Should I chapter or just accept a new mos I don't want after failing Army AIT? How do I have to stay out 6 months if I chapter out?

PFC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 20 Feb 2020 22:48:23 -0500

I failed a difficult MOS (68K) (new curriculum only 11 soldier passed) and I am now reclassing to 74D (CBRN). I don't want this MOS because I wanted 25B. Should I just bite the bullet and accept this new MOS or should I chapter out? I don't want to go 6 months without income though and be a burden on my family. I presume I could always reclass again in a year?

Response by SFC Martin Rickert made Feb 20 at 2020 10:50 PM

SFC Martin Rickert — Thu, 20 Feb 2020 22:50:15 -0500

74D is a great MOS. I taught at the schoolhouse so I am a little bias. Great promotion potential just keep your nose clean.

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 20 at 2020 11:16 PM

Sgt Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 20 Feb 2020 23:16:00 -0500

If you could not pass the 68K MOS, who says that you would pass 25B? Accept this MOS and excel at it. As others have mentioned, there is no guarantee that a waiver would be approved or how long it would take if it is approved.

Response by SPC Devin Young made Feb 21 at 2020 12:21 AM

SPC Devin Young — Fri, 21 Feb 2020 00:21:31 -0500

Bro these dudes are giving your HORRIBLE advice. Get what you WANT out of the army cause they are daym sure going to get what they want out of you.

One dude basically called you an idiot saying you won’t be smart enough to pass the IT training you want. Well if you’re into computers do that shyt bro don’t let anyone stop you from getting what you want.

If you can handle waiting 6 months then wait it out bro. If you need the income take the chem job and pray you’ll be able to reclass in 3-4 years when that window open up. So what it really boils down to is can you wait and can you deal with being stuck in a crappy MOS until your contract is up.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 21 at 2020 12:43 AM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 21 Feb 2020 00:43:27 -0500

You will not be guaranteed to be able to get any waiver necessary to reenter the Army in 6 months. All you have to do is use the search function and see how well it didn't work out for others who believed all they had to so was take the chapter and they would be given a waiver in 6 months.
Stay in; become a Chem Dawg (74D), try to get additional training while at Leonard Wood (Recon, etc).
You may be able to reclass upon reenlistment, not within a year.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 21 at 2020 5:01 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 21 Feb 2020 05:01:59 -0500

It could certainly be longer than six months out. Prior service serves at the needs of the Army. The Army is a career, and you don't always get the entry level job you want, but you almost always retire somewhere you never imagined.

So, if you want this to be a career, then stick with it. Otherwise, find a career that will give you an annuity at 40%+ of your base pay for the rest of your life after the first 20 years, plus matching 401k, cheap Healthcare for life and 30 days of paid vacation every year and a housing allowance based on your location while you're working.

But hey, if you want to work at Safeway or spend 30 years paying off student loan debt because learning about how organophosphate poisoning overstimulates the parasympathetic nervous system and how acetylcholinesterase counteracts that - I understand. Who really likes applicable science anyway when you have a promising career doing.... That thing you were doing before the Army.

It's a job and a career. You do it because it feeds and takes care of your family. There are plenty of routes for progession and advancement.

Response by SFC Clinton D. Washington made Feb 21 at 2020 9:51 AM

SFC Clinton D. Washington — Fri, 21 Feb 2020 09:51:39 -0500

Do whatever it take to keep your family secure in every endeavor.

Response by CSM Richard StCyr made Feb 21 at 2020 11:50 AM

CSM Richard StCyr — Fri, 21 Feb 2020 11:50:34 -0500

Take the 74D, it is a marketable job skill producing MOS after you get out of the service.

Response by SGM Bill Frazer made Feb 21 at 2020 12:50 PM

SGM Bill Frazer — Fri, 21 Feb 2020 12:50:40 -0500

Look Corey, it doesn't matter how hard the course is, other folks passed it, you didn't. Regulations state that any AIT failures will be sent to a new MOS for the "good of the service" not what you want, but what is needed. If you decide to forgo the Army's choice, then they can chapter you out as a failure to train. That means to TRY to re-enter any service you will have to ask for/get a wavier- that takes time and is NOT guaranteed to happen.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 21 at 2020 1:00 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 21 Feb 2020 13:00:47 -0500

Do what is best for your family and your future I was a 92F and wanted to reclass to 31B, HRC had other plans, they offered me 14P, I took it and ran with it, I graduate in three weeks and follow on to Ft Campbell... best of luck on your future endeavors. Btw if you pick 74D the promotion point are really low, and you can always put in for a reclass once your 15 month window opens.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Feb 21 at 2020 3:53 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Fri, 21 Feb 2020 15:53:52 -0500

Plan for the long-term. Short-term goals should support your long-term goals.

Response by PFC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 21 at 2020 4:22 PM

PFC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 21 Feb 2020 16:22:12 -0500

Best comment so far award goes to SPC Young!

Response by 1SG Michael Farrell made Feb 21 at 2020 4:31 PM

1SG Michael Farrell — Fri, 21 Feb 2020 16:31:26 -0500

What do you want, Young Soldier? That's a very small career field and as a guy who was a Chemical Corps soldier for over 20 years, I knew a lot folks who came into the operational side from the research side, and some were great and some were just resentful. You're already resentful, so not sure what moving you into another MOS does besides burden trainers and leaders with someone who doesn't want to be there. That doesn't work well for anybody.

Assuming you want to be a Soldier, the odds are small of you being able to enlist for a seat in that MOS., because it is such a small career field. So, if you want to be a soldier, take the reclassification and excel at it. If you just want a job working in a lab, take the chapter and go do something else.

Response by Lt Col Jim Coe made Feb 21 at 2020 4:35 PM

Lt Col Jim Coe — Fri, 21 Feb 2020 16:35:39 -0500

Suck it up and be glad the Army is willing to keep you. Go to the next school intent on not only passing the course but ready to max out on every test. Put in the time to learn all you can as well as you can. Serve out your contract and if you hate the job, then either get out or try to leverage re-enlistment into a new MOS.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 22 at 2020 8:10 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 22 Feb 2020 08:10:56 -0500

my advice is to give CBRN a chance, after 2 years drop a packet to change your MOS you might end up liking it

Response by MAJ Lee Goehl made Apr 22 at 2020 2:04 AM

MAJ Lee Goehl — Wed, 22 Apr 2020 02:04:30 -0400

I think you answered your own question.Good luck.

Response by CPL Sarah Stilwell made Apr 22 at 2020 2:42 AM

CPL Sarah Stilwell — Wed, 22 Apr 2020 02:42:06 -0400

If you want to end your career with the armed forces then chapter out. It may be very difficult to reenlist if you failed training once before. And the military does not have to take you back. They will assure you that you can just 'come back later' but this is rarely the case if you have not completed your initial term of service. If you want to have a military career, switch mos.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made May 1 at 2020 12:38 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 01 May 2020 00:38:08 -0400

What are they going to give you for a new MOS? You can always ask.

Response by SGT Alan Dike made May 8 at 2020 8:40 AM

SGT Alan Dike — Fri, 08 May 2020 08:40:21 -0400

Your next opportunity to reclass is when you re-enlist... not in 1 year.

Response by SSG Dave Johnston made May 11 at 2020 8:52 PM

SSG Dave Johnston — Mon, 11 May 2020 20:52:13 -0400

Take the reclass, study up, than fill out a DA4187, requesting the 68K MOS; or any other "Lab" tech MOS that's available.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 15 at 2020 6:41 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 15 May 2020 18:41:19 -0400

Wasn't there a part in your contract that you signed and committed to about being assigned according to the needs of the Army? If so,
Q: Other than personal preference, why would you not value your commitment?
Q: Is your word worth anything to you?
Q: What does the "H" stand for in LDRSHP?
Since the Army lived up to its part of the contract in giving you a chance at the MOS for which you signed up, why would you not live up to fulfill your part of the obligation?

Response by SFC Kenneth Hunnell made May 24 at 2021 3:24 AM

SFC Kenneth Hunnell — Mon, 24 May 2021 03:24:18 -0400

What effort did you put into passing your initial AIT? If you didn't, you need to either accept what you can get or simply get out and stay out. I'm sure they gave you additional training to help you overcome your short comings.