Posted on Dec 25, 2020
Etieno Akpakpan
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I just enlisted as 68w (E-3) and shipping for BCT in February. I am currently a final year medical student. Please how do I get Commissioned as an officer?
Also can I choose my first duty station?
Edited >1 y ago
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SSG Medic Advisor
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Why would you possibly enlist, if you are in your final year of med school? Finish school, speak to an AMEDD recruiter, and commission.
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CPT Advisor
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You should go talk to an AMEDD recruiter as soon as possible (like on Monday). If you want to commission and are in your final year of med school, there is really no point in enlisting and attending BCT. You should be able to start the commissioning process right now as a civilian.

https://www.goarmy.com/amedd.html
https://recruiting.army.mil/mrb/
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CPT Cadre
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Right now you are in DEP (Delayed Entry Program), more commonly known as the Future Soldier Program, as of right now you have NO obligation to the Army, yeah they make you sign a bunch of stuff, but you haven’t taken your oath and you haven’t started BCT. You need to contact your recruiter ASAP and tell them you want to void your contact because you want to Commission through AMEDD. They’re going to pressure you and tell you all kinds of things to get you to change your mind, but that’s because they work in numbers and now they have to work twice as hard to get a replacement.

Whatever you do, if you want to Commission, especially as a final year med student, DO NOT SHIP TO BCT. Now because you didn’t mention whether or not it’s active duty, reserves or National Guard, I’m going to assume it’s active duty, in which case we are at the worst case scenario. You will not be able to do your internship or residency and your medical career (as a doctor) will pretty much be over before it’s started. The Army won’t give one flying damn that you graduated Med school if you’re active duty. Go to your recruiter and tell them you have reconsidered and will no longer be enlisting. Once that’s done contact an AMEDD recruiter who will put you in the Army as an Officer, and more importantly, a Doctor.

Now I don’t know a whole lot about the AMEDD process so I don’t know if you have to have completed your internship and residency or not, that’s a question for them. But I do know a whole lot about the normal commissioning program (came in through OCS and served 18 months as OCS Cadre). You cannot commission into AMEDD through normal OCS, they do no allow it, as AMEDD has their own program and selection criteria. I know because we have had several Candidates come through OCS whose recruiters had told them they could. Once they were in OCS, there was nothing we could do for them. We no shit had a Candidate with an M.D. who had to take a commission as a Chemical Corps officer because her recruiter screwed her. We tried to work with AMEDD but they said “tough luck” (in a few more words). So talk to a AMEDD recruiter pronto. Best of luck.
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COL Acos Education
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As an amedd officer I co-sign this.

To the original póster feel free to message me directly and I will get you squared away and can even intervene on your behalf.

You need yo step up yo the plate though to get your situation corrected before you’re veered on the wrong path.
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Etieno Akpakpan
Etieno Akpakpan
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Thank you captain. Well, that would have been sad if I were not able to complete schooling. And yes, I’m going active duty.
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How can I commission as officer from 68W?
LTC Jason Mackay
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Please change your profile to your real name.
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CW2 Matt Baum
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Find an applicable AMEDD Officer recruiter (Guard/Active). Sounds like you may be eligible for a direct commission, therefore potentially skipping BCT/OCS. I doubt that you can choose duty stations...any thing you are promised, get it in writing. That said, I LOVED being a 68W. Tusker Medics '07
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1LT Healthcare Specialist (Combat Medic)
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I totally agree. Don’t go to BCT. I was totally screwed doing it this way. No guarantees to be an MD after you complete. I’m a nurse with prior service active duty time. If you come in through AMEDD you don’t even have to go to BCT. Direct commission is the way to go. 4 weeks of DCC and then 4 weeks at BOLC!! They will talk you into anything to make their numbers!!
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MAJ Audiology
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Get in touch with the AMEDD recruiter for your state. They can reach out to your current recruiter and get that contract switched. Sure your current recruiter won’t be happy, but if they knew you were in medical school and still pushed you through enlisted then they were not serving your best interests.
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Etieno Akpakpan
Etieno Akpakpan
>1 y
Thank you captain, I will. Yes they knew
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1LT Battalion Personnel Officer (S1)
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Are you a naturalized citizen yet?
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Etieno Akpakpan
Etieno Akpakpan
>1 y
Same issue I was having. But thank you, your comments have been most educative.

I was told I would be able to complete my program and subsequently commission to an officer through The green to gold or OCS. I’m just knowing this won’t be possible
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SFC Retention Operations Nco
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COL (Join to see) no that's not correct. Etieno Akpakpan may enlist as a legal resident, but he must be a citizen in order to commission. That is IAW federal law, 10 USC 532.
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COL Acos Education
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As I was SFC (Join to see). I know a doc in a similar situation with a green card that commissioned. Thought that amedd folk have a workaround. A recruiter will be able to square him away.
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SFC Retention Operations Nco
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COL (Join to see) there may be a USAR or ARNG exception, that's the requirement for title 10. But I also know that a few years ago during the surge, the Army lowered almost every requirement, including lowering the requirement to commission down to having only 60 SH of college to commission. So, a lot of times, what "used to be" doesn't apply in most current policies.
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