Is it possible for a newly commissioned officer (via ROTC) in the ARNG to go AD if someone in his class recycles?

Cadet 1LT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 08 Oct 2018 23:45:47 -0400

Current Situation:
I am currently a contracted cadet in his 3rd year of college. I signed a 3yr MinuteMan scholarship to go into the National Guard after commissioning. I do not want to go ARNG after college and want AD. However, my contract does not allow me to go AD. I have been told that if someone recycles in my BOLC class and they have an AD slot then I can take it and go AD after BOLC. Is this true?
Is it possible for a newly commissioned officer (via ROTC) in the ARNG to go AD if someone in his class recycles? Is it possible to get an AD slot even after commissioning through ROTC during BOLC?

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 8 at 2018 11:49 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 08 Oct 2018 23:49:27 -0400

This is news to me but if someone recycles at BOLC then they just go to the next class and go to their unit after. You have to assess active duty to get active duty. If you took the minuteman scholarship it’s solely up to your state if you go Active Duty.

Response by COL Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 8 at 2018 11:53 PM

COL Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 08 Oct 2018 23:53:59 -0400

Ha! No. That’s not to say that it can’t happen because anything can happen in the Army. But there is a 99.9% chance you will have to serve your time in the Guard. After you have completed BOLC and get back to your unit you can apply to go on active duty if your branch is open to that. You signed a contract to go in the Guard. Once you get your branch assignment contact that branch and inquire but it’s a very thin chance.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 8 at 2018 11:59 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 08 Oct 2018 23:59:04 -0400

Could be a possibility but very unlikely. You will have to look for opportunities via the Call to Active Duty (CAD) program. I’d recommend asking at BOLC it doesn’t hurt, but most likely you will have to keep an eye out for a MILPER message when CAD needs LTs that have completed BOLC for the branches they need. Looks like as of now they need aviation LTs that have completed BOLC. Best of luck. https://www.hrc.army.mil/content/Call%20to%20Active%20Duty%20Program

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Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 8 at 2018 11:59 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 08 Oct 2018 23:59:21 -0400

HRC Homepage

Toll-Free: 1-888-ARMY-HRC (1-888-276-9472) DSN: 983-9500 AskHRC

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 9 at 2018 12:00 AM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 09 Oct 2018 00:00:19 -0400

Hopefully some of the S1 types will comment on this, but overall this sounds like a bunch of nonsense to me. Your best bet to go AD would be to see if you can opt out of the Minuteman Scholarship. If this is an option you would likely have to pay back whatever money you've received so far. You'll probably ruffle some feathers as well. The other option would be to seek a conditional release after commissioning. It can be done, but you'll have to be released by your state. I personally know 2 ARNG Officers who have transferred to AD in the last 18 months. Having taken a scholarship it is unlikely they'll do so, but not impossible.

Another option you could consider is the AGR program. Typically you need to be at least a CPT before you enter the program, so there would be a delay in eligibility for you. However, it is active duty for all intents and purposes short of which section of US code you fall under.

Response by SGT Rodrigo Contreras made Oct 9 at 2018 12:15 AM

SGT Rodrigo Contreras — Tue, 09 Oct 2018 00:15:42 -0400

I would make this recommendation: learn about ADSW/ADOS Orders. Take as many of those assignments as possible and try to get a conditional release to Active Duty without burning a bridge.

Response by LTC John Mohor made Oct 9 at 2018 12:44 AM

LTC John Mohor — Tue, 09 Oct 2018 00:44:59 -0400

I think that recycle story is a myth. I do recal a reserve or national guard officer "earning" an active duty slot into active duty. As I recall he was in the top 10% of our OBC Course( modern day BOLC). Do your absolute best in all you're striving to do!

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 9 at 2018 6:15 AM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 09 Oct 2018 06:15:29 -0400

If you want to go AD, try to get out of the Minuteman. Having spent a lot of time in the NG, some in the USAR, and a good amount of both of those on AD, I’d say just start talking to your Chain of Command NOW about what you want. Don’t take no for an answer, but make sure you know your facts, and always be a model of good military bearing. There are ways to get out of the scholarship...but you might have to pay it back. If you don’t want to do that, then I’d recommend doing everything you can to find ADOS work or a unit that is deploying. This will build your AD time while you wait for the time that your state will release you.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 9 at 2018 7:19 AM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 09 Oct 2018 07:19:09 -0400

No that’s not true, you signed a contract with the National Guard, that obligates you to the NG for a number of years regardless of BOLC graduation date. You could request a conditional release to go through the call to active duty program. However I’m not sure if the program is open to 2LTs.

Response by 2LT Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 9 at 2018 8:07 AM

2LT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 09 Oct 2018 08:07:48 -0400

Going active duty from the ARNG is a tough process. When you are assessed into the ARNG, you are given a Letter of Acceptance to your ARNG unit. You cannot go active duty unless you go through the process of putting in a packet to go active which takes about 6 months

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 9 at 2018 10:22 AM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 09 Oct 2018 10:22:51 -0400

No your BOLC class has nothing to do with your ARNG scholarship. You chose to accept money from your State to pay for your college. In order to get out of your obligation to your state, you will need your State's permission, likely meaning a GO will need to release you and you'd have to pay back your scholarship money, however this is unlikely because unless your State happens to be overstrength, they won't even consider it. You'll need to pick up a CALL to active duty program application several years from now when your ARNG service obligation expires.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 9 at 2018 2:56 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 09 Oct 2018 14:56:30 -0400

If you were on a State NG Scholarship during ROTC, you'll have to serve whatever the commitment is to serve in the NG. If you elect to go AD, you'll have to pay back your entire cost of attendance while on scholarship. I know- my prior Company Commander in Iraq went AD when he graduated and had to pay it all back. Once he got off AD- he then served in the Guard until his commitment was up (8 years I think).

You can't go AD while on School Active Duty Orders- they'll specifically state, not to access into the Active Army.

Best be for you would be to be mobilized or on some type of ADOS Orders at the state or at NGB (US Capitol Region) after you graduate BOLC. If you ask around, you could find some opportinities most likely.

Response by CPT Ray Gilmore made Oct 10 at 2018 12:45 AM

CPT Ray Gilmore — Wed, 10 Oct 2018 00:45:43 -0400

Not what you want to hear..... And, in could be wrong.....

But, NG scholarships are state based.... thus, you have contracted with the state to fill their slot....

Ditching that contract, is not going to be looked upon favorably.....

Volunteer for AGR positions and do the full time thing. Work towards switching to active duty down the line....

You're not getting out of it, and your just going to piss off your incoming CoC, because you have the perception of thinking you are better than them....

Tread lightly, young padawan.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 11 at 2018 8:52 AM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 11 Oct 2018 08:52:35 -0400

Cadet 1LT Private RallyPoint Member , you must first complete your Military Service Obligation (MSO) associated with your GRFD scholarship by serving eight years in the National Guard, then you may apply for the Call to Active Duty Program (CAD) through HRC.

AGREEMENT OF GRFD SCHOLARSHIP, CC Form 203-R:
As a GRFD Scholarship Cadet (including Military Junior College cadets), I agree to the following:
3.c.: " I may not revoke this GRFD endorsement and apply for accession into active duty"
3.d: "If I am a Dedicated Army National Guard Scholarship Cadet (including Military Junior College (MJC) cadets), I further understand and agree that upon commissioning, my military service obligation, after an initial ADT period, can only be fulfilled through service in the Army National Guard (ARNG)."

Response by 1LT Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 16 at 2018 10:48 AM

1LT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 16 Oct 2018 10:48:40 -0400

I have not heard of an ARNG Officer transitioning into AD while attending BOLC. If you want to assess, and commission into AD, I recommend researching the options that were previously provided in this thread. Additionally, begin exploring MOBCOP Tour of Duty at a CAC-enabled computer at your ROTC center, or at a local recruiter’s office if you plan ahead, and ask nicely. If you commission into the ARNG, I recommend volunteering for ADOS positions through MOBCOP Tour of Duty, as well as keeping an eye on HRC’s latest MILPERs, of which the Call to Active Duty (CAD) program is announced. That would be your best opportunity, especially if you do commission into the ARNG.

Do look into the opportunities that your state has with the ARNG. You may be surprised, and you might be interested in what there is to offer, e.g. ADOS tours, potential deployments, State Partnership Program, et cetera.