Will getting selected for satellite instead of ILE give less of a chance for a KD job?

2018-01-17T22:55:35-05:00

Just wondering if anyone had experience of the satellite course instead of resident ILE? Were there less job opportunities? Will it make for less of a chance of getting a KD job?
Also i’m Wondering what may not be strong enough in a file not to get residency?

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 18 at 2018 6:24 AM

2018-01-18T06:24:46-05:00

https://www.rallypoint.com/answers/how-important-are-kd-jobs

How important are KD jobs? | RallyPoint

I'd love to see the general community's view on this, and please allow me to explain why... I spent some time the past few months reviewing stats from the most recent Army Officer promotions boards (CPT/MAJ/LTC), both Active and Reserve, and noticed some interesting trends. I've passed my theory on those trends around with several others, and they all seem to think I'm on to something. So, here's my theory: Key Development (KD) Jobs are not...

Response by COL Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 18 at 2018 7:40 AM

2018-01-18T07:40:18-05:00

Someone from the National Guard is going to have to weigh in on this one. The answer is that it depends. A major can still get a KD job, but they will have to finish ILE before promotion to LTC and definitely before Battalion Command. If they do not finish ILE, there is no chance of promotion. After their KD time, they will be perpetual staff officers.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 18 at 2018 11:44 AM

2018-01-18T11:44:58-05:00

Elaine Elizabeth I have friends in satellite right now and they are happy to be getting the ILE portion done in 15 weeks. However, there are perceptions within the Active Component that are different than the Reserves Component.

I have seen my AC friends and co-workers fight to get resident courses now that it is board selected (top 50%) with the perception you will not make LTC without resident. However, in some AOCs such as legal and medical (and some shhhhhh units) they do not have opportunities due to their field or OPTEMPO. For these you are either a superstar for making it or you are coming out of the field and abandoning your unit..... The rest it is frowned upon if you do not go to resident, but it is not necessarily a career killer such as going to SAMS does not mean you will make COL as I know some who did not make it to LTC. If you do not go to resident due to declining it for OPTEMPO (Deployments, etc.) and can show that you are a top tier MAJ you should be able to get KD without much of an issue as long as you knock out the ILE and start working on AOC. There is also a perception that the satellite is better than the DL version. Just work with your career manager and they should give you a good idea of where you stand.

In the Reserves if you are AGR (full-timer) and get CGSC you are on a good path, if you are a TPU (part-timer) or in the IRR and get it you are set up for success. As long as you get any form of ILE you are competitive for LTC and then AOC for COL. CGSC allows you to knock out both at one straight shot without having another job. They say that they do not discriminate based on which method, but that can of course change and as someone explained to me that it is always better to do something that is board selected than not.

I would say if you have an overall profile as top performer (ACM or whatever they call it now) then you should be in a good position to make CGSC or equivalent at other services.