I am Army Reserve and I'd like to switch to Active Duty. I am in AIT with 11 weeks until I graduate. How would I go about doing that?

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 27 Dec 2018 21:45:59 -0500

How would I go about requesting the switch? Would I talk to my Reserve unit, my recruiter or my AIT sergeants?

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 27 at 2018 9:56 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 27 Dec 2018 21:56:38 -0500

You have to talk to an active duty recruiter. They will tell you to get a conditional release signed by your unit.
Realistically, your unit is probably not going to release you after they've just recruited and trained you. They will probably want at least a year out of you. Getting released varies by unit so you'll have to ask at your unit.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 27 at 2018 10:03 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 27 Dec 2018 22:03:59 -0500

First complete your AIT and give your Reserve unit six months and talk to an Active Duty recruiter about going Active Duty through a Conditional Release.

Response by SGT Marcus Aguirre made Dec 28 at 2018 12:04 AM

SGT Marcus Aguirre — Fri, 28 Dec 2018 00:04:52 -0500

Like some of the other comments stated. The switch will largely be determined by your reserve unit. They will decide to release you or not from your reserve contract. It varies unit to unit but they wont be eager to release you if you have barely graduated AIT. I know plenty of people with horror stories of trying to switch from reserve to active and have to wait over and year with some of them still waiting to be released.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 28 at 2018 12:23 AM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 28 Dec 2018 00:23:01 -0500

Getting a conditional release will depend on the type of unit you are in and your command. I have seen a few condition releases approved for Soldier's to go active duty and the process took over 6 months. Contact an active duty recruiter and your unit. Good luck!

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 28 at 2018 12:33 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 28 Dec 2018 00:33:39 -0500

As stated on other comments, speak with your unit and an active duty recruiter. It all boils down to your unit giving you a conditional release. Good luck. It will be a process.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 28 at 2018 2:13 AM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 28 Dec 2018 02:13:28 -0500

Unless your unit is completely full of your mos and wont have much need for you i doubt you will get your conditional release but if they say sure you can go then you will have to go through a actice duty recruiter which is pretty much like re signing up i can give you some advice because I actually just did this from the reserves and joing AD dec 10 of this month so i have alot of knowledge on what it takes and a big step is reasoning if you got to sell it a little bit do it. Things like being in financial need of going usually works as they won’t sit he nd watch you be broke and struggling. Anymore questions feel free to hit me up im happy to help.

Response by SGT Eric Davis made Dec 28 at 2018 2:24 PM

SGT Eric Davis — Fri, 28 Dec 2018 14:24:55 -0500

Contact your unit and ask can they release you. Tell them you got a hardship and you need it to benefit your family. Considering they are the ones who paid for your training your need to convince them why they need to release you to go active!

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 28 at 2018 3:49 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 28 Dec 2018 15:49:07 -0500

Get to your unit first and see how you like being in the reserves.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 14 at 2019 11:54 AM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 14 Jan 2019 11:54:15 -0500

First get to the unit, spend a year there and make a good impression. Afterwards you have to get a conditional release signed by the commander, you can talk to a active duty recruiter but without a conditional release they cannot do much from my understanding. Also before making any rash decisions spend time with the unit, see how you like the reserves, everyone says they want to go active when they are in AIT.