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So I'm currently active duty with 7 yrs of active duty service. I do not have a bachelors degree at this time but I want to commision as an officer in the army. What are all my different options here?
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Commission
Officers
Commission Officers
Posted 4 y ago
Responses: 10
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You are behind the ball asking here. How far along are you with college? Are you ETSing any time soon?
Green to Gold can get you there Active Duty if you can finish college in two years.
ROTC can get you there if you get out, and start with enough college left, and then enter an ROTC program and get a commission that way.
Just finish a degree however you can then try OCS with degree in hand.
This all depends on where you are with your education and your service obligation.
Green to Gold can get you there Active Duty if you can finish college in two years.
ROTC can get you there if you get out, and start with enough college left, and then enter an ROTC program and get a commission that way.
Just finish a degree however you can then try OCS with degree in hand.
This all depends on where you are with your education and your service obligation.
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There are 4 paths to get commissioned:
1. USMA
2. OCS
3. ROTC
4. Direct Commission
Take your pick. I don’t want to be pessimistic but as you already know a college degree is a requirement for commissioning. Additionally, every now and then HRC publishes a MILPR with a maximum age for commissioning prior service; which I find kind of stupid. But it does. Now, whit the above mentioned list, there are 2 options that are No Go from the get-go, leaving you with only 2 other options. Then, where do you stand on their requirements?
1. USMA
2. OCS
3. ROTC
4. Direct Commission
Take your pick. I don’t want to be pessimistic but as you already know a college degree is a requirement for commissioning. Additionally, every now and then HRC publishes a MILPR with a maximum age for commissioning prior service; which I find kind of stupid. But it does. Now, whit the above mentioned list, there are 2 options that are No Go from the get-go, leaving you with only 2 other options. Then, where do you stand on their requirements?
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How close are you to a degree? If you are close, then wait for your degree and apply to OCS.
If you haven't started or are not very far along, you might consider applying to USMA/West Point. Up side is that it is about the best free education you can end with a network that will be there the rest of your life. The downside is the entry requirements are pretty stiff and it's competitive.
If someone has not mentioned it yet, if you can finish your degree in two years, the Army will pay you to go to school and commission on the Green to Gold program.
The last path is to ETS and attend college and go ROTC. If you chose that route, a couple of recommendations. Most ROTC programs will exempt prior service from the first two years of ROTC and let you join in the Junior year. I would also recommend enlisting in the Reserves or National Guard during your college years and do a Simultaneous Membership Program while you are in ROTC. Having been around the Guard, I will point out that most states offer additional educations benefits on top of all the GI Bill stuff. The advantage to either is that you get paid for Drill and Annual Training periods and you don't lose any TIS as long as you don't take a scholarship. You will already make more than maximum for LT's with no service as soon as you commission.
If you haven't started or are not very far along, you might consider applying to USMA/West Point. Up side is that it is about the best free education you can end with a network that will be there the rest of your life. The downside is the entry requirements are pretty stiff and it's competitive.
If someone has not mentioned it yet, if you can finish your degree in two years, the Army will pay you to go to school and commission on the Green to Gold program.
The last path is to ETS and attend college and go ROTC. If you chose that route, a couple of recommendations. Most ROTC programs will exempt prior service from the first two years of ROTC and let you join in the Junior year. I would also recommend enlisting in the Reserves or National Guard during your college years and do a Simultaneous Membership Program while you are in ROTC. Having been around the Guard, I will point out that most states offer additional educations benefits on top of all the GI Bill stuff. The advantage to either is that you get paid for Drill and Annual Training periods and you don't lose any TIS as long as you don't take a scholarship. You will already make more than maximum for LT's with no service as soon as you commission.
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SPC (Join to see)
Great information, Sir. If I may add (other experiences vary). A SM may encounter situations where NG/ROTC Events land on the same weekend. Your Unit and ROTC Command with both tell you they have more authority then the other and you must attend the weekend/event with them. Get both Commands in touch with each other obeying one can lead to punishment from the other. Remember with SMP one you are enlisted to the other you are not.
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CPT Lawrence Cable
SPC (Join to see) - I would have to check, but I believe that the ROTC would take precedent over drill weekend. I've had a couple of SMP's over my time in the service, if there was conflict, I would either excuse it or allow them to do a make up with the full timers.
Cadets aren't deployable, even SMP Cadets.
Cadets aren't deployable, even SMP Cadets.
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