How can I use Commander's open door policy ?

PFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 31 Jan 2017 09:50:54 -0500

I'm in National Guard. Past few drills I been asking my 1SG regarding conditional releases. I wanna go to active duty. however he is keep telling me that commander gonna Denied any request no matter what. I have lot of personal problems so I'm trying to go active duty so badly. I'm wondering is it ok to use Open door policy , ?

Response by SSG Carlos Madden made Jan 31 at 2017 10:17 AM

SSG Carlos Madden — Tue, 31 Jan 2017 10:17:00 -0500

SGM Erik Marquez and CPT Private RallyPoint Member always have solid guidance in these areas.

Response by SSG Robert Smith made Jan 31 at 2017 10:20 AM

SSG Robert Smith — Tue, 31 Jan 2017 10:20:40 -0500

You just have to let your chain of command know that you you are using the open door policy. You don't have to disclose why but you just have to let them know that you are.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 31 at 2017 10:29 AM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 31 Jan 2017 10:29:59 -0500

Tell them you are going to use it. They can't stop you (not supposed to, anyway).

Response by SFC J Fullerton made Jan 31 at 2017 10:36 AM

SFC J Fullerton — Tue, 31 Jan 2017 10:36:52 -0500

Yes, your unit commander should have an open door policy. The 1SG is not the approving authority for conditional releases. Neither is your company commander for that matter, but he must endorse your request for it to be considered by the approving authority. Get your ducks in a row first by seeing an Army Recruiter and getting a DD368 Request for Conditional Release for the Regular Army. Has to be signed by a recruiter. Then inform your NCO support channel that you would like to see the commander under the open door policy in reference to submitting the request for release to go Active Army. That will be your opportunity to explain your hardship so that you can try to get his or her endorsement and the release pushed up the chain of command to the approving authority. For most state ARNG's, that is the State Adjutant General.

Response by SPC Erich Guenther made Jan 31 at 2017 11:45 AM

SPC Erich Guenther — Tue, 31 Jan 2017 11:45:42 -0500

Agree with what others have said. Proper way to do this is ask your 1SG if it is OK with him that you talk to the CO Directly on this matter (he should say he doesn't care). Have to tell you though higher than the CO, they are going to back him on unit manning issues because he is rated on it. I think I would also ask what the units policy is on transfer to Active Duty. If they say x amount of years, they can do that and it is reasonable. If they say your entire 6 year enlistment..........you should take that all the way to the State AG because that is BS. When I was in the NG in 1980s they had a rule of waiting for you to be out of AIT for 2 years before you can submit a 368. I heard that rule is still around for some units.

Response by CSM Richard StCyr made Jan 31 at 2017 11:53 AM

CSM Richard StCyr — Tue, 31 Jan 2017 11:53:07 -0500

It's always ok to use the open door policy, especially if you have approached your NCO support channel already. You mention that you have lots of personal problems, my experience is that if you have problems now they will probably be exacerbated by active duty where your time and movement is more controlled.

Response by CW3 Kevin Storm made Jan 31 at 2017 12:14 PM

CW3 Kevin Storm — Tue, 31 Jan 2017 12:14:06 -0500

Do you have the time in for a conditional release, few commanders will hold you back if you have met the time requirement. Get the support of your Platoon Sergeant and Platoon leader they can give a good heads up to both the First Sergeant and Commander, and help get a feel for the response prior to going in there to plead your case.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 31 at 2017 5:40 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 31 Jan 2017 17:40:22 -0500

try using your commands carrier counsellor, its their job to get you into a position that would benefit the army ac/rc/ng, army needs come before unit needs, this might help, but don't back door your co ask for a visit discuss your issues and your plans, but understand what issues you have now may not be mitigated elsewhere, good luck

Response by MCPO Roger Collins made Jan 31 at 2017 6:32 PM

MCPO Roger Collins — Tue, 31 Jan 2017 18:32:36 -0500

If you do, be sure you have facts at hand supporting the reason for the visit. My advice is not to do it unless a last resort. There will be consequences, no different than in private industry.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 31 at 2017 9:10 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 31 Jan 2017 21:10:28 -0500

I would inform your chain, go to your line supervisor and inform them that you want to use the open door policy. You may need to disclose some information as to why just so the Commander knows what it is you want to discuss and can be prepared for the discussion.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 31 at 2017 11:58 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 31 Jan 2017 23:58:15 -0500

PFC Private RallyPoint Member when I was a Commander I had the open door policy and if a person does not feel conformable putting their business out to all the leaders in their chain of command or there was an issue with their chain of command they scheduled to see me or caught me in the hallway. There is an open door policy for a reason. Just explain to him/her why you are using it and not going through the chain or that you did use the chain of command and this is your last resort. Good luck.

Response by SSgt Christopher Brose made Feb 1 at 2017 3:57 AM

SSgt Christopher Brose — Wed, 01 Feb 2017 03:57:45 -0500

I don't have any comment on a Commander's open door policy, but I have some experience you may find interesting.

Like you, I was an Army PFC in the Reserves, and I wanted to go active duty. I had two problems -- or rather, the Army had two problems with me going active. First, they only wanted me to stay in the same MOS, they weren't about to re-train me. And second, they had manning issues. You see, you fill a billet. The Army has manning requirements both in the active component and the reserve components -- if you go active duty, it not only means you will fill a new billet in the active component, but you will also be vacating a billet in the reserve component, and that's something the Army wants to fill before they release anyone.

But what I found out is that the Navy couldn't care less about the Army's manning requirements. They're only worried about their own manning requirements. For me, it meant I could go straight from Army Reserves to active Navy. So my advice to you is that if you really want to go active duty, don't limit yourself to doing it only in the Army. Consider enlisting in the Navy or Marines (Air Force is persnickety about accepting other services' prior servicemen).

Now, it might be a difficult time to try and do this, as the military is at the tail end of the Obama draw-down. But still, it's worth talking to other service recruiters and explaining your situation and asking the questions.

One thing that will help you is to be very marketable to them. That means no legal trouble and high ASVAB scores. I don't know what your ASVAB scores are like, but it is possible to re-take the test. It is also possible to study for it. At any major bookstore, you should be able to find ASVAB study guides. I used a study guide by ARCO Publishing to study for CLEP tests and got 12 college credits that way, so it's a process I highly recommend. If you get your ASVAB scores high enough, services will be fighting each other for you.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 1 at 2017 6:09 AM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 01 Feb 2017 06:09:44 -0500

Your 1SG does not approve or disprove the use of your commander's open door policy. As a former Company Commander, however, I can tell you that my 1SG would often field some of the issues that came through the door before they got to me. If you have a solid command team, chances are your 1SG already knows your Commander's position on most things. If strength is a concern at your unit, the chances of a conditional release are probably pretty low. As others have said, your Company Commander is not the approval authority for a conditional release. He does make a recommendation though.

I went through a conditional release from the USAR to the ARNG when I was a PFC, so I have some level of understanding. You need to do some leg work before you bring this to your commander. In short, you need to bring your commander a plan for how it's going to happen. If you haven't even talked to an AC Recruiter you're wasting his time and are less likely to get a sympathetic ear the next go around. As far as personal problems go, I doubt going active duty is going to immediately solve them. There are still a lot of resources available to you now, whether the issues are financial, spiritual, emotional, etc. You could also pursue an ADOS, AGR, or Technician career if you want to work full time for the military.

Response by 1SG Bill Farmerie made Feb 5 at 2017 11:29 AM

1SG Bill Farmerie — Sun, 05 Feb 2017 11:29:48 -0500

When I was a recruiter, I tried to get some released from the Guard to go on active duty, but the units would not release them as they were concerned with their own manning numbers. But there is nothing wrong with using the Commander's Open Door policy.

Response by LCpl John Lewis made Feb 5 at 2017 1:35 PM

LCpl John Lewis — Sun, 05 Feb 2017 13:35:00 -0500

If you have lots of personal issues your platoon sgt is likely aware of them and is aware active duty is likely to make things worse and is trying to discourage you from that path if you use the open door policy make your sgt aware of that so he doesn't feel bypassed.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 1 at 2021 3:58 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 01 Aug 2021 15:58:27 -0400

Open and honest discussions with your chain of command should be out front to any member of your team. Team building starts at the foundation.