Posted on Jul 25, 2015
What are officers who resign their commissions and then enlist called?
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I have known several enlisted people who were once officers, but resigned their commissions and then enlisted. When enlisted go officer they are called mustangs, but is there a term for people who take other path? (Not looking for derogatory names.)
Officers
Enlisted
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 41
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I've never heard a name for it, but I've known a couple that enlisted later in life so they could get an officer retirement.
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MSgt Marvin Kinderknecht
Not really. maybe just decided to take a different path. Hey Col, only elected few can get into the officer rancks. It is some thing to be proud of. Now you have to make yourself proud because you are a leader of men (and kids).
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LTC Bink Romanick
I was a SSG before I went o OCS I had a friend at AOBC who due to the VN war drawdown wasn't able to stay on AD so he went enlisted. Half my class at AOBC didn't continue on AD. Dec 74-Apr75. I retired in 00.
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an old guy who was in Vietnam told the story of building a 2 stall outhouse there
one door was labelled Officers,
the other door was labelled MEN!
one door was labelled Officers,
the other door was labelled MEN!
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Lots of good answers here. But, one that was omitted that is still somewhat true would be:
Screwed
Screwed
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It is pretty rare. I've never heard of a name one way or another.
Going the Warrant Officer route is much more common.
Going the Warrant Officer route is much more common.
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My little Ponies. Does that work? But all jokes aside I have seen this happen a few times. We had an old SSG in my previous guard unit that was an officer in the Marines. I think he just missed being with the soldiers. He was a really good Squad Leader. You could tell he was an Officer. Not by how he acted but by how much he knew.
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SGT(P) (Join to see)
Sir, looking into your question I found this article. http://www.military.com/daily-news/2013/04/01/former-army-officer-makes-his-mark-as-nco.html.
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Huh. I've never seen anyone do this (not that it doesn't happen), and I can't imagine why you would.
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COL Vincent Stoneking
One big reason - 28 years (30 if you make O6) of commissioned service and you are OUT. This can be at age 48/49/50. Transitioning to enlisted could allow you to serve up to another 12 years. Sometimes you just love being in the military and don't what to leave.
Admittedly, I think this is a bigger motivator in the reserves, where you can "normally" (there is a provision that allows those deployed after 2008 to draw retired pay earlier based on the amount of time deployed, with various details) not draw your retired pay until age 60 anyway.... The lower pay is also better than the no pay you would get as a grey area retiree.
Admittedly, I think this is a bigger motivator in the reserves, where you can "normally" (there is a provision that allows those deployed after 2008 to draw retired pay earlier based on the amount of time deployed, with various details) not draw your retired pay until age 60 anyway.... The lower pay is also better than the no pay you would get as a grey area retiree.
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