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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.
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.
Reclass
Infantry OSUT (11B)
56M: Chaplain Assistant
Posted 4 y ago
Responses: 24
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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.
Stay as an infantryman. Follow the same steps for 2 and 3 you are going to have MUCH more time.
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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
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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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*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.
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.
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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.
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.
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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.
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.
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