Posted on Jun 7, 2021
How often do Officers leave the military as O-2s?
Suspended Profile
45.4K
605
204
I'm looking down the barrel of another deployment (I'm looking forward to it). During my last IDT, the SXO approached me and asked if I was planning on staying in or leaving. I'm looking to move to Florida upon our return from this deployment and by the time we get backed I'll have 8 years in. Balancing life as an Officer in the Army (National Guard) and a Police Officer is quite the challenge. Add a family on the way and it's rather daunting. I could have promoted a couple years ago but found out that my current unit (in 2018) was possibly deploying to Afghanistan and I REALLY wanted to go as a PL (since my time as a PL was rather checkered). That mission got scrapped so I'm going where we are going now as the Troop XO. It dawned on me that a good part of me doesn't care about making Captain. My evals have always been good and I've always performed well at PT. But the way the SXO and a few other Officers talked about it made me wonder...is it considered bad if an Officer leaves the military as an O-2? I was curious what anyone here, Active, Guard, or Reserves thought.
Junior Officers
Promotions
Military Life
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 135
I was an O-2 when I left. For me, it became a financial choice. I have never regretted it. Staying or going? Many can share their stories, but what works for you personally and professionally is the driver. You aren’t walking away or letting anyone down, just balancing competing priorities. Good luck with your decision.
I left as an O-2, never regretted it. It is a personal choice. The rest of the world just doesn’t care.
Sir, that is alot of responsibility to work with. I wish you luck with good integration with your team. I know you guys deal with the protocal parameter policies, but my advice is make sure the orders give work for the troops to be able to course/recourse a situation, because the enemy will use the rules/law/parameters to make their traps to cause a gain or political scene. I reconmend that you have team discussion to ID faults in the orders, training, deployment. Situations do change, and Change is a Butchering of the Full Note to aid in calculated attacks, so sometimes, setting up traps works. Because my experience with LAW through informal events in my life, what I learned in jail is the criminal elements will scope and test and cause distractions, then test runs to review response.
As others have pointed out, in the Active army, for most officers just fulfilling your obligated service will get you to CPT. I don't have access to any numbers now, but I would suspect that quite a few officers leave the National Guard and Reserve as O-2 due to the lower number of promotion opportunities.
It doesn't sound like you are looking toward a military career. While you could hang on to your reserve commission, there doesn't seem to be any strong interest. Unless things have changed, there is only one Cav troop in the Florida National Guard so Armor officer positions are rather sparse.
I doubt that anyone would be especially concerned if you left the service as an O-2. At worst some civilian hiring manager might notice that most former officers left as O-3, but the simple explanation that the National Guard didn't have any open O-3 positions should suffice -- especially if your ratings are all good and you are doing well in your civilian career.
So I have to agree with the consensus -- do whatever seems best for yourself and your family.
It doesn't sound like you are looking toward a military career. While you could hang on to your reserve commission, there doesn't seem to be any strong interest. Unless things have changed, there is only one Cav troop in the Florida National Guard so Armor officer positions are rather sparse.
I doubt that anyone would be especially concerned if you left the service as an O-2. At worst some civilian hiring manager might notice that most former officers left as O-3, but the simple explanation that the National Guard didn't have any open O-3 positions should suffice -- especially if your ratings are all good and you are doing well in your civilian career.
So I have to agree with the consensus -- do whatever seems best for yourself and your family.
Except for Naval Academy graduates, most USMC Officers are commissioned in the USMC Reserve on Active Duty for a 3/4 year contract. At the end of 3/4 years you would have been promotes to 1st Lt after 18 months and Honorably Discharged. You can apply to remain a Reservist on Active Duty under a new contract and or apply to complete for a USMC Regular Commission as a career Marine. You can also apply for active reserve duty or IIR status.
Do what works for you and your family. Once your initial obligation is over, you are free to resign your commission any time.
I joined the Army National Guard and my original plan was to serve out my 8 year ROTC commitment and make the rank of Captain. I had a state job and wanted to focus on my civilian career. Fortunately, I had good senior mentors who encouraged me to stay in. I'm glad that I listened because I was able to retired as a LTC with 21 years of service. I just turned 60 and now I'm enjoying my military retirement pension and retired from the State. The thing I miss the most since retiring is not being able to wear the uniform and working with smart and outstanding NCOs and Officers. Good luck with your decision. Take care.
When I joined the Army National Guard, my goal was to make the rank of Captain within the 8 year ROTC Commitment and then get out. I had a State Job and wanted to focus on my civilian career.
Fortunately, I had good senior officer mentors who encouraged me to stay in. I'm glad I did stay in and rose to the rank of LTC and retired with 21 years of service. I turned 60 last year and now enjoying a nice military retirement pension. I highly encourage you to stay in. One of the things I miss the most after retirement is not having the opportunity to wear the uniform and work with soldiers. I've met some of the smart and outstanding NCOs and Officers that leads me to believe that our country's defense is in good hands. Good luck with your decision.
Fortunately, I had good senior officer mentors who encouraged me to stay in. I'm glad I did stay in and rose to the rank of LTC and retired with 21 years of service. I turned 60 last year and now enjoying a nice military retirement pension. I highly encourage you to stay in. One of the things I miss the most after retirement is not having the opportunity to wear the uniform and work with soldiers. I've met some of the smart and outstanding NCOs and Officers that leads me to believe that our country's defense is in good hands. Good luck with your decision.
After 24 years as an active duty Marine one thing is for sure….. once you leave they don’t know you from atom. They may like what you did while there but when your gone, your forgotten. I agree with a previous comment; F—-K ‘EM !
Read This Next
Continue with Facebook 
Continue with Google