My MOS (12R) is overstrengthed and the army is gonna give it the axe, who can help with advice?

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 02 Oct 2018 21:43:19 -0400

I'm not sure where to even start. I've been told I have 60 days to 9 months more or less to figure out what I'm gonna reclass to. A few MOS's interest me but I'm looking for a MOS that can be marketable to the civilian sector. This is my first duty station and I arrived in late June of 2018 so I'm very concerned with what will happen to my family while I attend AIT again. Also will I be treated as an MOS-T or an IET soldier as I'll be a PFC in November. I'll be grateful for any advice, direction, or answers. Thank you.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 2 at 2018 10:38 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 02 Oct 2018 22:38:19 -0400

You will have until your MOS is officially phased out or until you volunteer for a Reclass. You can't be reclassed until you've had a year on station, as per AR 614-200 and other policies. If you don't initiate a Reclass before the Army does then you will receive a DA directed Reclass.
When you receive your class seat you will attend in a TDY enroute status (unless you attend a PCS length school 23 weeks or longer). You are usually separated from initial entry recruits, although this varies from post to post. Typically the punishment for fraternizing with IET students is UCMJ or court martial, again depending on what AIT you attend and other factors. You will attend in a TDY enroute status, but usually you will attend the school and then return to your duty station to clear before PCS. High likelihood of going to Korea.
As for the MOS's, don't look for one that is "marketable on the outside". People are marketable, MOS's are not. Having watched thousands of Soldiers transition, 99% don't do what they did in the Army. Most of the ones who did a job that has a civilian equivalent never get the certifications to do it in the civian sector, or get burned out doing it.
Figure out where you want to be in the long term, then work backwards from that end goal. Figure out how much of that the Army can help accomplish and plan your exit strategy accordingly. People usually do the opposite and look for stepping stones. For instance, I'll go to 68C and become an LPN which opens the door to RN or PA. But realistically, they could finish the prerequisites for RN or PA Program, be accepted, and start school long before they would finish 68C AIT or work in the job long enough to move on.
Look at the end goal and work backwards. Feel free to contact me if you need help once you identify your goal.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 2 at 2018 10:40 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 02 Oct 2018 22:40:28 -0400

For starters, what ever MOS you end up going to, you will be considered a Prior Service Student at that AIT. Now for the other things. As for your family, this will (probably) depend on your orders. What ever orders your get, ensure you read them carefully and read every sentence to the period. They will spell out what will need to happen (what you can and can't take, etc.). As for an MOS with a marketable skill on the outside, I hear Sat Comms is pretty good. But, regardless, get with your Retention NCO/Career Counselor and carefully weigh your options and choices. Good luck.

Response by CW2 Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 3 at 2018 12:03 AM

CW2 Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 03 Oct 2018 00:03:01 -0400

Contact your local SORB office. ARSOF has some of the best conversion to civilian sector training! Goarmysof.com

Response by SSG Warren Swan made Oct 3 at 2018 12:31 AM

SSG Warren Swan — Wed, 03 Oct 2018 00:31:27 -0400

Follow the guidance given below. When looking into other MOS's;
1. What interests you? You have to know that before anything else
2. What are your short term and long term goals? Some MOS promote faster than others, and some will send you to additional training required to support the MOS. Most of those will be technical based
3. When it comes to the family, you have to take care of yourself first. You should be worried about them, but in the end, if you're not focused on 100% of what you have to do to succeed, you'll fail on two counts. Job and family. Take care of the first, and quite a few arguments won't be held by the second.

If it were me as a PVT again, looking at things as you are;
1. MI, SIG, Cyber (SIG but different CMF), MP, and Medical. My actual choices at the time were in this order Infantry, Medical, and MP. (I got MP 31B now 95B then), and reclassed to SIG (25B) later on. Cyber is the way to go now IMO (17C)
2. Clean up any messes on your credit report. MI and SIG MOS's can require a clearance and a poly. Make the investigation as easy as you can by not having anything negative they will ask you about. Usually credit scores and crap done before service (or while in) come back to bite. Don't let that be you.

Response by SGT Michael Thorin made Oct 3 at 2018 12:47 AM

SGT Michael Thorin — Wed, 03 Oct 2018 00:47:58 -0400

Don’t forget about MOS’s such as rotary winged crew chief or simply aviation mechanics. Those are MOS’s which can also get you a nice DOD Cinilian job or a GS job.

These also provide for easy jobs at civilian airports and companies like Boeing, where the security clearance you bring from the military will make you very marketable for employment.

Response by SSG Mark Franzen made Oct 3 at 2018 1:10 AM

SSG Mark Franzen — Wed, 03 Oct 2018 01:10:58 -0400

look into another shortage MOS That you can Maybe OJT INTO I did that back in 1976 went from 13B20 to 63B20 real good choice.
SSG MARK FRANZEN
USA VET

Response by SGM Bill Frazer made Oct 6 at 2018 8:54 AM

SGM Bill Frazer — Sat, 06 Oct 2018 08:54:27 -0400

. It is nice to think ahead, tho thinking outside the service really gripes me- to me it was about the service not marketability. 2, What did you do with your family when you enlisted?. Whether they go with you to AIT or not depends on the length of your new AIT. 3. WHo care how they treat you- mostly that will depend on you. Bottom line you swore an oath and gave yourself to the service- worry less about perks, etc. and serve- it will work better in the end.

Response by MAJ Rene De La Rosa made Oct 6 at 2018 8:43 PM

MAJ Rene De La Rosa — Sat, 06 Oct 2018 20:43:14 -0400

Prime power generator is the way of the future. What is your GT score? Has to be >110 for this MOS. Year long AIT and you may want to leave your family behind. This is a math heavy course, and you will have recruiters handing out their business cards to you at the gate. Good luck with your choice.