Posted on Feb 26, 2014
1SG Telecommunications Operations Chief
19.4K
30
24
3
3
0
I understand HAAPs are not 100% guaranteed. Coming off of a special duty assignment, the BM took my requests (realistic ones) but said there was no availability. However, if i agreed to a one year unaccompanied tour to Korea he would give me HAAP to JBLM. I agreed and got the HAAP in black and white. The new branch manager replied to my status check for orders with "sorry we are not able to honor your HAAP. Requisitions for JBLM have been reduced. Pick 10 places you want to go and be realistic". I have never queationed an assignment ive been given. For the first time in my career i may go to my 1sg and CSM for assistance. Before i do, does anyone have experience with HAAPs that may help? Thanks in advance.
Posted in these groups: Korea Korea
Avatar feed
Responses: 10
SFC Steven Harvey
4
4
0
I think you better start planning SFC Holm, I love you like a brother and hope to get stationed with you again but out of 13 NCO's that have PCS'ed from Korea only 3 of them got their HAAP and it was Fort Hood.  Everyone else went somewhere different, and every cable dog in the company got orders to Fort Gordon.

I've already come to the conclusion that if I request anything it's going to have to be Fort Gordon and that is only because there should be hundreds of slots for us there.  Something happened this past year because when Branch came to come speak with us at my old unit they prioritized;

-Deploying Units
-Airborne Units
-Korea

They specifically said if you volunteer for one of these three you can get a HAAP of choice but to be quick about it because it won't last long.  I'm not ignorant, I knew I wouldn't get whatever I wanted but Fort Lewis shouldn't be overly difficult to get.  

Did you see if you could extend in Korea for a few months to get a slot at a future opening?  That's probably not what you want to hear but it could be a realistic solution and your wife get's another 300 bucks to spend for you!
(4)
Comment
(0)
SSG Battalion S6 Communications Ncoic
SSG (Join to see)
>1 y
SSG Harvey, I am about to do the same thing because my branch manager told me if I go to South Korea for 1 year or 2 years he will send me to Fort Gordon. I wish I could get Fort Gordon because it so close to family and if I get out I can start social networking and find me a job. I love being overseas and traveling ,but once you been away from family for a long time you start to wish you could see them more. Hopefully our Branch Manager will help us on that. BTW he denied me for Airborne as well so Airborne is out the question.
(0)
Reply
(0)
Avatar small
MSG Senior Telecommunications Operations Chief
2
2
0
Not sure what happened to you about this but seeing as how I am currently at JBLM and I am about to PCS to Korea. I think i can comment on this, because of MTOE changes and the loss of 4-2 SBCT a lot of slots are gone. I'm a 25W and they lost 3 of the 10 available slots that were here so I had to go and I just hit two years here.
(2)
Comment
(0)
CW3 Network Management Technician
CW3 (Join to see)
>1 y
When I PCS'ed to Korea I put in all the paperwork in the world to dis enroll from the HAAP because I didn't want to go back to Fort Bliss with every fiber of my being. You know what happened. I went back to Fort Bliss.
(0)
Reply
(0)
Avatar small
1SG First Sergeant
2
2
0
Edited >1 y ago

SFC Holm,

 

  Last week I wrote my branch manager about my HAAP and they said the same exact thing to me.  Here is the email

 

"

With all of the downsizing it is not going to be
available for your timeframe.  What
are your top ten assignment both CONUS and OCONUS and we'll try to make dreams come true, or at least manage
expectations!  Please feel free to contact me anytime!"

 



 



(2)
Comment
(0)
1SG First Sergeant
1SG (Join to see)
>1 y
by the way my HAAP was for JBLM
(1)
Reply
(0)
1SG Telecommunications Operations Chief
1SG (Join to see)
>1 y
Sounds like a cookie-cutter answer they learned in career counselor school. I didn't get the "dreams come true" part though haha. I was a recruiter before this, I know how the BS'ing works...
(1)
Reply
(0)
1SG First Sergeant
1SG (Join to see)
>1 y
SFC Holm, just took a look, you and me have the same branch manager
(1)
Reply
(0)
SGM Matthew Quick
SGM Matthew Quick
>1 y
SFC Holm,

Branch Managers do not attend the Army's Career Counselor Course (unless your the Branch Manager for Career Counselors).
(1)
Reply
(0)
Avatar small

Join nearly 2 million former and current members of the US military, just like you.

close