Does anyone know of any recent cases in the services of an Ex-Senior NCO being reactivated to Active Duty as a Warrant/Field/General Officer?

2020-05-14T11:17:43-04:00

I am looking for data from the year 2000 thru present-day. No need for names but that would be helpful. I would also be glad to get examples of EM/NCO reactivation to Junior Warrant and Company Grade Officers.
Many soldiers leave service and get Associate, Technical, Bachelor, Master, and PhDs Degrees.
Likewise many individuals start businesses and supervise many employees, locations and interstate services without getting degrees but gain managerial t experience.
Then again some get employment at positions in companies or government or organizations where they like be all they can be - at higher levels of competence.
I need relevant and related information. Thanks in Advance.

Response by SFC Michael Hasbun made May 14 at 2020 11:25 AM

2020-05-14T11:25:37-04:00

Warrant Officer candidates need to put in a package, be accepted, and attend WOCS. There's no "magic shortcut" to being a Warrant Officer.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made May 14 at 2020 11:45 AM

2020-05-14T11:45:15-04:00

Not necessarily "Reactivated" unless you're talking Soldiers who went into the Inactive Ready Reserve (IRR) and were recalled due to a shortage in a high-demand MOS for a mobilization... and even then they are recalled at their rank upon exit from active status (or their rank in the IRR... promotions can happen in the IRR).

Now if you're talking a direct-commission type of position (Officers, not Warrant Officers), that happens all the time. AMEDD, SJA, and Chaplains are often brought in as direct commission, but will still have to attend requisite training to be qualified in their specialty, less the typical OCS or ROTC source of commissioning.

Response by LTC Joe Anderson made May 14 at 2020 12:36 PM

2020-05-14T12:36:46-04:00

I know of Field Grades in the Guard who have retired but returning as General Officers. It's not uncommon for retired LTC and COL to return to the Guard as their states "Adjutant General" these positions are "Politically Appointed" and filled usually by Officers with political ties and influence. However once federally recognized by congress they become 1 and some later 2 Star Generals in the Army and retire as such. One semi recent example I can think of is in 2005, Sikeston Missouri lawyer and retired Army Guard COL King Sidwell, took command of the Missouri National Guard. After Gov. Matt Blunt appointed him Adjutant General of the state's Army and Air National Guard. He retired as a "Federally Recognized" 2 Star General in 2008/9 (When the newly Elected Governor Appointed another COL to the position).

Response by CSM Darieus ZaGara made May 14 at 2020 3:45 PM

2020-05-14T15:45:34-04:00

Not at all a likely scenario. I have never heard of anything like this, especially if hey had retired. They would have to have some sort of mechanism for direct commission, again not likely. Well at least I know of nothing remotely close to this.

Response by Lt Col Jim Coe made May 14 at 2020 4:27 PM

2020-05-14T16:27:14-04:00

My daughter was an ANG SSgt, went into IRR, then left at the end of her enlistment. About a decade later she took direct commission as a US Navy Reserve Nurse, entering as an O-3. She has her BSN, MSN, and Nurse Practitioner plus over 10 years nursing experience. Her Medical Officer's School was 4 weeks.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 14 at 2020 5:47 PM

2020-05-14T17:47:12-04:00

Why on earth would they recall a senior NCO and place them as a Warrant (which cant happen), a field grade or general officer? makes absolutely no sense.

Response by CDR Terry Boles made May 15 at 2020 1:07 AM

2020-05-15T01:07:54-04:00

I know a lot of prior enlisted ( Mustangs ) from a variety of AFSCs, Rates, MOSs that later commissioned as 0-1 thru 0-3 as physical therapists. All commissioned around 1997, outside your parameter; all prior NCOs and at minimum retired from AD as 0-5. Not unusual to see in the medical field.

Response by CW4 Private RallyPoint Member made May 15 at 2020 5:37 AM

2020-05-15T05:37:59-04:00

You must have a commissiong source. There is still on the books a direct commission, though I have seen that only once in 3rd BDE 1st CAV 2009. Dude was maybe Intel??? Can’t say for sure, but not sure what the justification was. Honestly if you are looking to come back in as an officer or warrant officer, there isn’t fast pass like Disney World for that. You will be required to play the game. Now if you went on to be a social scientist, or city public works planner, some sort of skill set that allows for a “professional in the industry” status- there was a program for that. But if you just scored a degree and feel like you are officer material- get in line behind the thousands of E4’s we recruit with paper, and apply for WOC’s or OCS...

Response by MAJ Ronnie Reams made May 15 at 2020 10:15 AM

2020-05-15T10:15:39-04:00

Probably not many, if any, currently. After the last war there were a lot of officers that were RIFed. Many kept their commissions and continued on AD as NCOs. I remember in 1965 our Bn SGM retired and showed up as a COL of Infantry to his retirement ceremony. In the 'Nam we had some were reactivated, we called them retreads, and also, some that had USAR commissions that were on AD as NCOs recalled as officers. Most all of these are passed away or really old, so I doubt you see them anymore.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made May 15 at 2020 4:39 PM

2020-05-15T16:39:14-04:00

I have never seen a case of this. I was prior enlisted and then returned as an officer when I joined again. When I was in the Guard I have see many get called back when they were still in the IRR. The issue is that the Army will not invest in anyone that they need to fill the gap on a temporary status. Usually you are recalled for a period of time only. The Army takes a while to align the right amount of officers and senior enlisted. This happened a few years back when the Army added another manever battalion to brigade combat teams. There was a short fall of officers to fill positions. They used the Call to Active Duty program to bring qualifed officers from the National Guard and the Reserves. That is usually the place the Army looks. I was a active duty NG officer that had all the schools and training I needed that would enable me to me successful. The issue with pulling from the outside the NG, Reserve, or IRR is that you will have to spend a lot of time and money to catch them up. It is easier to try to reclass a Soldier, pull from reserves, or just promote junior Soldiers quicker.