Possibility of transferring service?

2020-08-21T12:43:32-04:00

I apologize in advance for the long and loaded question.
I’m stuck in a pretty unique circumstance here. I’m enlisted and have just over 1.5 years left. But before I was in and still am in business with my father. He took over my grandfathers construction company and now I’m an owner with him. (I’m obviously
Not working with him or taking a paycheck at the moment)
Being in the army has always been a goal of mine so after close to a decade of working I figured I’m running out of time and I didn’t want to regret not being a soldier. So I enlisted fully intending to come back to work after my contract (as I am part owner at this point.)

Lately my grandpas health has declined to where he isn’t hardly working. And my dad can only work in the office due to some neck surgeries and with COVID our business is struggle hard. So I was just interested in knowing if there is anyway possible to transfer to reserves or the guard early so I can go back home to help our business. I don’t want to leave the service as it’s always been my dream but I also don’t wanna watch as our families business degrades and we potentially go under and have to fire our employees, due to my absence.
I had an nco I’m close to being up hardship discharge but it sounded like that is mostly for care of a sick or dying family member? And I don’t know that I necessarily want to try and leave service before my time is up as I did sign a contract and I don’t think it would sit right with me trying to get out of that responsibility early.
Any advice is useful, I’m just in a stressed out place right now and I’m interest in help in any form.

Response by CSM Darieus ZaGara made Aug 21 at 2020 1:01 PM

2020-08-21T13:01:48-04:00

You cannot ETS early, without some sort of hardship. If you get out on hardship you will face challenges with the Reserves and Guard, as you are required to make drills and expected to deploy when called upon. You need to speak to your Family, discuss with in Service Recruiters as well as that of the Guard and Reserve to determine your best strategy.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 21 at 2020 1:22 PM

2020-08-21T13:22:51-04:00

I don't know if it's still an option, but there used to be a program where you could take an early out in exchange for service in the guard and reserves. I got off AD in the USAF 10 months prior to my ETS date and in return agreed to serve at least 20 months in the guard/reserves. but that was 20 years ago. Unless something like that still exists, you are pretty much stuck. The only way out is via some kind of hardship discharge which would screw you with regards to guard and reserves. Hardship discharges are notoriously difficult to come by in any event. Best bet is to try to find a trusted friend or other family matter to assist your father until your time is up. The only other option, if you qualify, is to be accepted into a commissioning program. If you meet the educational requirements for commissioning you could apply to be an officer in the guard/reserves and if accepted they would release you from active duty.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 21 at 2020 7:35 PM

2020-08-21T19:35:52-04:00

No, the only time you transfer to the reserves is when you get out of the Active Duty Army. You can join the Reserves or NG when it is your time to transition.

Your hardship discharge can be for whatever is causing hardship. It’s approved by your brigade commander, so you’d have to show your BDE CDR how this is causing hardship and how the only way to fix this is by you being home. I would caution you to make sure you complete at least three years of active duty prior to your separation date. If you do less it will affect your future GI Bill entitlement amount.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 21 at 2020 7:47 PM

2020-08-21T19:47:27-04:00

Quite frankly, what you are going to find out is nobody gives a hoot about your family business. You signed the dotted line incurring a service obligation. Im sorry about what you may have going on in your personal life, but where you stand now, you just gotta hope and pray that the business survives.