Posted on Mar 17, 2020
How can someone PCS before their DEROS? Does having completed your key leader time help?
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I am currently stationed in Hawaii at Schofield Barracks. As beautiful as it is, we have a little island fever and want to be able to leave early.
Some pertinent background information: I arrived on island March 15, 2018. I was in G3 as an Operations Assistant/Battle NCO and finally was able to finagle my way out of there so I could get my key leadership time. I was able to get to 3-4 CAV in April 2019.
I just hit my year from DEROS on the 14th so I called my branch manager. He was pretty helpful but I don’t think he understood my situation and kind of confused me a bit before hanging up.
He basically said “sorry we can’t send you anywhere before your DEROS unless we can say that you can complete you key leader time”. It made sense when he said it, but then I realized that I wouldn’t even have the proper rated time as I’d be one month away even at the time of my DEROS. I tried to bring this up but got cut off on possible reassignments for broadening. Can anyone explain this a little better on the details of this? If I can be guaranteed to get my key leadership time either way: PCS or not, then what is the difference? Just that I’ll be closer to completion?
Side note question: He also stated that “because you’re light Cav” I would be sent to a light unit. I’ve spent almost my whole career (over 5 years, one kind of wasted year spent in division) in heavy and only just got to a light unit. Am I locked into light forever now? I’ve only spent a year in the light world. It’s not a huge deal, but it be kind of a waste in knowledge and all around expertise in a hunter killer squadron for me to stay light I feel like. I feel I could do more currently with my given knowledge levels in both worlds on the heavy side.
Some pertinent background information: I arrived on island March 15, 2018. I was in G3 as an Operations Assistant/Battle NCO and finally was able to finagle my way out of there so I could get my key leadership time. I was able to get to 3-4 CAV in April 2019.
I just hit my year from DEROS on the 14th so I called my branch manager. He was pretty helpful but I don’t think he understood my situation and kind of confused me a bit before hanging up.
He basically said “sorry we can’t send you anywhere before your DEROS unless we can say that you can complete you key leader time”. It made sense when he said it, but then I realized that I wouldn’t even have the proper rated time as I’d be one month away even at the time of my DEROS. I tried to bring this up but got cut off on possible reassignments for broadening. Can anyone explain this a little better on the details of this? If I can be guaranteed to get my key leadership time either way: PCS or not, then what is the difference? Just that I’ll be closer to completion?
Side note question: He also stated that “because you’re light Cav” I would be sent to a light unit. I’ve spent almost my whole career (over 5 years, one kind of wasted year spent in division) in heavy and only just got to a light unit. Am I locked into light forever now? I’ve only spent a year in the light world. It’s not a huge deal, but it be kind of a waste in knowledge and all around expertise in a hunter killer squadron for me to stay light I feel like. I feel I could do more currently with my given knowledge levels in both worlds on the heavy side.
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Responses: 5
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You can't leave before your DEROS. That's a DOD requirement for lengths of OCONUS tours. Your branch would have to request an exception to give you a curtailment to your tour. Common reasons for curtailment are demand for filling a broadening assignment, KD complete and need a broadening assignment, or even MACP. Wanting to leave is not a valid reason for reassignment, any more than not wanting to go to Korea is a valid reason not to go.
As for where you go next, that will be dependent upon what is open, what needs to be filled, and the enlisted manning cycle guidance in place when the EMC meets in June/July time frame. The most likely outcome is you will be selected for a broadening assignment. Being one month shy of KD complete time is not a big deal.
As for where you go next, that will be dependent upon what is open, what needs to be filled, and the enlisted manning cycle guidance in place when the EMC meets in June/July time frame. The most likely outcome is you will be selected for a broadening assignment. Being one month shy of KD complete time is not a big deal.
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So if you are having island fever, really you are doing something wrong. There is so much to do on Oahu alone not to mention the other islands. There has to be a sport, hobby, or other for you to do. Hit me up with questions, maybe I can help the island fever.
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SPC Kathy Crouch
I loved Hawaii. I think my husband being so close to his family and the workload he had there affected him some. But I sat on the plane crying when we left. He retired to Texas in a rural area of east Texas and I had genuine culture shock.
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MAJ Byron Oyler
SPC Kathy Crouch - I was overseas from NOV 2003-July 2010 and then 2013-2014 and people came and visited me. My Mother did Germany, Hawaii three times, and Korea and for a girl that grew up in poverty, did pretty well. It is all about making your assignment work for you.
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SPC Kathy Crouch
Oh we had fun in Germany even with both of us in. We had close friends and we'd host Christmas and Thanksgiving gatherings. Our German friends would join us. I think the fact that we never lived on post in the entire 20 years my husband was in the army helped a lot. We made friends with the people on the local economy. My mother and my mother-in-law came to visit in Germany. My mother-in-law came to visit in Hawaii.
I served 3 years during his twenty years, he talked me into joining-that's a whole 'nother story (lol) and I served and got out. But we made friends in all our places of duty and interacted with them.
I served 3 years during his twenty years, he talked me into joining-that's a whole 'nother story (lol) and I served and got out. But we made friends in all our places of duty and interacted with them.
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Talk to the SORB on Schofield, drop packet, get Selected for CA/PO/SF, PCS to Bragg. Pretty quick process.
I did 3 years light cav, 2 stryker, 3 more light, then they sent me heavy...to which I said screw heavy and dropped a CA packet. Armor branch loves screwing with people and throwing away knowledge. Lets take a tanker of 18 years and put him in charge of a light Scout Squadron!!! Now that's leadership!
I did 3 years light cav, 2 stryker, 3 more light, then they sent me heavy...to which I said screw heavy and dropped a CA packet. Armor branch loves screwing with people and throwing away knowledge. Lets take a tanker of 18 years and put him in charge of a light Scout Squadron!!! Now that's leadership!
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SFC (Join to see)
"Army Talent Management"
With any luck the AIM 2.0, and ASKEM procedures will go towards rectifying that.
With any luck the AIM 2.0, and ASKEM procedures will go towards rectifying that.
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CW2 (Join to see)
SFC (Join to see) as long as we have combined MOS' instead of divided ones there will be mixing and confused soldiers. Bring back the 11M, 11H, and 11D is the only way.
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