How long does it take to get a DA71 and an offer letter from HRC for a direct commission into the Army Reserves?

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 14 Nov 2024 20:08:58 -0500

I am awaiting a DA 71 and offer letter from HRC for a direct commission into the army reserves. All other paper work is in.
Does any one know an average time frame it takes for HRC to publish this?

Thank you.

Response by COL Randall C. made Nov 14 at 2024 10:47 PM

COL Randall C. — Thu, 14 Nov 2024 22:47:43 -0500

"Waiting for an offer letter" - I assume that means you haven't gotten a notification that the board selected you.

Your DA 71 is used to record your taking of the Oath of Office as an officer which won't happen until the end of a sequence of events.

Once the board selects an individual for a direct commision, their packet is sent up to HQDA. The commissioning packet will wind it's way through various organizations and finally will be transferred to a "scroll" which is sent to OSD for the Secretary's signature. Once your scroll has been approved, it goes back down to HQDA and is routed over to the G1/HRC. HRC will then generate appointment orders for you.

At that point, the process for you to actually be appointed as an officer will vary depending on if you're going RA, USAR or ARNG and could vary from doing it on the first day of the Direct Commissioning Course, going to your recruiter's office and being sworn in there, or even a "do it yourself" process where you find someone eligible to swear you in and send the paperwork back to HRC.

The last part I wouldn't worry about - you'll be told how you're going to get sworn in.

For the first part - after board selection it's a waiting game and can vary from a few months to "Are you kidding me!!". Although it TYPICALLY is about 6-7 months, I know some DC officers that were waiting close to two years from the time the board met (not from the time they were notified ... that was a bit over a year).
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* For your purposes, you can think of a 'scroll' as a document with you and other soon-to-be officers sent to the SECDEF for his signature (the President is the one with the authority to give original appointments to officers, but the authority for appointments up to O-3 (O-5 for RC) have been delegated to the SECDEF).