Is it possible to volunteer to deploy with a different unit than the one to which you're assigned, even if it is at another duty station?

2019-09-29T16:03:37-04:00

Is it possible to volunteer to deploy on active duty even if the unit that is deployed or deploying is not at your duty station or your unit?

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 29 at 2019 4:30 PM

2019-09-29T16:30:31-04:00

No, if it were possible the majority of the army would all be deployed at one time.
The army deploys as a unit, and the unit trains together and prepares for the deployment as one organization. That process it takes several months to complete.
There are vacancies that are posted that you can volunteer to fill, but at your rank and MOS you won't qualify for any of those until you are a Sergeant First Class

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 29 at 2019 7:14 PM

2019-09-29T19:14:03-04:00

The only time is when there is a shortage. This is really rare in the regular Army. They Army will send Soldiers to a deploying unit prior to their departure.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 30 at 2019 5:49 AM

2019-09-30T05:49:04-04:00

Sure, you can volunteer to do anything you want.
Buuutt...prepare yourself for a hard “no”. And then prepare yourself for some interactions like this;
PSG: ‘Private, raise your hand’
You: *slowly, nervously raises hand’
PSG: ‘Look at that! We got ourselves a volunteer! The sh*tters need cleaning, get going. Thanks, hero! That’s 6 days in a row!”
PSG:(mutters under his breath) “volunteer to leave the unit...good lord”

Seriously, what you’re asking really isn’t a thing at your rank. Best advice is to make your time in your unit the best it can be.

Best of luck.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 30 at 2019 11:20 AM

2019-09-30T11:20:58-04:00

You could call branch and ask, I had a friend a few years back who used to bother them every month about WIAS (World Wide Individual Augmentee System) trying to get a deployment. He was a PFC at the time too. They kept telling him NO! and even if he could, he needed to be at his current duty station for at least a year. I don't mean to beat a dead horse here but its probably not gonna happen.