What is it like being a Social Worker in the Army? What are the MSW program and the job in the Army? How far can I expect to get, rank-wise?

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 24 May 2021 00:53:38 -0400

I am looking in to getting a MSW (Master of Social Work) but I have never been to graduate school. What is it like, both the program and the job in the army?, how far can I expect to get, rank-wise? And what is the GRE test like?

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made May 24 at 2021 7:44 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 24 May 2021 07:44:54 -0400

Here are the requirements on the Army official page: https://www.goarmy.com/careers-and-jobs/career-match/science-medicine/physical-mental-health/73a-social-worker.html

This looks like it's not offered to enlisted (it has an "x" next to enlisted but check mark next to officer, active duty, Guard and Reserve). It appears you'll have to become an officer to do it.

I honestly had no clue that the military had social worker as a job for Active, Guard or Reserve. I have never met any social workers that are in uniform.

Social Worker

Provide direct service and support to others as a licensed Social Worker for the Army. Click now and improve the quality of life of your fellow Soldiers!

Response by CSM Darieus ZaGara made May 24 at 2021 11:00 AM

CSM Darieus ZaGara — Mon, 24 May 2021 11:00:01 -0400

This is a very slim field for the Army. One you have to be an officer, promotions are generally at the at zone rate. Keep in mind that small fields for Officers often cut at O4. While being a major is respectable, it can be frustrating flatlining early in ones career. Again, very small forked. The military counts on civilian providers and chaplains to overcome many of the associated functions.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made May 24 at 2021 8:22 PM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 24 May 2021 20:22:29 -0400

You’ll most likely come in as an O-3. Depending on how many years you’ve been a social worker you might get some credit for that. There are decent loan repayment incentives and bonuses for social workers in the reserves. I am friends with 2 of them and they seem to like it. Talk to an amedd recruiter for more info

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 21 at 2021 5:53 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 21 Jun 2021 17:53:53 -0400

MILPER Message Number 20-239 Proponent RCHS-MS Title FY 2021 Army-University of Kentucky (UK) Master of Social Work (MSW) Program Application Procedures ...Issued:[7/24/2020 2:36:58 PM]... A. DoD Instruction 1402.5 (Criminal History Background Checks on Individuals in Child Care Services), 24 January 2017 B. DoD Instruction 6000.13 (Accession and Retention Policies, Programs, and Incentives for Military Health Professions Officers (HPOs)), 3 May 2016 C. AR 40-501 (Standards of Medical Fitness), 27 June 2019 D. AR 135-100 (Appointment Of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the Army), 1 September 1994 E. AR 135-101 (Appointment of Reserve Commissioned Officers for Assignment to Army Medical Department Branches), 15 February 1984 F. AR 350-100 (Officer Active Duty Service Obligations), 26 September 2017 G. AR 600-9 (The Army Body Composition Program), 28 June 2013 H. AR 601-100 (Appointment of Commissioned and Warrant Officers in the Regular Army), 21 November 2006 I. DA PAM 600-4 (Army Medical Department Officer Development and Career Management), 6 September 2018 https://www.hrc.army.mil/PrintPreview/Milper/20-23 7 /27 /2020
2. Purpose: This message solicits applications for the FY 2021 Army-University of Kentucky (UK) Master of Social Work (MSW) program at the Army Medical Department Center & School (AMEDDC&S), Joint Base San Antonio (JBSA), Texas—which is referred to as “the program” throughout this message. Request command support and dissemination of this information to all commissioned officers, enlisted Soldiers, and civilians seeking to become an Active Duty Army Social Worker. 3. Selection Process: HQ, US Army Recruiting Command (USAREC) will convene a competitive accession board o/a 9 February 2021 to consider qualified applicants for selection and accession as Army Social Workers. Applicants will be considered based on individual merit and supporting documentation as specified in the below paragraphs. 4. Program Overview: The program consists of two phases--the academic phase and the internship phase. The academic phase is a 14-month course consisting of 60 semester hours to complete a master’s in social work degree. The internship phase is a 26-month post graduate internship in which graduates fulfill state statutory requirements to become licensed independent social work practitioners in the state of their choice. The independent clinical social work license is required to maintain the 73A Area of Concentration (AOC). 5. General Guidance: a. Applicants selected for the program who are not currently appointed as Medical Service Corps (MS) officers will receive a new original appointment as an MS officer, and will have an entry grade determination made IAW Department of Defense Instruction (DoDI) 6000.13, enclosure 3. Applicants shall be awarded one-half day of credit for each day of active commissioned service as a commissioned officer but not in the professional specialty in which the person is being appointed. b. Active Duty Service Obligation (ADSO): Upon completion of the internship phase and attainment of licensure, officers will incur a 42-month ADSO for Phase I and a 30month ADSO for Phase II, which are served concurrently, to the US Army. Failure to complete both phases of the program will result in an Area of Concentration (AOC) adjustment that is based upon the needs of the Army. Additionally, the officer will incur a 36-month ADSO to the US Army upon AOC adjustment and reassignment. Note: IAW Army Regulation 350-100, the above ADSO will be served consecutively with any other service obligations that the officer may have prior to acceptance into the program. c. Direct Commission Course (DCC) and Basic Officer Leader Course (BOLC): Applicants selected for the program that have not already completed an Army BOLC are required to complete the AMEDD DCC at Fort Sill, OK and BOLC at JBSA, TX https://www.hrc.army.mil/PrintPreview/Milper/20-23 7
prior to the start of the MSW program. d. Timeline:- O/A August-November 2020: Applicants will initiate the USAREC Accession Board application process with an AMEDD Health Care Recruiter (HCR)- O/A 1 December 2020: HCR will submit the completed application to HQ, USAREC- O/A 12 January 2021: HQ, USAREC Accession Board Convenes- O/A 1 April 2021: Accession Board and Program Admission Selection Results Released- O/A 11 June 2021: Non prior service (NPS) and currently serving Enlisted Soldiers report to JBSA, TX to in-process- O/A 11 July 2021: Students report for DCC at Fort Sill, OK- O/A 22 August 2021: Students report to BOLC at JBSA, TX- O/A 14 January 2022: MSW Program Start Date. Currently serving Officers will report directly to JBSA, TX as specified on PCS orders. 6. Eligibility: a. Applicants must meet general eligibility requirements of AR 601-100, AR 135-100, and AR 135-101 as appropriate. b. Applicants must meet physical requirements for appointment as a commissioned officer prescribed in AR 40-501, chapter 2 or chapter 3, depending on which chapter applies, and be within the height/weight standards prescribed by AR 600-9. c. IAW DoDI 1402.5, in addition to passing a standard security clearance background investigation, all applicants must also pass a background investigation through federal and state agencies that includes but is not limited to behavioral health, domestic violence, and/or child abuse. Individuals with mandatory disqualifying criteria, as noted in DoDI 1402.5, will be deemed ineligible to apply. Applicants with discretionary disqualifying criteria, as noted in DoDI 1402.5, may be boarded. However, applicants are advised that discretionary disqualifying criteria must be reviewed to determine eligibility. If at any point in the review process the applicant is deemed ineligible, he or she may be pulled from the selection process or dismissed from service. Applicants will be notified of disqualifying information and provided an opportunity to challenge the accuracy of records. d. Applicants must have a conferred baccalaureate degree from a college or university that is accredited by an agency that is on the list of nationally recognized accrediting agencies published by the Secretary of Education, with a cumulative
undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale in undergraduate coursework completed towards the degree. The minimum GPA requirement is not waiverable. (1) The baccalaureate degree should reflect a broad Liberal Arts background; however, all baccalaureate degrees are considered as long as the following prerequisite coursework is met. (2) Applicants must have at least 18 undergraduate semester hours of behavioral/social sciences (i.e. Social Work, Psychology, Sociology, Political Science, Criminal Justice, History, Economics, Geography, and Anthropology) and 3 undergraduate semester hours of statistics. (3) Applicants are eligible to apply for the program while completing the senior year of their undergraduate degree. Applicants must be projected to graduate NLT June 2021. Applicants who have not yet been awarded a bachelor’s degree must submit a letter from the Dean or Registrar of the school indicating the following: (a) Applicant’s current program and academic standing. (b) Applicant’s current GPA. (c) Applicant’s projected date of graduation. (d) Courses currently enrolled in. e. Applicants must have a current (no more than five years as of the program start date) Graduate Record Exam (GRE) score of 290 or higher (calculated from verbal and quantitative sections of the exam only). The GRE requirement is not waiverable. f. Applicants must have less than 7 years of Active Federal Service (AFS) as of the start of the program. Applicants having between 7 and 11 years of AFS at the start of the program may submit a waiver. No waivers will be considered for applicants with 12 (144 months) or more years of AFS as of the start of the program. g. Time on Station Requirements: (1) CONUS: Applicants must have 2 years time on station (TOS) at the start date of the program. TOS is computed from the month of arrival to the expected month of departure. This is not waiverable. (2) OCONUS: Applicants must complete their current overseas tour to include any extension. OCONUS tours will not be curtailed to allow participation in the program. This is not waiverable. h. Medical Service Corps officers in the rank of captain must be a graduate of the Captains Career Course prior to the start of the program. i. Current serving officers must be in good promotion standing. Any officer that is non-select for promotion to the next higher grade at any time during the selection process will be determined as ineligible for selection to the program. j. Enlisted Soldiers must have a General Technical (GT) score of 110 or higher to apply for the program. This is not waiverable. k. Individuals in an officer producing program (ROTC, OCS, USMA) are ineligible. No waiver for this requirement. 7. USAREC Accession Board Application Process: a. Applicants must contact an AMEDD Health Care Recruiter (HCR) to initiate the application process. Use the following link to search for a HCR by zip code location: https://www.goarmy.com. Select “GET IN TOUCH” (top right of page), then select “FIND A RECRUITER”, scroll down and select “Active Duty” in the “AREA OF INTEREST” drop down and enter the location zip code into the search bar. Utilize the Medical (AMEDD) Recruiter from the search results. b. Applicants for the program will undergo a double selection process. Applicants must first be selected by the HQ, USAREC Accession Board, followed by admission selection by the UK program. Applicants will be notified of the accession board results by the HCR, and of the program admission results by letter of acceptance from the UK Office of Admissions. c. All USAREC applications must be submitted thru a HCR. Do not submit applications directly to University of Kentucky in KY, or to the Army-UK MSW Program at JBSA, TX. 8. USAREC Accession Board Application Requirements: a. All applicants will complete a full Regular Army (RA) accession application packet with the HCR. (1) Transcripts. Applicants must submit official copies of transcripts from all attended higher education institutions to the HCR, including degree conferred transcripts as applicable. (2) Letter of Recommendation (LOR). Applicants must submit three LORs with original signatures from individuals qualified to evaluate the applicant’s ability to pursue graduate studies in social work, such as Commanders/Supervisors, University Professors, Professional social/behavioral health professionals, and/or Senior leaders in supervisor channel. (3) Personal Statement of Motivation: Applicants will electronically submit a letter explaining his/her interest in pursuing a career as a military social worker. All statements should be 4 pages in length and double-spaced. The following topics must be addressed:
a) Motivation for social work as a profession. State your reasons for wanting to pursue an MSW degree. Why are you applying to the Army-UK Social Work Program? What are your military social work career goals? (b) Personal life experiences and relevant events: Briefly describe your personal history as it relates to your interest in the profession of social work. What do you consider to be your particular strengths, skills, and abilities that will contribute to your success in the field? (c) Capacities for professional social work education: Briefly describe your professional, volunteer and/or educational history as it relates to your capacity for success in graduate study in the field of social work. What characteristics, circumstances, or challenges could serve to enhance or limit your capacity to pursue graduate level education in the field of social work. (4) Official GRE scores. Applicants must submit a copy of the GRE scores to the HCR. (5) USAREC Form (UF) 1307, The Army Master of Social Work Program Training Agreement. (6) Military applicants must submit the following documents to the HCR: (a) One additional LOR from the first LTC/O-5 or higher commander in the applicant’s chain of command. Commander’s LOR is required in addition to the three LORs required above. (b) Current or most recent officer record brief (ORB) / enlisted record brief (ERB) or uniformed service equivalent with a blacked out DA photo. (c) Prior service records, to include a copy of the most recent promotion orders and copies of all officer and noncommissioned officer evaluation reports. Include a copy of the REDD report, NGB form 22s and/or DD form 214s showing reentry (RE) code. (d) Current Active Duty Army Competitive Category (ACC) officers must communicate with their current assignment manager at Human Resources Command (HRC) and obtain a conditional letter of release for a branch transfer or appointment into the Medical Service Corps. Submission of a DA Form 4187 routed through the first O6level commander is required. (e) Current Active Duty enlisted Soldiers must communicate with their current enlisted assignment manager at Human Resources Command (HRC) and obtain a conditional letter of release to participate in the program. Submission of a DA Form 4187 routed through the first O6-level commander is required. (f) Applicants in the US Army Reserve, US Army National Guard, or any other branch of service must submit a DD Form 368 (conditional release) or service equivalent in order to apply for the program. Demobilization and discharge orders will be required
prior to active duty orders being issued. 9. Post Board Procedures-UK Application Requirements: a. Applicants selected by the USAREC Accession Board will complete an online application to the University of Kentucky for the MSW program after the USAREC Accession Board and only when directed by the HCR. (1) UK Application for Admission to the Graduate School. Note: Access the Graduate School Application at: https://app.applyyourself.com/AYApplicantLogin/fl_ApplicantConnectLogin.asp? id=ukgrad. (a) Set up a new account and establish a username and password. (b) After completing the personal information part of the application, go to “Plan of study.” (c) From the dropdown menu titled: Admission Category, select “Masters.” (d) From the dropdown menu titled: Program, select “Social work-Clinical social work-Ft Sam Houston-pre-selected applicants only.” (e) From the dropdown menu titled Intended Start Date, select “Spring 2022” “January 2022.” (2) Transcripts. Applicants must upload copies of transcripts from all attended higher education intuitions. Official copies of degree conferred transcripts will need to be submitted upon acceptance into UK. (3) Letter of Recommendation (LOR). Applicants must submit three references for LORs. These can be the same references used for the USAREC Accession Board application packet. As part of the online UK application, applicants will be asked to supply e-mail contact information for the three references. Once the applicant’s online application has been submitted to UK, the system will contact each person identified and their recommendations will be submitted directly to UK. If an applicant graduated within the past 5 years, one letter of recommendation must come from an academic reference. (4) Writing Sample: Applicants will electronically submit a writing sample in 250 words or less, describing a situation in which you had to determine the correct action to take after recognizing that you had competing personal or professional obligations to uphold. Identify and define the competing obligations that made this an ethical dilemma, what was the situation, who or what were the parties involved, what values did you rely upon to make your decision, and how was the dilemma resolved. Explain how this outcome has affected you and identify any lessons you learned. (5) Personal Statement: Applicants will electronically submit a personal statement explaining his/her interest in pursuing a career as a military social worker. This can be the same document used for the USAREC Accession Board application packet. (6) Personal Resume: Applicants must electronically submit a resume. This can be the same curriculum vitae used to the USAREC Accession Board application packet. HCRs can supply an example format from the USAREC MSC SharePoint page. 10. Point of Contact: Medical Service Corps Program Manager, MAJ Nicholas C. Kucan, Sr. at [login to see] or [login to see] .
This was last year's Milper message for MSW. Don't psych yourself out for the GRE, take practice tests and just do it. You never feel 'ready' for it so don't wait for that feeling. Can't really speak on rank, I think it depends on performance, the needs of the Army, and how much time you serve as an officer. You do start a a 2LT then 1LT by the time you graduate then CPT around the end of your internship. The rest...

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