What can help me standout in order to VTIP into a Functional Area?

2016-02-22T21:11:29-05:00

I am thinking about my future in the Army and something that has caught my interest is trying to VTIP into a functional area, specifically FA40 Space Operations Officer. I'm currently an Armor Officer and will be promotable next spring hopefully. What can I do to prepare or to make myself standout?

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 22 at 2016 9:39 PM

2016-02-22T21:39:36-05:00

Make sure that you have a STEM degree or have. Awaited submitted. I was an Armor Officee that assessed into FA40. There are a bunch of us. What is your undergrad degree in?

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 23 at 2016 4:43 AM

2016-02-23T04:43:13-05:00

I'm a FAO, but transferred over before the era of VTIP. Watching potential FAOs go through the VTIP process over the last couple of years, I'd just note that one shouldn't "self-select out." By this, I mean that even though the various functional areas list out the types of officers they are interested in VTIP'ing in, at the end of the day, each functional area has a need to assess in X number of officers each year, there's no telling how many officers and of what level of qualification will apply to VTIP into a certain functional area at a certain time, and the functional areas will VTIP in the best officers from those that apply.
Apart from the sorts of qualifications that the various functional areas require, the functional areas are also primarily interested in quality officers. In the Army, quality is largely indicated by previous performance (ie, OER box-checks).

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 30 at 2016 12:30 PM

2016-03-30T12:30:33-04:00

Go to the career course and transfer while there. It will help to remove you from the assignment cycle that will follow career course and reduce your risk of poor assignment management by the chuckle heads that dole out assignments once they learn that you do not want to follow the vaunted PL, CO, BDE Staff, AS3, S3, XO, BN CO pipeline. If they know you are not competing for future BN command or ILE within your armor peer group, your future will become an afterthought to them. Good Luck!

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 26 at 2016 3:18 AM

2016-04-26T03:18:57-04:00

I'm a current FA40. Hardly any of us have STEM degrees. This is what will set you apart based on published trends and speaking with our proponency office:

1) Very strong OERs

That's it. It will help if you already have a TS/SCI and if you have already been to CCC, but none of those are disqualifiers, nor will they significantly set you apart. The number one driving factor on how selective the process is, is how many slots are available. During my VTP, they took 5 out of 26 applicants. Next VTIP, they took 25 people. If you want any information at all about FA40, hit me up on NIPR. I'm on global under Daniel W. Smith, JTAGS-CENT Commander.