What is the best way to request a new duty station?

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 11 May 2016 13:19:59 -0400

What's the best way to talk to my branch manager? Should I email or just call them?

Response by SPC(P) Private RallyPoint Member made May 11 at 2016 1:21 PM

SPC(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 11 May 2016 13:21:13 -0400

I would email him/her first and then go from there. I've found that to be the easiest way, if your window is open you should talk to retention first.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made May 11 at 2016 1:38 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 11 May 2016 13:38:04 -0400

Call them. Trust me if you send them an email it's hard to tell when you'll get a response.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made May 11 at 2016 1:51 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 11 May 2016 13:51:36 -0400

Some branch managers would rather have your retention NCO/career counselor or first line give them a call or email. Some others don't really care. I will suggest you speak to your career counselor first. Better still, find out what your branch managers preference is before calling directly. You get a faster response when you call directly.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made May 11 at 2016 2:02 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 11 May 2016 14:02:24 -0400

Call them. Depending on the branch you may be waiting awhile on the line but it'll be worth the wait. I know the infantry branch you could easily be waiting up to an hour. Just be patient.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made May 11 at 2016 2:13 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 11 May 2016 14:13:17 -0400

Call them. I had never called my branch in 17 years of service when my father died, mother was alone, I wanted to be close to her. When I ask for an assignment in Florida he laughed at me. At that point I was straight up with him and little forceful in a nice way, I told him that I have never called and asked for anything of assignment branch before, always excepted branche assignments with no complaints, I needed this assignment. He then found me an assignment, curtailed my 3 year tour in Germany by 6 months with tour completed. Assigned me to MEPS as a Security Interviewer. Caveat being that after I reached my 20 year mark I put in for retirement, which was NO PROBLEM!

Made a deal with the devil!

Response by SPC John St.Germain,Sr. made May 11 at 2016 2:36 PM

SPC John St.Germain,Sr. — Wed, 11 May 2016 14:36:47 -0400

I would do both. First email then follow up with a call.

Response by SGT Callen Pool made May 11 at 2016 2:41 PM

SGT Callen Pool — Wed, 11 May 2016 14:41:35 -0400

I found best bet was to call and see what's available Rembert to be nice and ask them how their day is going never demand anything rember these are the people who could u put you on the dmz in Korea or I'm a really chill duty station

Response by SFC John Hill made May 11 at 2016 2:45 PM

SFC John Hill — Wed, 11 May 2016 14:45:26 -0400

Point to consider, the duty station you are requesting must have a need for your MOS. Not all locations are available to all MOS's. Locally, check with the Retention NCO. They have access to a program that lists vacancies by MOS (through Strength Management) throughout the army. They then use this information to "lock in" an assignment for a reenlistment contract. Branch Managers use the same system when considering reassignment requests or to fill TO&E manpower requests sent up by the unit.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made May 11 at 2016 3:05 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 11 May 2016 15:05:42 -0400

Always call, and then maybe if you feel it's needed follow up with an email. Be sure you mention where you want to go cause I wanted Campbell and even though it wasn't a choice option at the time, I got an email a month later placing me on orders to Campbell. Something to remember it's never not worth a shot.

Response by SPC D Murvin made May 11 at 2016 3:43 PM

SPC D Murvin — Wed, 11 May 2016 15:43:53 -0400

Email is the best way to do it

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made May 11 at 2016 3:49 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 11 May 2016 15:49:53 -0400

Emailing creates a paper trail. Just in case the branch manager doesn't remember you calling them.

Response by PO3 James Carter made May 11 at 2016 7:11 PM

PO3 James Carter — Wed, 11 May 2016 19:11:37 -0400

http://www.broadside.net/2012/120730-31.htm

on the serious side though, I had PO's and a some LPO's just call them up and see what they could do, if anything...some were actually helpful, and of course some were out in the stratosphere and said NO before your sentence was even finished...

detailer

Official Broadside Cartoons website weekly cartoon

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made May 11 at 2016 8:10 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 11 May 2016 20:10:46 -0400

In all honesty it depend on the branch manager. I have heard some horror stories about some of them when you call personally. I personally have never experienced that. I would start with an email stating what your hopes are and wait for a response. If it's extremely important then give them a call. I have an awesome branch manager NCO and civilian and have had no issues with communicating with either.

Response by WO1 Private RallyPoint Member made May 11 at 2016 8:49 PM

WO1 Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 11 May 2016 20:49:44 -0400

https://fmsweb.army.mil/unprotected/splash/

Use this site as a weapon - it gives you a break down of MTOE and exactly what rank and skill level is in that unit. This is more up to date than ACT.

FMSWeb

Response by PVT John Williams made May 12 at 2016 12:12 AM

PVT John Williams — Thu, 12 May 2016 00:12:21 -0400

Call

Response by SPC Fred Genna made May 12 at 2016 8:27 AM

SPC Fred Genna — Thu, 12 May 2016 08:27:11 -0400

call

Response by Cpl Justin Goolsby made May 12 at 2016 10:44 AM

Cpl Justin Goolsby — Thu, 12 May 2016 10:44:04 -0400

Being on good terms with the ones who cut the orders helps or even the ones who request the orders. Make yourself as versatile as possible. Keep your ear to the ground for people in your MOS who are either getting out or changing stations. If there's going to be an opening in an area you want to go, you might be able to get ahead of the game.

Personally, I would talk to them in person. Emailing is impersonal and he might get a hundred emails a day, so he might not even read it right away. Calling isn't any better unless you have a close working relationship because then he might get off the phone and wonder who was calling him. I personally worked with the Marine who requested orders, so I knew personnel changes ahead of time and since he knew my work ethic as well as who I was, it'd made it easier if I wanted to expand my experience going to a different unit.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made May 12 at 2016 1:42 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 12 May 2016 13:42:39 -0400

Start with unit retention.