If I resign my commission can I get it back again?

It's technically possible, but not probable. I would never recommend going that route if your long-term goal is to become an officer again.

Asked another way....what are the odds of a 40+ soldier getting a direct commission or earning an OCS slot after having already given up their commission? My spider senses are telling me "Not good".

I worked in HRC-STL (when the Reserve PERSCOM was in St Louis) over a decade ago so my working knowledge is from then, so take what I say with a grain of salt. Having said that, laws and regulations regarding commissioning don't change that much overall, so I'm betting things are fairly similar.

First, I'm guessing the clearance backlog is causing the delay in obtaining one. The OPM breach a few years back contributed to this and I had the same problem as a former civilian contractor trying to get hired after it had expired after only 2 years.

Second, I would say that the ability to get your commission reinstated is *possible*. I was a career manager in the late 90s and early 00s when the active and reserve component were hemorrhaging captains and the (then) DA Secretariat (in our building) was considering both active and reserve duty commissions from former officers. I don't have any stats on success rates but I'm fairly sure a few guys I sent over there got back in.

Third, I'd be cautious about going this route. Vacating a commission (or, in this case, enlisting) puts your officer fate in someone else's hands and, as always, any reinstatement is subject to the needs of the service. Furthermore, my memory fails me as to whether REFRAD (release from active duty, ie going to the Army Reserve (AR)--RA officers sometimes confuse this with complete separation) versus actually resigning (getting completely out of the Army, separating) versus being passed over twice in the Army Reserve had any bearing on the chance of being reinstated. My hunch tells me that is the order of most likely being accepted back with a commission.

Fourth, sometimes after 9/11 the Army Reserve changed up it's transfer procedures to the Army Reserve component for active component officers and started to (finally) actively manage the IRR. Not having all your info or read all the responses and not being familiar with those "new" changes, I'm curious whether you are sure you are completely out. Prior to circa 2003, we had plenty of IRR officers who thought they had been separated because they thought they had resigned (when they only REFRAD'd) or for a 2x pass over (active component officers have another 2 attempts in the AR). They found out they were in the system typically when they were mobilized for OIF/OEF.

Bottom line last. Proceed with caution. Army recruiters are typically not well informed enough about officer commissions-- nor are their commanders-- to answer pointed questions or give full answers. I would recommend contacting your would-be career manager at HRC at Knox and (hopefully) they will be well versed enough to give you a definitive answer. Even then, request they cite you chapter and verse.

If the security clearance is holding you up, why not try to get it done faster? I know that most of it is out of your control, but if it is on somebody's desk, find out who that is and call regularly about it. If that doesn't work, get a Congressman involved. I used sailor's Congressman a lot, and they were surprisingly helpful. They can get a lot of logjams undone with a phone call. Suggest you write a letter as I got a better response. To me, it seems unlikely the route you described above. Best of luck.