Posted on Aug 28, 2018
Is it possible to reclassify out of an understrength MOS?
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My window opened approximately 4 months ago to reclassify or reinlist, I have always sought after being a 31K(military working dog handler) or something that will benefit me and my family transferring to a civilian job, after i complete my 20 years. The 31K in and out calls are accepting E-4’s (SPC) non promotable, which i just happen to be. But my mos is restricting me from choosing that MOS which is the job i have wanted since i first enlisted. Is there anything i can do to reclass to 31K? Or am i even aloud to reclass at all? I am currently a 13J(Fire Control Specialist) and i do not enjoy my job one bit.Now with that being said....I love the structure the Army has embedded and the benefits for my family and strive to succeed it has given me and i don’t want to throw it all away because I’m not allowed to change MOS’s. Also my points for August to get promoted to E-5 (SGT) are maxed out at 798.... If i chose to get out, my last day would be 9-11-2019
Posted in these groups: 
Reclass13J: Fire Control Specialist
31K: Military Working Dog Handler
Retention
Retention NCO
Reclass13J: Fire Control Specialist 31K: Military Working Dog Handler Retention Retention NCO
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 9
Suspended Profile
This may be a blanket answer but no one will give you a more legitimate answer than a current career counselor. If they dont reach out to you on your post, go see yours. Drop in and I'm positive they will be more than willing to answer all of your questions.
SPC (Join to see)
Appreciate it Sergeant. I’ve went to the retention NCO and his advice was wait until the fiscal year that changes the in and out calls, I’ve looked at the MILPER messages daily, and it hasn’t been updated since may 30th 2018.
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Suspended Profile
I would do just that. The fiscal year change does often change things within our Army. Stay patient, stay hungry and your career will take you places that you never thought it would.
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SPC, your question is not my area of expertise so I will stay silent on it. I do what to say this. I appreciate your drive and your positive attitude. You will hear “no" a lot in your military career, for a variety of good and bad reasons. Stay motivated. The military needs people with tenacity. Who knows what doors might open after a short extension or re-enlistment. I promise you I didn’t succeed overnight and I failed a bunch along the way. Show expertise in your current field and be the kind of soldier no-one wants to hold back. Keep us informed of your progress and best of luck.
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Let's answer these one at a time:
Can you Reclass? Yes, but you probably can't go into 31K. Your MOS is more understrength and there are almost never training seats for 31K.
You are not promotable so points for August are irrelevant, you need to look at historical trends. You'll find small MOS's like 31K and 13J are slow promoting.
31K won't help you 20 years from now as a civilian. Your experience and leadership will. In that respect, pick a large, fast promoting MOS like 11B, 12B, 13B or 19D.
Everyone wants a highly technical MOS so they "have something after they get out" but they also want to get promoted. Low density MOSs promote slowly, it's a balance.
Can you Reclass? Yes, but you probably can't go into 31K. Your MOS is more understrength and there are almost never training seats for 31K.
You are not promotable so points for August are irrelevant, you need to look at historical trends. You'll find small MOS's like 31K and 13J are slow promoting.
31K won't help you 20 years from now as a civilian. Your experience and leadership will. In that respect, pick a large, fast promoting MOS like 11B, 12B, 13B or 19D.
Everyone wants a highly technical MOS so they "have something after they get out" but they also want to get promoted. Low density MOSs promote slowly, it's a balance.
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SPC (Join to see)
I appreciate this advice SFC, i am currently looking into the packet MOS’s available to me. 35L and the 31D (CID) are something I’m interested in, if what you are saying is true( I don’t doubt your knowledge one bit on it because i have been told by many 31K is a very hard MOS to get a seat slot) but with that being said... 31K for points to E-5 are 466, and 31L is 40 and so is 31D. They also will not let me reclass to any of the MOS’s you stated above.
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SFC (Join to see)
The points are that low because the MOS is meant to begin at sergeant. That is why those two jobs are listed on the SMAPP message. You are automatically promoted the sergeant upon completion of the course if you have agreed to an additional 3 years.
Realistically, unless you have a degree or experience in civilian law enforcement you are not competitive for CID. Counterintelligence is it good job, but make sure you understand what the job is before you get into it. It attracts a certain type of person and you either love it or you hate it. Too often soldiers sit in my office telling me that they hate their job and are grasping at any other job they can go into, and then they reclass.
As for the points for dog handler, when I talk about career progression I am talking about E6 and E7. A lot of jobs bottleneck at sergeant and you could realistically he's sitting as a sergeant well past your 10-year mark, or hitting your RCP at 14 or 15 years.
You probably will not find a class seat for dog handler, at all. But, it does not hurt to check in with your career counselor from time to time and ask. When they appear they usually go very quickly and there are only a few of them. I have been a career counselor for several years and have processed well over 100 reclass actions. I have never been able to get a seat for dog handler.
Realistically, unless you have a degree or experience in civilian law enforcement you are not competitive for CID. Counterintelligence is it good job, but make sure you understand what the job is before you get into it. It attracts a certain type of person and you either love it or you hate it. Too often soldiers sit in my office telling me that they hate their job and are grasping at any other job they can go into, and then they reclass.
As for the points for dog handler, when I talk about career progression I am talking about E6 and E7. A lot of jobs bottleneck at sergeant and you could realistically he's sitting as a sergeant well past your 10-year mark, or hitting your RCP at 14 or 15 years.
You probably will not find a class seat for dog handler, at all. But, it does not hurt to check in with your career counselor from time to time and ask. When they appear they usually go very quickly and there are only a few of them. I have been a career counselor for several years and have processed well over 100 reclass actions. I have never been able to get a seat for dog handler.
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SPC (Join to see)
I'm interested in either going OCS or reclass. However, I would like to be able to choose my MOS which is why I am leaning towards staying enlisted. I want the camaraderie of 11B, but I know I need a lot of work before I can do that (PT, weapons, mental toughening). My current MOS 92Y is very hard to get out of. Unfortunately, I just re-enlisted for another 3 years in my current MOS 92Y for duty station of chose and I got it. Now I just am having a hard time wrapping my brain around how I am going to do this MOS again for another 3 years. To be quite honest I find the job boring and I am tired of sitting in an office. I want an MOS where I can take my passion for outdoors to an MOS. I have done 3 years in the active duty. I want to reclass after these next 3 years I do, but there is not a YES in the OUT column. Also, forgot to mention I am a SPC trying to get promoted to SGT. SFC, what advice do you have for me?
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