How do you transfer from the reserves to active duty as an officer?

I discussed this with a recruiter just the other day as I'm in the process of commissioning via direct commission and looking to go active duty. I was flat out told that it's better to go through the active OCS than commission in the reserves and cross over. I was told by the recruiter that active duty doesn't consider a reserve commission to be the same standard as an active duty one. Nevertheless, I was told that crossing over to active duty one commissioned is extremely difficult right now. I honestly don't buy that for a second, but that's what I was told.

So I have been doing some research and talking to people. In my case getting the DA-368 is easy because my unit is changing their manning requirements so my commander is open to letting people find new homes. I have also been kind of getting the run around here in the fact that I have talked to both the career councilors who tell me I have to complete this task with the normal AD recruiters but when I talk to them so far none of the ones I have talked to have heard of doing this so they are clueless. But I am still trying

As for the AGR I am familiar with the program and have been looking into it but I am more keen on going AD in my mind there are more benefits to AD, and in that I am referring the travel and working with other people and units.

This may not be what you want to hear but the Navy is taking branch transfers as long as you have a transferable MOS. The process would be to get get released from the Reserves, go into the Navy Reserve and complete the call to Active Duty application. I know this because I sometimes feel I'm a better active officer than a Guard one so I have kicked the idea around several times and have even spoken to a recruiter. It's sad but the Army doesn't seem to be taking many folks unless you're in a field like Cyber Security. If a branch transfer is not what you want I have a feeling the OPS tempo is going to pick back up soon if ISIS keeps acting up. The Army may find itself needing people for the Active force.

Some caveats:
- AGR doesn't always keep you home. If you're in the NG, more likely, but USAR AGR officers move typically every 2-3 years due to limited opportunities at each location. This is very different from AC officers, who can have multiple, career-appropriate jobs by rotating through the same large base (Bragg, Bliss, Hood, Carson, etc.). While NG keeps you in one spot, the promotion opportunities become very limited because people don't rotate.

- Tour of Duty ... excellent. More excellent if you have reason to be in a job that requires you to have a TS clearance (which you typically have to have before applying for a TOD job that requires one) .... so

- Finding a new unit. Hit up DA Pam 600-3. Find your career field, and even though it may say Active Duty all over it ... follow that career field. Do the jobs that your AC peers are doing. It provides proper career development & broadening opportunities -- and when I'm looking at people who've applied for TOD positions, I care. If you're a one-hit wonder who has only done the same thing or been in the same kinds of units, I'm going to move to the next person. When you get to the point where you're only really an S6 -- branch out into different units. Have you been in a log unit? an MI unit (where you're likely to need a TS)? a training unit?

Food for thought.

I have thought about this myself, personally I have resigned to just find a job within the government sector and continue my reserve service, at least that way I get two retirements. I would look into AGR though, as many have already stated.

I asked this same question when I was down at Ft. Benning last year after graduating from Basic (Early March) & sat at OCS 311th HHC for nearly 8 months before classing up.

This is all great advice you've received but one thing that many people have not touched upon is this: Your unit / and or state has spent a lot of $$$ to send you to OCS + BOLC + leadership schools ect & therefore you will need to build a very convincing case for why you are requesting a "Conditional Release" from the reserve component.
**I realize that this doesn't apply to you but otherwise who are looking at this should know (that's for either enlisted or Officer)

As it has been said before...look at AGR! If I could do anything it would be AGR, you've got all the benefits of AD but your essentially at home. In my state (NH) AGR slots for LT's (O1 or O2) are hard to come by but they aren't impossible to get.

Otherwise you can talk to the AD recruiter & ask about the "business rules" for going AD & if there is any need in the AD component for you to fit in. Just keep in mind that you will need to be highly motivated to go AD through a recruiter as they will not receive any credit towards bonuses or points for getting you through....at least that is what I've always been told.

In my personal experience with the Army; if you want something bad enough & show the right person your mettle then you'll get it.

"Right place, right time, right attitude"

Good luck!

I would assume that it would be a conditional release as well. Talk to the local recruiters and if it's a conditional release, then they do a 368 for you. You bring that to your UA (S1 that would do your transfer paperwork). They start the process. You would need a 4856 from the Commander, 4856 from Retention, sexual assault memo (goes with every packet), and you type a letter stating why you want to go active. I believe that is it. It get submitted through HRPAS. Once it is approved, you take the 368 back to the recruiter and sign your new contract. A copy of the contract goes to the person that did your packet (UA or S1) so they can upload it into HRPAS. Then you wait in orders to be released from the unit.

The problem that I am encountering is the available slots AD side versus my current position. I have a buddy who is a recruiter and he told me that there are 25L20 slots open, but they are Airborne slots! As a member of the Training world, there is no need for Airborne. AGR or MilTech is my best bet right now unless I transfer to another unit.

Be sure to check out EVERYTHING before making any decisions, sir. Also, do not allow anyone to feed you lies. Recruiters will lie to get you to do what they want you to do, and so will Retention.

Every year a CAD (Call to Active Duty) MILPER (ALARACT?) is released. It has the requirements that the RA is looking for with the steps to being let go of your USAR commitment. It's difficult in the best of circumstances, and these aren't the best of circumstances.

Look for that. Hope for the best, but plan for the worst. Good luck!

I've seen several MILPER messages about this in the last few years. Check those out at HRC self service portal. It's called something like, Call to Active Duty, then it will say who is eligible. Good luck.