Can you reclass after BCT before AIT?

2020-12-19T21:01:29-05:00

Right now, I am in OSUT at Ft. Benning as an 11x. I am wondering if it is possible (like my D.S. and my P.L. have said) to reclass after BCT?

Background: Joining the military was never a question. It is something I have always felt God has wanted me to do. The question was what was I going to do in the military. I chose the infantry because I wanted to be there when people went through the darkest moments in their life. The real stuff. I wanted to be there with them and help them get out of those dark moments. Early during Basic, the Chaplain came in and gave a brief on Suicide Prevention and Awareness. After the brief about 80+ trainees wanted to speak to the Chaplain. It was in that moment that I knew if I wanted to have the impact I desired, that is where I needed to be. I felt that that is where God is calling me. An MOS that my family suggested I do from the first place but I, being stubborn, didn’t see the full impact a Chaplain can have. So, I spoke to my D.S. and he said, “Give me the first 9 weeks and I’ll make it happen.” Now, I can’t reclass straight into Chaplain as I don’t have a seminary degree, but what I am able to do is resclass to a 56M (Religious Affairs Specialist). This is something that more or less every Cadre at my company is tracking. Mainly because I have the nickname of Chaplain from the other trainees.

Steps:
1) Reclass to Religious Affairs Specialist
2) During my first contract (5 years) get a seminary degree.
3) Submit a Chaplain Packet.

Note: If it is possible, any advice on how to increase the likelihood would be appreciated.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 19 at 2020 9:05 PM

2020-12-19T21:05:27-05:00

I want you to think about this question and ask yourself the following questions:

1) What MOS is listed on your contract?
2) How long is your contract?
3) why would the Army allow you to reclass to a different MOS before you are IET complete?

The answer is hell no you can’t reclass before AIT. You must wait until your re-enlistment window which is a few years away

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 19 at 2020 9:07 PM

2020-12-19T21:07:11-05:00

SFC Private RallyPoint Member get a load of this question.....

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 19 at 2020 9:18 PM

2020-12-19T21:18:01-05:00

A previous post and requirements to become a Chaplain:

https://www.goarmy.com/chaplain/become-an-army-chaplain/requirements.html

https://www.rallypoint.com/answers/how-can-i-re-class-before-ait

Army Chaplain Requirements

As the spiritual leaders of the Army, Chaplains must be qualified morally and intellectually to provide Soldiers the free exercise of religion. On this page, you’ll learn about the requirements to become an Army Chaplain.

Response by SFC Kelly Fuerhoff made Dec 19 at 2020 9:18 PM

2020-12-19T21:18:47-05:00

You are not able to reclass before you go to AIT - you're going to finish training as infantry. You probably should have thought about this before you chose your MOS. Once you get to your first duty station, go find your unit's career counselor and find out when you can reclass.

From HRC: AR 614-200 (Enlisted Assignments and Utilization Management) and AR 601-280 (Army Retention Program) provide reenlistment/reclassification authorities a tool to manage reenlistments, extensions and reclassifications of enlisted Soldiers.

Check out the ARs. But um yeah you're not reclassing before you're out of IET.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 19 at 2020 10:31 PM

2020-12-19T22:31:50-05:00

You can not reclass until you are MOS qualified... and there is a very little chance you will get to reclass anytime soon. 11 series in under strengthed, I think.

Response by SGT Christopher Hayden made Dec 19 at 2020 10:37 PM

2020-12-19T22:37:59-05:00

I don't think your Drill Sergeants really have any idea what they are talking about. You joined the Army to become an Infantryman, signed a contract to be one, and you're in the middle of that right now. You can't just randomly switch to some other, much smaller, MOS. Imagine if everyone did that? It would be a logistical mess. I'm going to assume your only option at this point is to finish your 11X training, become an 11B or 11C, go on to your duty station, still work towards your degree, and when your reenlistment window opens up you can try and reclass to 56M if they have any open slots. God may be calling you to it, but the Army owns you now, not God. You're going to be an Infantryman for the time being.

Response by 1LT Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 19 at 2020 10:43 PM

2020-12-19T22:43:55-05:00

FYI: I am perfectly fine continuing as an Infantryman. If trying to get changed this early one doesn’t work out, it doesn’t work out. I’ll do the time, then reclass then. It really doesn’t bother me.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 19 at 2020 11:06 PM

2020-12-19T23:06:25-05:00

You probably can't reclass.

Before WWII my grandfather had completed seminary and all but took his vows to become a Catholic Priest. He changed his mind and joined the Army.

He fought in the Pacific like any other grunt/engineers and when happened upon dead and dying soldiers he would give them their last rights because Chaplains in those situations are not abundant enough.

God doesn't require you have the MOS.

Response by MCPO Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 19 at 2020 11:23 PM

2020-12-19T23:23:31-05:00

Two answers to this one.

CAN you? You bet! There are many ways this can happen.
Will you be ABLE to? Almost definitely not. You signed the contract and are presently filling a slot for an Infantryman, and unless something happens to you, you won't be able to switch voluntarily. This being said - my comment about "unless something happens to you" - should be read in the negative. If you no-go out of testing or break your spleen or something, you may either be processed out OR reclassed into what the Army needs. You wanna be a Chaplain's Assistant? Great - but if the Army needs cooks, guess what you're going to reclass into?

My recommendation - do your best to become the very best Infantryman you can be - and in 4-years, try to reenlist for your next choice in careers or get out and try to re-enter as a Ch-Asst. Good luck.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 20 at 2020 12:18 AM

2020-12-20T00:18:50-05:00

No. You are not MOS qualified, yet. Therefore you cannot voluntarily switch out. What can happen for you to switch MOSs are thus: Going thru 11B school, you flunk out (hard to do for Infantry) of AIT and get reclassed Needs of the Army. Go thru 11B school and get injured enough thru no fault of your own (very big key there), to where you can't physically be an Infantryman but can still do Soldier stuff and be reclassed Needs of the Army. The only other route I can think of is that you graduate AIT, do your time as an Infantryman, then reclass to Chaplains Assistant come reenlistment time. This, would be the better route because you would have first hand knowledge and experience to better help/assist those that need help/assistance.

Response by SSgt Christophe Murphy made Dec 20 at 2020 12:23 AM

2020-12-20T00:23:39-05:00

I wish you luck but I think your timeline may be unrealistic considering everything you need to achieve.

According to the Army’s guidance on becoming a Chaplain you require the schooling which will be most likely a Master of Divinity. And assuming you don’t currently have a Bachelors because you enlisted, you’ll need to knock that out before hand. That would take more than 5 years for the average full time student. Not someone working as a full time soldier. I’m not doubting your resolve but it quickly comes down to the amount of hours in a day and amount of credit hours in a semester.

In addition to education it states you need to have two years in the occupation by the time you apply to the Army.

Go ahead and reclass if/when you can if that’s where you want to be. I have some doubts that the DS can pull strings like he said but stranger things have happened. I would recommend going the MOS route that speaks to you even if you won’t be able to for a bit of time. Pursue your goals but you might hit some hurdles while in active duty.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 20 at 2020 12:38 AM

2020-12-20T00:38:18-05:00

“I chose the infantry because I wanted to be there when people went through the darkest moments in their life. The real stuff. I wanted to be there with them and help them get out of those dark moments. Early during Basic, the Chaplain came in and gave a brief on Suicide Prevention and Awareness. After the brief about 80+ trainees wanted to speak to the Chaplain”.

Are you saying that early during basic is the ‘darkest moments’...the ‘real stuff’?
Oh and also, while I’m not opposed to dreaming big, you should know Drill Sergeants are like recruiters. They’re not above lying to soldiers from time to time. Unfortunately, I wouldn’t count on a reclass after BCT if I were you.

Best of luck.

Response by SSG Brian G. made Dec 20 at 2020 2:17 AM

2020-12-20T02:17:08-05:00

*Cough* Politely and respectfully your DS and PL are full of crap. You signed on the dotted line and swore an oath. Means that from that point on you are locked into being Infantry in one of two MOS. Depending on your contract initial AD length will determine when you can reclass to Religious Affairs Specialist.

Here is your BEST course. Suck it up, finish basic and go on to finish Infantry school. Then move on to your first duty station. While there pursue your seminary degree. At the point where you are approached to re-enlist, submit to reclass to 56M and keep on trucking with your seminary degree. Once you complete that, drop a Chaplain packet.

Response by SGT Russell Wickham made Dec 20 at 2020 7:31 AM

2020-12-20T07:31:48-05:00

Not trying to be mean, not trying to dis anyone, but your recruiters and DS have no clue. They will tell you anything you want to hear to get you through training and on to your next unit. It's dirty, yes, but their job is to graduate as many capable trigger pullers as possible, not to coddle the whims of every disillusioned COD player who finds out the army isn't like the video games. Not being mean to you, I think your goals are admirable, but you're being fed a line of bull. Your window for Reenlistment opens in about 3 years, and at that point, you can change MOS.

As a servant of God, turn over your situation to Him, and serve Him to the best of your ability in your current situation. When the pressure comes off after OSUT, don't let your faith go with it. Take advantage of tuition assistance, but make sure the school knows you'll have some crazy schedules (gone to the field for a month at a time, at least 4 times a year), and get your degree. Go ahead and drop that Chaplain packet as soon as you have your degree.

Response by CSM Darieus ZaGara made Dec 20 at 2020 9:00 AM

2020-12-20T09:00:07-05:00

You cannot reclassify between training requirements. You will complete all of your training, go to your first assignment and after a year or two, check with your inservice recruiter/retention NCO, they will be able to tell you what is available. Until then enjoy it, as you said, it was never a question.

Response by SPC Bradly Martin made Dec 20 at 2020 11:12 AM

2020-12-20T11:12:13-05:00

Good lord..

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 20 at 2020 11:38 AM

2020-12-20T11:38:37-05:00

That won’t happen. You’ll need to finish your training and wait until you are eligible to reclass. I would finish my training and then work on the seminary degree. I know an infantryman who is studying to become a chaplain.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 20 at 2020 2:03 PM

2020-12-20T14:03:45-05:00

No, you cannot. Your DS is 100% incorrect in this regard. You probably won't be able to reclass to 56M later on either, and you don't need to. You need to review the requirements to be a Chaplain and being a 56M is not one of them. I've met lots of Chaplains who were former 11B, and have never yet met one who was a former 56M.

If you want to be a good Chaplain you'll have a lot more impact counseling these young, distraught combat arms Soldiers when you've gone through the same hardships they have as an 11B. It's only when you walk in someone else's boots that you can really understand their pain. The best Chaplains I've worked with were all former NCOs and served in combat arms. If you really believe you have a higher calling to be a Chaplain, you'll want to be the best Chaplain you can be.

The requirements for being a Chaplain are a Bachelor degree, a Master degree in Theology or Religious studies, and formal sponsorship by a denomination or religion (depending on your religion). Being a 56M will not get you any closer to those, it won't make it easier, and it won't make you any more likely to be selected or sponsored. Once you get to your unit immediately start working on your degree and get with your Chaplain to talk about sponsorship, scholarships, and commissioning process.

Response by SGM Bill Frazer made Dec 20 at 2020 5:02 PM

2020-12-20T17:02:18-05:00

Jesus wept- NO, unless you fail, but the service has spent time/money and resources on you thinking that they have an 11B in the pipeline. Also OSUT is both BCT and AIT, you will move to different barrack, training are but you won't leave Benning.

Response by 1SG Frank Boynton made Dec 20 at 2020 7:04 PM

2020-12-20T19:04:13-05:00

The only basic trainees I trained that reclassified during BCT, and there were only 2 that I can remember, reclassified because they failed their security clearance. One was a female who was supposed to go to some top secret communication school at Ft Huachuca, but her security clearance didn’t come through in time so she was a hold over for about 4 weeks. When it did come in her clearance was denied. She ended up going to Cook School right there on Ft. Dix. The other one I remember, another female who was supposed to go to some school that required secret clearance, I think it was interpreter school, got reclassified as a truck driver. I think hers was a compassionate reassignment. Not sure though. This was 1981-1983 timeframe.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 25 at 2020 7:59 PM

2020-12-25T19:59:39-05:00

Daniel-

Upon near completion of your initial contract, your unit career counselor or company retention NCO may approach you to see if you’d like to re-enlist to continue serving, this is a crucial moment in your career where you can either; 1: Reclass to another MOS depending on availability (research army In/Out calls) for skill level and MOS. 2; Pick next duty assignment, 3: pick a military school you’d like to attend.

At this moment, you’re not able to reclass, unless cadre feel that you’re not capable of doing your current MOS and meet physical demands (I.e, you getting injured or fail to complete AIT) from there they can separate you from the military, or pick a less demanding MOS for you.

Furthermore, you can always become a chaplain without being a 56M, it just requires you to put in time and effort to complete the requirements to become a chaplain candidate. So think of it as an investment in yourself if you have to pay out of pocket for college.

Best of luck

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 26 at 2020 9:47 PM

2020-12-26T21:47:39-05:00

No, but check this out.

Stay as an infantryman. Follow the same steps for 2 and 3 you are going to have MUCH more time.

Response by TSgt Byron Williams made Apr 10 at 2022 5:44 AM

2022-04-10T05:44:57-04:00

If the most is understaffed you can switch, I've spoken to a few Chaplin's Asst air Force and Army. The people I met loved the career field. No kicking down doors you are the Chaplin's protection in the field. Your course has a lot to do with body guarding.

Response by TSgt Byron Williams made Apr 10 at 2022 5:47 AM

2022-04-10T05:47:35-04:00

You need a 4 year degree but most Chaplin's continue to a Masters degree.