What is the probability of switching branches from Army to Air Force?

An Air Force Recruiter will tell you it's very doable. They'll even give you a Conditional Release to get signed by your Commander and tell you that you can transfer into the Air Force as long as you get your Conditional Release signed. Then your Conditional Release doesn't get signed before you ETS. After you ETS your recruiter tells you there's a good chance to get in that year. Then you learn the AF allows a very limited number of prior service per fiscal year (around 200 I think) and prefers people with an MOS that directly translates to an AF MOS (like helicopter power plant repair). Then when you aren't one of the 200 or so admitted that year, the Recruiter will tell you that maybe they'll open up a few more spots in a few months.... Until the next fiscal year.

I can't tell you how many Air Force Recruiters I've had tell my Soldiers that they can switch over and give them bad information. I've had exactly zero of them actually switch over and I've known a few who separated to switch and it never worked out. I'm not saying you can't, but I am saying that an AF Recruiter may not be a reliable source of guidance for that. If you want to switch you need to be ready to be a civilian for a while during the time it takes to apply to the AF

SFC (Join to see) can explain more, but you’ll have to ETS if you are AD. If you are RC you’ll have to obtain a DD368 conditional release.

Many posts on here indicate there are about 100 prior service slots each year in the Air Force. That’s it. So go to an AF recruiter and work it. It is likely not to happen but you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.

Another Avenue is going ANG.

Very possible. Finish your Army hitch and see a AF recruiter.

Your best bet is Air Force Reserve just to get your foot in the door. If you get in you can then try to apply for Active duty.

with the climate of the military right now, it might be very possible, especially if you plan on staying in the medical field. my career took me through Active Duty Marine Corps, to the Naval Reserves, to Active Duty Air Force, to retirement, to Air Force/Space Force Contractor...one thing the recruiters didn't lie about..."the possibilities are limitless!"

You might try finding an Air Force in-service recruiter if you're near an AFB. They could likely let you know if it's possible and how to go about it. In my experience (15 years in USAREC) it's way more common for USAF or USN to go from blue to green than the other way around. Good luck.

1: 746.2

Just a rough estimate of the probability

My experience: ETS'd from Army as an Air Traffic Controller. Attempted to join the Air Force.
Hit Two walls: as mentioned below... prior service limits, plus, even though I was Licensed by the FAA as an Air Traffic Controller in the Army, I didn't have a College Degree, so my education and experience in the Army counted for nothing.
Caveat Emptor ;)
Stay where you are. If you have a job ANYWHERE, KEEP IT.
Anyone who quits a job... will find there aren't any jobs for U.S.

In the Military? Hope your Legislators don't outsource our Military Jobs to China too. >(

--> as they SCREAM at U.S. ... with High Drama... that CHINA IS THE ENEMY!
--> and you vote to re-elect them, to give up our prosperous blessings of Liberty, to every enemy in the history of this Nation... KNOWING that those people are committing treason against U.S. with strokes of their pens... RIGHT UP IN YOUR FACE!

Depends on what you are trying to do. There are thousands of SM's out there who served in different branches. But if you are talking about an active duty transfer that is way more complicated and difficult. You can work with a recruiter and try to do it but the easiest thing to do is work with an Air Force Recruiter so you can cross over to the blue after you ETS.

With a good record and no physical problems you should have a good chance of doing so.

The few I saw in my 20 year career (Retired last year) all went special forces or EOD. But as SFC Jason Boyd stated , they look for people who have similar MOS/AFSC. Jumping over to the Air Guard or Reserve can get you into something new. But also be aware that spots for anyone is going to be going down with the US pulling out of Afghanistan.

I tried when I was enlisted. If you haven't noticed I'm an Army officer now. I kept on getting the runaround then I just gave up.

I’m with most of the comments but seeing how your a service member with a masters I think you would stand a good chance of being one of the 200 or what ever selected. Combo that with a health care mos…. Is it hard yes, probably the hardest but doable absolutely.

I wouldn’t say it’s easy but it is doable. A lot of paperwork. The worst part is routing for signature and high level approval with no visibility on the status. I made the change from Army to AF back in 2014, I was also a commissioned officer l so I also had to get a scroll signed off by the pentagon. Took several months from start to finish.

There are several courses of action you can take but it depends on if you’re AD or in the RC. Check with a recruiter of the branch you desire. I had to get a conditional release and then an acceptance by the AF plus another commissioning physical - it’s doable but you will need to be motivated to follow through the entire process.

I went from Air Force enlisted to Navy commissioned. If you’re going from enlisted to commissioned it’s not a problem. I served with naval officer who had been both enlisted and commissioned in the Air Force. He had to resign his Air Force commission prior to crossing over so he started over as an O1. Crossing over from commissioned officer in one branch to commissioned officer in another branch requires SECDEF approval.

Not very good. Almost slim to none. The ones WHO ARE ABLE to cross over are usually officers, healthcare workers responding to a dire need, security forces, or forward observers who are fully-qualified to conduct close air support AND are released by the artillery branch in the Army. That almost never happens.

Have you thought about the Air National Guard?

Good luck with that.

I went from Air Force to Army. 37 years. Take your time and get the job you want.

NEEDS OF THE SERVICE.

Through my research, of all the branches, the AF has the most limited PS openings.

As folks have said, possible, yes. But you’re at the mercy of their needs.

Guard and reserve usually are easier for any PS, but don’t think if you go that route that it will be a (sure) stepping stone to augment to AD. Reserve/Guard augmenting is also dependent on the needs of the Active forces.