Posted on Nov 6, 2013
SGT Orderly Room Ncoic
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I'm due for reenlistment in FY15.  We recently had a meeting to inform us that there's 7 slots in the unit for initial term soldiers, and 32 soldiers in the FY15 window. So 25 people are going to, essentially, force out of the Army.  

What I do understand is why it's being done by Unit.  There are multitudes of MOS's in each unit, some of the them are under strength.  So if this soldier in under strength MOS doesn't "match up" to the "whole soldier concept" as well as the other 7, we're going to cut him from the Army and exasperate the already existing problem of an underrepresented MOS?

I think there has to be a better way to delegate slots for reenlistment.  What about the ones that want to leave their over strength MOS and re class to an job on the IN/OUT calls?

I agree that cuts need to be made and the Army needs to be right sized, but I can't help but think there has to be a better way to go about it.

What are your thoughts and opinions?  How would you handle the limited number of retention slots available?
Posted in these groups: Re enlistment logo Re-enlistmentI want you Retention
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Responses: 3
SGM Matthew Quick
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IMPORTANT NOTE:  The Army has not placed a MAX on it's retention mission...this could be something your unit is doing.

The Army's retention mission is based on a "fair-share" of eligible Soldiers with the announced parameters (currently Soldiers with ETS dates with FY14 and FY15).

The only "cap" placed on retention is the Commander's Allocation Program (CAP) which is referred to as 'precision retention'.

http://www.armyreenlistment.com/cap.html

Precision retention is designed to facilitate force alignment while sustaining unit readiness and achieving Army end strength requirements. The CAP applies to Regular Army Soldiers with an ETS date within the G1 prescribed reenlistment eligibility window.

Precision retention will allow commanders to retain a limited number of Soldiers serving in over strength mos/skill levels for continued service in their PMOS through the use of the CAP.

Current MOS’ affected by CAP:
19D1, 25Q1, 74D1, 91D1, 92A1

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SGM Matthew Quick
SGM Matthew Quick
11 y
As far as I know (can't speak to the officer side), it's all released through the retention channels (normally through RETAIN) and the Career Counselors brief the commanders/CSMs.

The Career Counselor prepares a 'mission letter' for the commander's signature (after the CSM blesses off on it) which outlines the retention objectives for the entire fiscal year.  Each command level, normally down to the company commander, receives and pushes the 'mission' down.

Some of the issues with this 'max' reenlistment is that it was unofficially implemented (and widely publicized) and then pulled back about a month into it because it was causing such commotion.
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SGT Orderly Room Ncoic
SGT (Join to see)
11 y
I noticed this MSG.  It was pulled back with really no news being put out at all.  I just found out about 2 days ago that the '7 slots only' is now done with, and all the reenlistment's were being put through.
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SFC Platoon Sergeant
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Unfortunately the Army as a whole has cut retention slots across the board from general to private. As a survivor of the mid 90s Clinton cuts, I find myself drawing parallels between the policies today and back then.

The retention process should start at the team leader level. Identifying individuals that don't meet the standards for retention should be counseled regularly and bared from reinlistment to free up those slots for those that should be retained. Not everyone will be retained ensure that the right people are being retained. This can often be difficult for leaders especially if you have limited slots and multiple Soldiers that meet the requirements, you then need to have the strength of character and intestinal frortitude to tell those that don't make the cut that they don't have what it takes to stay.

It's the total Soldier concept, a Soldier must be proficient in MOS, basic Soldier skills, warrior tasks, fitness, and meet Army body composition, after tht it may come down to areas such as motivation, responsibility, and contribution to unit and community.

selection of one Soldier over another, even if both are great Soldiers may come down to a Single point in the APFT, it doesn't meant the other Soldier is a s***t bag, it just means you selected the better of the two based on their performance.
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SGT 94 E Radio Comsec Repairer
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I'm curious about this as well.  I'm in the process of reenlisting and was told that there are plenty of slots in my unit, but some of the soldiers I went to AIT with may be affected by the reenlistment limit in their units. 

I agree that it would make more sense to establish limits based on MOS rather than unit. 
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