Army seeks enlisted women for infantry, armor and 12 other combat jobs

Calling all female soldiers interested in going infantry or armor.

For the first time, the Army has issued a new menu of reclassification options for active Army enlisted women whose careers are stalled in overstrength military occupational specialties to make the switch to infantry, armor and several other combat arms MOSs that until just recently were closed to women.

Under the new career change opportunities, the Army will allow the reclassification, as a secondary MOS, of women soldiers into 14 previously closed combat specialties, many of which do not meet the requirements for a standard primary MOS change as stipulated in the Reclassification In/Out Calls.

Women who meet the In/Out Call rules for a standard primary MOS job change do not require a waiver of policy and can proceed with a regular PMOS reclassification request.

The In/Out Calls indicate by grade and MOS what specialties are overstrength, understrength or balanced, and whether they are open or closed to transfers.

The calls were last updated Jan. 12 and can be viewed below.
Because the Army is in the midst of a major drawdown, many of its major ground combat MOSs are overstrength and closed to regular reclassifications.

To qualify for the new reclassification opportunities, women in the Regular Army must be serving in an overstrength specialty and request transfer to one of the following as a secondary MOS:

• 11B (infantryman)

• 11C (indirect fire infantryman)

• 12B (combat engineer)

• 13B (cannon crewmember)

• 13D (field artillery automated tactical data system specialist)

• 13F (fire support specialist)

• 13M (MLRS crewmember)

• 13P (MLRS operational dire direction specialist)

• 13R (field artillery Firefinder radar operator)

• 19D (cavalry scout)

• 19K (M1 tank crewmember)

• 91A (M1 tank system maintainer)

• 91M (track vehicle repairer)

• 91P (artillery mechanic)
By designating the reclassification specialty as a secondary MOS, personnel managers are providing female soldiers with an opportunity to attend training and serve in specialties that previously were closed to women. This strategy allows women to remain in their current primary MOS for promotion purposes.

Female soldiers may, in the future, request to convert their secondary MOS to their primary MOS when the In/Out calls allow such a change. Presumably that will occur when the Army gets smaller and the specialty content of the force comes into balance with requirements.

Female enlisted soldiers must meet the following criteria to request reclassification under terms of the new policy:


•Be in the rank of nonpromotable sergeant or below.
•Hold a primary MOS and requested secondary MOS that do not meet the reclassification rules in the current version of In/Out Calls. (Soldiers who meet the In/Out Call rules do not require a waiver of policy and qualify for a standard reclassification).
•Meet the MOS standards described in DA Pamphlet 611-21 (Military Occupational Classification and Structure).
•Be recommended for reclassification by their immediate commander.

Soldiers approved for this job change program will attend training in a temporary duty status en route to a follow-on assignment in their new secondary MOS. Soldiers who do not successfully complete training will be reassigned in their primary MOS.

Soldiers who are interested in this program should contact their local career counselor.