Is it possible to utilize the green to gold program to earn a commission as a national guard officer?

2019-03-28T15:44:06-04:00

So I've been in the army for about a year now and my unit is expected to deploy in a few months, so I'm trying to get my ducks in a row for when I return from deployment. I've decided at this point my long term goal is to become a signal officer in the national guard, however there are still things I'd like to accomplish on the active side. (Such as deployment and AA school) But basically my question is what should I do currently and while on deployment to help my chances of being accepted to the green to gold program? Should I take college classes online and earn an associate's degree and apply for the two year program or should I just wait till I get back and try to apply for the 3 or 4 year scholarships. Also what is the process for getting started with the green to gold program and is it possible to commission in the guard?

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 28 at 2019 5:04 PM

2019-03-28T17:04:11-04:00

To answer one question, yes, you can commission in the guard. You can do ROTC in college or you can get your degree and go to OCS. You'll have to check the requirements for OCS, but I think you can start that before you graduate with your Bachelor's. However, I think you have to have your degree in hand before getting commissioned as a 2LT. If you take some online classes, make sure the college you are wanting to attend will accept those credits towards your degree. You can also get some credits for your Army training. The more technical training, like Signal or MI, will get more credit.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 28 at 2019 6:23 PM

2019-03-28T18:23:31-04:00

You can definitely Commission in the guard oh, and there are several commissioning routes you could pursue in the guard. You can join the guard and do green to gold, or go to school and commission through OCS when you finish.
If you wanted to serve in the guard while going to school and then Commission on active duty, you can apply for green to gold non-scholarship option. That will give you the ability to join the simultaneous membership program with your National Guard unit.

Response by LTC Eugene Chu made Mar 28 at 2019 8:52 PM

2019-03-28T20:52:39-04:00

Talk to recruiting officer at desired college with ROTC program. He/she may have answers about ARNG commissioning. It is normally fine after ETS, but getting early out with Green-to-Gold may not be likely

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 28 at 2019 11:07 PM

2019-03-28T23:07:36-04:00

I am currently working toward commissioning in the Guard myself. Reach out to your state officer recruiting office to get the packet of information. This packet will lay out all the work you need to be doing. I am working towards the state OCS process, so at the end of this coming summer I will have the required 90 credits to apply to the program and hopefully get selected to attend. Some things to think about: You will need to have at least 90 college credits to apply to OCS. You will be stacked against others applying, so make sure you are a PT stud and that your GPA is above all. You will have a deployment under your belt, so that will only help you along the way. Not that SSD1 will help you commission, but it should be done. It is critically important that you conduct your self, now, in a manner that would suggest good leadership. Be the guy your PG goes to to get stuff done, be that guy in the platoon that knows all the systems and goes to all the classes you can get. You military knowledge will help a lot. Best of luck PVT and be safe!

Response by 1LT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 29 at 2019 8:06 AM

2019-03-29T08:06:24-04:00

I'm currently wrapping up the commissioning process myself so I can speak with confidence on this. If you want to commission into the guard you have 3 options. In terms of desirability I rate them: 1) ROTC Guaranteed Reserve Forces Duty (GRFD) contract, 2) OCS, 3) Green to Gold non-scholarship option.
It all really comes down to how long your contract is and how highly you value leaving active duty early. True, green to gold might get you out of your active duty commitment a year or two early but there are a few things you should consider. You need 60 credits hours minimum to even apply for that program, you are in a high optempo unit that may limit your potential to take classes, your AIT is worth no more than probably 15 experience credits, if you some how manage to earn more than 72 credit hours you will be forced to pay out of pocket for extra classes, leaving active duty early may affect your GI Bill eligibility, leaving early will almost definitely prevent you from earning prior enlisted pay, and most importantly you will be COMPLETELY INELIGIBLE for any ROTC scholarships or incentive bonuses. The amount of money you will leave on the table if you go green to gold will be staggering.
Message me and I'd be happy to walk you through the ins and outs of each program and what you can do to best prepare for each route.