Advice for a Specialist in their Secondary Zone who Is at a crossroad in their Army career regarding promotion board?

2020-08-27T18:28:09-04:00

I’m at a crossroad in my army career as a specialist in my secondary zone. I don’t know what to do regarding going to the board. I have no wanting to promote and I don’t want to lose opportunities but I haven’t worked my primary MOS in over a year. I don’t feel I would make a good leader in my MOS as a 91J since I have no knowledge in it and I just hate the MOS I have. I’ve been working as a orderly clerk and I excel in it. I did try to switch my MOS to 42A but I don’t have enough time to do so before moving to a new duty station and then having to wait a year to be considered to switch. At that point I’ll be looking to get out most likely. I’m three years in and I have a little less than three years to go. I hate not have options but I feel cornered and I don’t have much room to really grow in a direction that would actually allow me to grow as a leader and person. Does anyone have any advice for my situation? At this point the only idea I have is let them bar me and get out on my ETS date. Thank you.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 27 at 2020 6:33 PM

2020-08-27T18:33:12-04:00

Have you thought about going to the Reserves or Guard? You may be able to switch MOSs that way.

Response by CW2 Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 27 at 2020 7:14 PM

2020-08-27T19:14:46-04:00

If you're getting out then there's your answer. Otherwise there are options like Warrant Officer, ARSOF, SFAB, Great Skills and Attache.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 27 at 2020 8:19 PM

2020-08-27T20:19:25-04:00

Go to the board, promote, and ride out your last 1.5 years, even if you aren't in love with what you're doing, then ETS with an RE1. The military is full of people who were never going to reenlist or were getting out for good. Give yourself that option in case life doesn't go the way you planned it. If nothing else, it will give you peace of mind to know that you always have it to fall back on. Rallypoint is full of people asking how they can re-enlist with an RE-3.

Response by SGT(P) Christopher Poole made Aug 27 at 2020 8:41 PM

2020-08-27T20:41:08-04:00

After reading your post twice..
Go to the Board my guy. You may not love your MOS or know everything, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t improve in the areas or be a good leader in general.

I’m not fully understanding your statement that you have to wait to switch mos. If you’re within you’re Re-Enlist window, You should still be able to Reclass with your P status or without (depending on the SRB report). Some MOS would like Promotables/NCOs and some won’t, worry about that bridge when you cross it. If you aren’t within your window, take a look into the voluntary reclass method or drop a packet for G2Gold or specifically ops career interest maybe?

Don’t stress yourself too much. Put your timeline and thoughts on paper, think about what you want whether that is to continue serving or get out. Then move accordingly.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 27 at 2020 9:27 PM

2020-08-27T21:27:20-04:00

If you get barred for not promoting you will not be allowed to ETS, you will be chaptered out for failing to overcome a bar. You are required to attend a promotion board upon entering primary zone, it's not an option. I'm not sure who you talked to about not having time before a PCS for a reclass, that doesnt sound right. Go talk to a retention NCO, just because you are not in your reup window doesnt mean you can't talk to them.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 28 at 2020 1:54 AM

2020-08-28T01:54:13-04:00

Everything you’ve said is wrong, just very wrong. You have been grossly misinformed about everything. If you don’t plan to reenlist, no big deal just ETS. Everyone gets out eventually, start the STLTAP process now. If you were to reclass you would have to reenlist anyway. All reclasses are conducted in a TDY enroute status, so if you reclass you will be adding time to your contract. I think you have misunderstood the reclass rules for OCONUS as they were explained to you. First, you cannot reclass to 42A because they are over strength. Second, your career counselor must find a school date that matches up closely to your DEROS date. It’s almost impossible to find a job you want, a job you qualify for, a job that has class seats, and those class seats are within a small window to your DEROS. In three years OCONUS I never reclassed anyone who wasn’t an application MOS like SF of CI. You’re better off waiting till you get to your new unit and Reclassing once you’ve been on station a year. But as you’ve said, you can’t wait that long, you have bigger plans and within two years you will be on to bigger and better things in the civilian sector so I understand the Army can’t offer you any to compete with that.
As for the Bar for the board, I suggest you read the promotion regulation and the Army Directive entitled retaining a quality NCO Corps. You are not even eligible to attend the board without a waiver. If your command is pushing you to attend the board in your secondary zone it means they believe in you enough to waive the minimum requirements for you to attend. The bar only applies to people approaching MLI which isn’t for almost two years for you.

Stop painting yourself as a victim, you have lots of choices. Just because they aren’t the choices you want doesn’t mean you are without choices. If you want to reclass it means added time in the Army. Whether you reclass now or later, it’s added time. If not, then ETS. No one is forcing you to do anything other than complete the terms of your initial contract.

Response by CW4 Craig Urban made Aug 28 at 2020 2:40 AM

2020-08-28T02:40:49-04:00

Number one is your secondary MOS. Not zone. I had a primary MOS of 76P and secondary as a 76Y. Stock Control and Unit Supply. I drew Pro Pay in my primary for 6 years. I used to teach how to pass a pro pay test at Fort Carson. I also taught PLL first at Fort Carson to the reserves. After 3 months I went to HR and said I am misassigned and want to be in my correct mos. They assigned me to the DMMC. The critical job however was more important than me inputting data. The Division PBO a CW3 Put me on Team 5. DISCOM. They were short a warrant so it was me and an MSG. My first job as a warrant officer was a PBO for Big Windy (180th Aviation Company (CBT)

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 28 at 2020 5:51 AM

2020-08-28T05:51:25-04:00

Just do your time and get out. If you’re dead set on getting out regardless, who cares what you’re doing for the remainder of the time. If the Army allows you to switch your job, they want something in return, time. And you don’t want to give that time, so just get out.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 28 at 2020 7:23 AM

2020-08-28T07:23:49-04:00

This is the most ridiculous post I think I’ve read on here. Just get out.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 28 at 2020 3:23 PM

2020-08-28T15:23:32-04:00

Fellow 91J here, first thing you have options. Always remember that especially as a 91J. Your 3 years in your secondary zone and you hate your job. That's fine and typical for our Mos. I didn't even do my job until 3 years and in South Korea. The easiest way to go to is to ETS very simple and start looking at other options. Now the hard part, wait your turn and what I mean by that is if 42A is what you want to do and retention says you need to stay at your current duty for another year, then that's what you need to do. We've all been in that situation when dealing with retention or HRC. My best advice to you as a fellow 91J who is promotable and literally almost sitting at 600 promotions point. Is to just relax your career is still very young and you can change your MOS as soon as your window opens up. Have a plan and continue to pursue that plan even if it means giving the Army what it wants and just sitting at the duty station and deploying or training or going to college for career progression. As soon as I pick up and I get my promotable status for E6 I plan on switching my Mos 79s Career Counselor. It's too late to be upset at your job choice, take this time to do a fast class to get your ASVAB scores higher if you need it.