Going from Officer to Enlisted in forced retirement

I personally know 3 officers who were passed over for Captain due to not having completed their degrees. They reverted to E-5, and have since worked up through the enlisted ranks to MSG, SGM, and CSM.

I had 10 yrs 07 months as a Naval Officer got out joined the MN ARNG as enlisted, Activated to Iraq 2 yrs in country, came back and was incorrectly retired as an enlisted. my first 39 months of retirement were spent getting my 03E retirement. When HRC, RSO Ft Riley, had my record of service from the beginning. Good luck! If you held your commission for 10 years or more, you should as a MAJ, and you satisfactorily held your MAJ rank you will retire as a MAJOR. You might have to lead HRC by the nose but you will get it.

Yes in many instances in the Guard. It's a blow to the ego to say the least. Most took it in stride especially if it happened before their 20. In some cases if they were O-5 and a full-time state technician they were allowed to go W2. On retirement day they go right back to their highest rank with the retirement benefits there of. I had a friend who was my senior go through it. He was rifted to E-6 from O-4 because he never finished CAS3 (Combined Arms Staff Service School, a.k.a PowerPoint Academy which is now rolled into Captain's Career Course or whatever the new name is) and couldn't be promoted to O-5. He mostly SUTAed his remaining 8 months so no one saw him that often, but once it was over and he got his 20 he left graciously.

I've heard of this a few times, but I only know of two personally who went from O to E (and one who went O to W). The first one was a 2LT who commissioned alongside me through the Early Commissioning Program (2-year junior college, has 3 years after commissioning to finish a bachelor's degree). When she violated her contract by flunking an entire semester, they revoked her commission and turned her into an E-5. She got out, though, when she asked if she could repay her ROTC scholarship instead, and the Army accepted. The second one was royally screwed; prior-service, went Green-to-Gold, and was separated by an OSB at O-3 with just over 20 years. Because he was shy of 8 years commissioned, however, he wasn't eligible to maintain his commissioned rank at separation, so he was reduced to E6 (or 7) as he was separated, and was basically completely screwed on his pension. The third one was a 2x non-select for O-5 (in that sense it's the closest to the original post), but was a specialist in a rare field, so the SecArm (or perhaps SecDef) granted an exception to allow them to become a CW-3. They finished out their 20 reaching CW-4, but I think the retirement was still listed at the rank of Major.

I used to work with a couple of Marine Mustangs (Officers who were former Enlisted). One thing that was mentioned to me was that they were "non-competitively promoted" on their enlisted rank, while they were officers. This may have been MCEP specific, but if not "augmented" (I don't know exactly how the system worked) they "could" in theory revert back to enlisted, but they would end up a couple ranks higher than when they started (started at E5, would have been E7 if reverted on that day).

If you are just riding out the last few years, specifically for pension, wouldn't High 3 and Highest rank held apply though?

Have you held your commission for 10 years? That would be one consideration. If not you will retire as an enlisted.

MAJ Jim Steven
I have heard of a program the Navy has or used to have where an Officer who is prior enlisted had the option of reverting back to enlisted strictly for retirement purposes. I guess the way it worked was, they didn't have enough time as an Officer to retire but had enough overall time in service to retire. So they would revert to an enlisted status. BUT, they would not go back to their last rank held as enlisted. They would be bumped up a rank or 2. The Navy's reasoning was had the member stayed enlisted they would have advanced a rank or 2.

I actually did meet one person online a few years back who retired as a Master Chief but had resigned his commission as a CWO3 or 4.

That is an interesting concept. If you are just trying to make the last few years until retirement it could be worth it. However, I've never heard of it. If I could retire with my last 3 years as a CA Team Sergeant, I would find it very appealing if put in that predicament.

I haven't known an officer that did this. But in the 70's I heard of a Captain who was not promoted to Major and came back as a Staff Sgt. And when he retires he will pay would be based on his highest rank.

Just received a brief from separations branch in pre command course here at JBLM and they went into this a little bit. But basically to take advantage of TARA they resign your commission and make you an E8 for a day. That way you can receive 15 year retirement. Other than that I have never heard of anything.