Help - Prior Service Possibly getting back in

Antrim · Post by **Antrim** » June 1st, 2004, 10:07 am

As explained in my intro, I'm prior service. I went through option 40 the first time around back in '90, and did not pass RIP either of the times I went through (12/90 - 13/90).

I'm currently staring unemployement in the face, and an absolutely horrible job market. I am waiting to hear back on a job I interviewed for last week. If that doesn't pan out, there isn't much else around here and I'm seriously thinking of getting back in. I'd like one more crack at making a Bat, even at a later age. Fuck it, you only live once. I have questions but before that, here's some background:

I'm 32
I was Airborne Qualified during my prior enlistment
I was in from Jan '90 - May '94
I went in 11B1P, was honorably discharged as 11M1P
I had a clean record, no article 15's or anything, I was squeeky clean

Now for the questions:

1: Can an old dog get an option 40 on his contract? Quite frankly I'll be damned if I enlist in the Army to do anything else.

2: Would I have to go through Jump School again, or is there a refresher? I thought I'd heard somewhere that there's a refresher that you can take.

3: I don't remember because it's been so long, but what are the APFT requirements for RIP? Does everyone have to meet the standards of the youngest age bracket or do they allow you to meet the old fogie standards? Not that it matters, but if it comes to my re-upping, I'll need a lot of preperation and I'd like to plan accordingly. I guess the smart thing would be to say fuck it and plan for the youngest age group.

4: Do I have to take the ASVAB again?

I'm sure there are a few I'm forgetting. Any other info anyone can provide would be fantastic.

hit_it · Post by **hit_it** » June 1st, 2004, 1:15 pm

you will not have OP40 on your contract. you get to come back as an 11B1P but you may have to attend OSUT again. be prepared. now what happens in OSUT is on you, maybe someone will recommend you for RIP. it just ain't happening at MEPS.

you will do all processing again. ASVAB, MEPS...

you will not have to attend jump school again. hope you kept your proof.

i seem to eat this prior service thing to death all the time.

welcome back to the team.

Antrim · Post by **Antrim** » June 1st, 2004, 1:21 pm

Not OPT40? Aw hell, unemployement never looked so good! Thank you for your answers and help though. I appreciate it. I'm just not looking to go back to a regular Leg unit. Been there, done that. Can't do it again, unless of course I get called up.

:(

Earthpig · Post by **Earthpig** » June 1st, 2004, 1:33 pm

Antrim wrote:Not OPT40? Aw hell, unemployement never looked so good! Thank you for your answers and help though. I appreciate it. I'm just not looking to go back to a regular Leg unit. Been there, done that. Can't do it again, unless of course I get called up.

:(

Why not look into SF? They needed medics, last I heard. That damned sure wouldn't be a 'Leg' unit. Talk to Leatherneck, if you're interested....he just went that route.
RLTW
EP

Antrim · Post by **Antrim** » June 1st, 2004, 1:39 pm

EarthPig wrote:
Antrim wrote:Not OPT40? Aw hell, unemployement never looked so good! Thank you for your answers and help though. I appreciate it. I'm just not looking to go back to a regular Leg unit. Been there, done that. Can't do it again, unless of course I get called up.

:(
Why not look into SF? They needed medics, last I heard. That damned sure wouldn't be a 'Leg' unit. Talk to Leatherneck, if you're interested....he just went that route.
RLTW
EP

I had a buddy from 4/12 go SF medic. I don't think I'm quite up for that, but now a weapons Sergeant might be rather interesting. Hmmm...

SFC Hit_it you got the skinny on SF? Am I too old for that to? (getting older sucks!)

Steadfast · Post by **Steadfast** » June 1st, 2004, 2:16 pm

Antrim wrote:
EarthPig wrote:
Antrim wrote:Not OPT40? Aw hell, unemployement never looked so good! Thank you for your answers and help though. I appreciate it. I'm just not looking to go back to a regular Leg unit. Been there, done that. Can't do it again, unless of course I get called up.

:(
Why not look into SF? They needed medics, last I heard. That damned sure wouldn't be a 'Leg' unit. Talk to Leatherneck, if you're interested....he just went that route.
RLTW
EP
I had a buddy from 4/12 go SF medic. I don't think I'm quite up for that, but now a weapons Sergeant might be rather interesting. Hmmm...

Hit_it you got the skinny on SF? Am I too old for that to? (getting older sucks!)

Antrim, you will please address SFC hit_it with his title in Recruitment. please view: http://www.armyranger.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=2832

Even we Ranger's address him in this manner. He has earned the right to his title

hit_it · Post by **hit_it** » June 1st, 2004, 3:18 pm

Hit_it you got the skinny on SF? Am I too old for that to? (getting older sucks!)

You shouldn't have a problem getting into an SF unit in the Gaurd. you meet their requirements as i know them. even on AD, if you want to do the short stint in the big Army first, you should have a shot at SF that way as well. use the time in the big Army to train your body for SF.

you may not neccesarily have to be in a leg unit when you go back active. there is the 82D and LRS units out there. depends on where you get stationed.

Antrim · Post by **Antrim** » June 1st, 2004, 5:05 pm

Steadfast wrote:Antrim, you will please address SFC hit_it with his title in Recruitment. please view: http://www.armyranger.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=2832

Even we Ranger's address him in this manner. He has earned the right to his title

My bad Ranger Steadfast. And my apologies SFC Hit_it. Post fixed.

Antrim · Post by **Antrim** » June 3rd, 2004, 9:07 am

placebo wrote:Hey Antrim,

I have a little experience with a similar situation so maybe I can save you a bit of time (something us old farts are in short supply of).

The 75th will not do contracts for prior service. MEPS will tell you you can't get anything other than station of choice, and they limit that too. However, if your recruiter is on the ball and you push 'em a bit, you can grab an airborne contract. I know you're qual'd personnel there, but the RIP cadre offers everyone in abn, not already committed elsewhere, a shot at RIP. They may or may not hit up your unit in OSUT, but there's a good chance for that as well, especially now.

This info comes from a couple of conversations I've had with recruiting personnel at the 75th and is only 3-4 weeks old.

If you want the 75th, give 'em a call. The people I talked to there were very helpful and clear about my options. I'm sure they'll give you a square assessment of the steps you need to take.

As for 18x, you can get a slot as prior svc. Your time in service will automatically count you back so you won't have any age waiver issues. There's a ton of info on the SF/18x pipeline at Socnet.

Good luck and have fun.

This is good information. Thank you! I wasn't aware of the socnet forums. Browsing there now. I'm looking at being laid off at the end of June. I'll get 60 days of WARN (pay and benefits just like being at work only not being at work) and then a nice severence check after that. I'm guessing I'm not going to find much along the lines of employement that I like. To be honest, I'm scared shitless because there aren't any jobs in my area that pay as well as this one. I'm currently working in the Engineering Department at Gateway Inc. as a test tech for Servers. Been at Gateway for 10 years, came here straight out of the service. I'm not a brainiac, but I don't consider myself unintelligent either. I don't think the medic route would suite me as well as one of the other specialties. I had a friend who went through SFAS and was selected to go medic, he failed one of the must pass tests, i think it was pharm. There were/are some brilliant guys there on Sam Houston.

I'm going to look into the other fields of 18x, or the possiblility of just trying to get an airborne hitch and volunteering for the 75th although not getting anything gauranteed doesn't appeal to me, I'd rather not risk not getting a slot as a walk on and spend more time in Leg Land as a result. Nothing against the regular Army, it's just that I've been there, done that. Don't care to do that again.

I'm not sure either will develop, hell I might find something here in the CIV world that will tide me, but the more I read this board and now socnet, the more I feel the urge to give things another shot. I know I don't want another desk job. I can't stand half the panty waste VP's and such I've had to deal with in my time, making moronic decisions and throwing their doctorate degrees around on me like I give a rats ass about them. I don't. Sure they're nice people, but they've made decisions that have led to the demise of 20,000+ employees that used to work at Gateway. Now we're down to 2000 and going smaller.

Perhaps it's time for a change of pace again. I'll have the summer off, paid. That will give me a chance to shed 40 pounds and get myself into shape for basic and whatever else lies ahead after that. I'll need to figure out a plan for my house, and my beloved Black Lab. I'm an animal nut, and I don't trust anyone else to take care of her aside from a family member.

I have a lot of tough decisions in the months ahead...

hit_it · Post by **hit_it** » June 3rd, 2004, 4:27 pm

However, if your recruiter is on the ball and you push 'em a bit, you can grab an airborne contract.

the guidance shop may no be able to do that. it's not the recruiter that does any of it. i'll check this out myself.