Posted on Aug 13, 2020
What academic degrees qualify you for Direct Commission in the Army?
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Responses: 5
Any degree can open direct commission, but the Army mostly no longer accepts direct commissions except from Medical, Legal, Chaplain, and Cyber. Even then they prefer other commissioning routes.
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I believe the only active duty path for Direct Commission is Legal, Medical or Chaplain. Oh, CYBER!!!! had a path recently.
USAR is different, but I recommend OCS unless it is age that is blocking you out, because you can Direct Commission up to age 42.
I personally Direct Commissioned into Quartermaster in the USAR from being an Intel Analyst (35F). So it is my understanding one can Direct into ANY BRANCH in the USAR, and ideally the candidate presents a good resume to justify said branch they choose. Ergo, ANY degree will do so long as you are going after the same relative branch skill set.
But there has to be the OPENINGS!!!
I originally tired to direct commission into Military Intel from a 35F SPC. No dice. I tired again as a SGT with a deployment behind me, and an MBA and 20 years in commerce, but I went after QM and LG (I should have just done QM the first time).
Look at the vacancies in HRC and specifically for CPT's and below (there are only a few LT openings, like they rarely post E1 vacancies, and most are SPC for entry level, and same goes for Officers) Don't worry about not seeing any 2LT openings. Look for CPT's.
Also keep in mind, the vacancies are FIRST going to ROTC contracts, and those coming off Active Duty. In the process of the Direct Commission Packet you have to provide a vacancy memo from the receiving unit commander that there is a primary vacancy open.
THAT VACANCY HAS TO STILL BE OPEN WHEN YOU ARE SELECTED, which is nearly a year later. You AGAIN get a vacancy memo at the end of the selection process from the receiving commander before your commission is confirmed.
I went the Direct path because of my age (you can Direct commission all the way up to 42). I recommend OCS if you are reserve. Mainly because you lock in your billet at the BEGINNING of the packet process. I also would have benefited from OCS training before I was thrown to the wolves.
USAR is different, but I recommend OCS unless it is age that is blocking you out, because you can Direct Commission up to age 42.
I personally Direct Commissioned into Quartermaster in the USAR from being an Intel Analyst (35F). So it is my understanding one can Direct into ANY BRANCH in the USAR, and ideally the candidate presents a good resume to justify said branch they choose. Ergo, ANY degree will do so long as you are going after the same relative branch skill set.
But there has to be the OPENINGS!!!
I originally tired to direct commission into Military Intel from a 35F SPC. No dice. I tired again as a SGT with a deployment behind me, and an MBA and 20 years in commerce, but I went after QM and LG (I should have just done QM the first time).
Look at the vacancies in HRC and specifically for CPT's and below (there are only a few LT openings, like they rarely post E1 vacancies, and most are SPC for entry level, and same goes for Officers) Don't worry about not seeing any 2LT openings. Look for CPT's.
Also keep in mind, the vacancies are FIRST going to ROTC contracts, and those coming off Active Duty. In the process of the Direct Commission Packet you have to provide a vacancy memo from the receiving unit commander that there is a primary vacancy open.
THAT VACANCY HAS TO STILL BE OPEN WHEN YOU ARE SELECTED, which is nearly a year later. You AGAIN get a vacancy memo at the end of the selection process from the receiving commander before your commission is confirmed.
I went the Direct path because of my age (you can Direct commission all the way up to 42). I recommend OCS if you are reserve. Mainly because you lock in your billet at the BEGINNING of the packet process. I also would have benefited from OCS training before I was thrown to the wolves.
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LTC Daren Walker
USAR is no longer doing direct commissions for basic branches. That ended a few years back
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CPT (Join to see)
LTC Daren Walker - I"m probably among the last ones then. I look back on it, and realize I'd would have been out by now otherwise.
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Generally professional medical credentialed type, attorneys, and religious chaplain type degrees. A few others based on needs of the service but can vary with recruiting needs during upsizing and downsizing of those jobs.
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