What would be the process of commissioning in the Army if I EAS from the Marine Corps at 9 years and 9 months as an E-5?

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 28 Feb 2018 17:45:58 -0500

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 28 at 2018 5:49 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 28 Feb 2018 17:49:21 -0500

There's 3 commissioning routes: ROTC - Bachelors or a 2yr masters, OCS - federal or national guard, or direct commission - AMEDD, JAG, Chaplain, Cyber.

Do any of those stand out to you? SSgt Private RallyPoint Member

Response by COL Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 28 at 2018 7:58 PM

COL Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 28 Feb 2018 19:58:51 -0500

Depending on your age you may be too old for ROTC. Only option may be OCS if your not in a special field with direct commission. Check the rules that may apply to you.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 28 at 2018 8:14 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 28 Feb 2018 20:14:44 -0500

Some more details could help. As stated by others, there are a couple of options available to you, most likely ROTC or OCS. Age waivers are pretty common, but highly dependent on the Army's needs at that moment. You will likely need an Active Federal Service waiver, but that is also a common thing. I believe this would only be required if you were active duty, but I could be wrong.

Both sources would require you to complete your degree, so depending on where you are in that process it may be faster to attend college outright and weigh your options during your time there. This gives you the option of pursuing a contract leading to OCS after graduation, or signing up for ROTC and contracting through that route during your tenure.

I would also suggest it is highly dependent on your goals. Do you intend to go reserve or guard? Do you intend to do the full 20 and beyond at this point? What are your goals with your civilian education? Those questions kind of paint a roadmap for where you want to end up, which helps dictate the path to get there.

I was fortunate enough to be selected for Green to Gold ADO right around your timeline, and have direct contact with many others who came straight through OCS if you have any other questions.

Response by SGM Bill Frazer made Feb 28 at 2018 8:16 PM

SGM Bill Frazer — Wed, 28 Feb 2018 20:16:43 -0500

Past service/rank means nothing for commissioning. Having a degree, graduating from a qualified commission source/school ROTC. Or perhaps enlisting and then attending OCS

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 28 at 2018 8:41 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 28 Feb 2018 20:41:15 -0500

Don't have an answer to your question but, I wanted to let you know that, The best XO I had in the 82nd ABN 2/505th Inf. 1974, was a former Marine who change over to the Army.
When asked why he change services, he quoted, "I just wanted to Jump out of airplanes more."
And tell you what, he was a much better officer then alot of the new Lt.'s out of West Point, I ever had. Salute!

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Mar 1 at 2018 12:05 AM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Thu, 01 Mar 2018 00:05:13 -0500

I'm just curious, must it be USMC? Also, I'm assuming youre getting your bachelors...in what major, and with what GPA, if you'd care to say? I only ask as I'd just found your circumstances of interest, when I'd been at USAF OTS, there were numerous others there who'd been prior enlisted in other services, which clearly helped them immensely...I was just wondering if you'd considered other services as well, and what field and/or branch you'd wanted, ultimately, if you'd be able to elaborate at all, many thanks....

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Mar 1 at 2018 12:06 AM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Thu, 01 Mar 2018 00:06:06 -0500

Immsorru, I'd meant, must it be Army, sorry for the mixup, I just noticed the mistake...had you thought about other services as well at all?

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Mar 1 at 2018 12:07 AM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Thu, 01 Mar 2018 00:07:09 -0500

Not, of course, that it's a bad thought, certainly, I just find such interservice changeovers of interest, that's all, honest....

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Mar 1 at 2018 12:09 AM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Thu, 01 Mar 2018 00:09:09 -0500

Actually, one guy at USAF OTS was actually a CMSgt, going for O-1, which I actually found pretty amazing that he was doing it, I think he'd been in for some period as a real fast burner, that let him make CMSgt below the zone, as I recall, when he was attending in my first class, I finished with the class after that one....

Response by LTC Jason Mackay made Mar 1 at 2018 2:55 PM

LTC Jason Mackay — Thu, 01 Mar 2018 14:55:28 -0500

Are you able to make the age ceiling? Which commissioning source? ROTC or OCS?

Response by CPT Lawrence Cable made Mar 2 at 2018 7:27 AM

CPT Lawrence Cable — Fri, 02 Mar 2018 07:27:45 -0500

If you are serious about this and from reading your other comments that you are going to college when you get out, my recommendation would be to join an Army Reserve or National Guard unit and stay affiliated for your first two years of school, then join ROTC as a SMP(Simultaneous Membership Program ) in your Junior year. Being prior service will exempt you from the first two years, the reserve membership still counts for TIS, plus you get paid for Drills. Then you complete the last two years of ROTC and commission.
I already had a 4 years degree when I enlisted, so when I decided to pursue a commission, OCS was the only route open to me. I will comment that Basic Training, or in my case OSUT, was a lot more fun than OCS.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 2 at 2018 10:08 AM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 02 Mar 2018 10:08:22 -0500

Do you already have your degree? That will impact my answer. I ETS'd from the Marines after 5 years, enrolled in college and joined Army ROTC. But if you already have a degree obviously you can't do that. Unless you want to get another degree.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 4 at 2018 6:49 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 04 Mar 2018 18:49:32 -0500

AR 601-210

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 6 at 2018 7:41 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 06 Mar 2018 19:41:20 -0500

What are prominent low density jobs on the enlisted side? If I end up not having my bachelor's done before I EAS I plan to switch over to the enlisted ranks of the Army to finish my bachelor's and utilize the Green to Gold program to Commission. I want to be sure whichever job I switch to I will have time to in fact finish my degree ASAP, any suggestions? The recruiter I talked to said the low density jobs change year-to-year but currently refuelers, rocketeers, and truck drivers have the least working hours. I just find it hard to believe that truck drivers have flexible and minimal hours of work. Coming from the Marine Corps those guys are always coming in early and staying late.