd all been curious if you were going to a masters at all, I merely ask as he norm when I'd been in was to positively insist on doing Squadron Officer School (SOS) instantaneously and immediately, as well as to try to get a masters done as rapidly as humanly possible, I'd merely been interested in what major you might want for a masters, as well. I hope that is at least a more coherent explanation, I'd be most eager to hear more, so far as you might care to explain, if I can offer you any thoughts, I'd be glad to try if you'd care to hear them at all, many thanks.