Option 40....Prior Service or not?

[Musashistudent3108]

I realize this is probably beating a dead horse by now, but I haven't seen this covered anywhere else.

I am an Officer in the Guard. I came out of a MJC so I am not fully commissioned yet, I hold a commission in the Army National Guard as a 2LT ( I drill with a unit, and work as a PL, but I can't get promoted, attend OBC, attend special schools or deploy, it sucks) Because the Guard won't send me to any kind of schools I am not DMOSQ for anything.

Over my year long stay at this unit, I got a chance to think long and hard about where I wanted my military career to go.I decided to resign.

So I started calling recruiters, and I have managed to find a recruiter that might give me an option 40 ( i have to wait until the rollover into the next FY in order to get Infantry). He says that getting me an option 40 contract shouldn't be a problem as long as I can be a little flexible on the MOS (13F, 68W, etc)

The trouble is I have been in the Guard for almost four years between a little bit of enlisted time, SMP, and commissioning. The recruiter says I am going to have to go in as prior service, how is this going to effect me getting into the Regiment? I have seen it posted here that a lot of people are having issues getting option 40 contracts due to being prior service, but I am a little fuzzy as to why that is? Should I REALLY be considered prior service?

[cams]

Welcome. You will absolutely be considered prior service.

Last I knew and unless it has changed recently, Opt 40's are not and never have been available if you are prior service.

My advice would be to verify this by contacting the Ranger Regiment Recruiter out at Benning. He can give you the skinny on what your next move should be.

If this is fact, take an Opt 4 (Airborne) contract and bust your ass to get a RASP slot while there.

[Musashistudent3108]

Thanks for the input, I just got off the phone with Regiment Recruiting and Retention, and I was told that a recruiter can get me an Option 40 contract it just depends on how long I am willing to wait. They are presently looking for 25B for example and if you are willing to be an IT guy apparently you can get the slot. There is a 10,000 dollar bonus attached to that MOS as well. I have to wait to get a GRFD revoked before enlisting is even a possibility for me, otherwise I would be on that like white on rice just to get into the Regiment.

[Jim]

Try this link:

http://www.soc.mil/75th%20Ranger%20Regi ... iting.html

[KW Driver]

Why hasn't/isn't the guard sending you to OBC?

If you can get an OPT 40, right on I guess. Never thought they'd open it up.

[SLEDGE HAMMER]

Last I knew and unless it has changed recently, Opt 40's are not and never have been available if you are prior service.

Thought so as well but it does seem anythings possible.

http://www.armyranger.com/bb/viewtopic. ... 4&start=15

Although last I heard when I got out last fall, merely getting back in the Army as prior service at all was damn near impossible currently, let alone with an Option 40.

[cams]

Last I knew and unless it has changed recently, Opt 40's are not and never have been available if you are prior service.

Thought so as well but it does seem anythings possible.

http://www.armyranger.com/bb/viewtopic. ... 4&start=15

Although last I heard when I got out last fall, merely getting back in the Army as prior service at all was damn near impossible currently, let alone with an Option 40.

Exactly my thoughts as well. Guess you never know until you ask. Strange.

[Musashistudent3108]

@KW Driver

At this point they could offer OBC/promotion/Ranger School/ to make me Grand General of the National Guard and I wouldn't stay. Combat Arms is a labor of love for me, even though I haven't been at it that long, its what I love doing and its not about the money. The idea that apart from a few brief moments as a PL and then later as a Company CO that I would be basically just a paper pusher for the guys that do the real heavy lifting leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I would rather be a PFC in the Regiment than a Lieutenant in the Guard. I also have no desire to leave the Army a tabless wonder O-3 with no combat experience, nothing against those guys, but I would regret it for the rest of my life.

[Jim]

@KW Driver

At this point they could offer OBC/promotion/Ranger School/ to make me Grand General of the National Guard and I wouldn't stay. Combat Arms is a labor of love for me, even though I haven't been at it that long, its what I love doing and its not about the money. The idea that apart from a few brief moments as a PL and then later as a Company CO that I would be basically just a paper pusher for the guys that do the real heavy lifting leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I would rather be a PFC in the Regiment than a Lieutenant in the Guard. I also have no desire to leave the Army a tabless wonder O-3 with no combat experience, nothing against those guys, but I would regret it for the rest of my life.

Well, you are correct about an officer's career pattern. I was a prior-service SSG who went to OCS. I wound up spending more than 9 years on the Army Staff.

[KW Driver]

@KW Driver

At this point they could offer OBC/promotion/Ranger School/ to make me Grand General of the National Guard and I wouldn't stay. Combat Arms is a labor of love for me, even though I haven't been at it that long, its what I love doing and its not about the money. The idea that apart from a few brief moments as a PL and then later as a Company CO that I would be basically just a paper pusher for the guys that do the real heavy lifting leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I would rather be a PFC in the Regiment than a Lieutenant in the Guard. I also have no desire to leave the Army a tabless wonder O-3 with no combat experience, nothing against those guys, but I would regret it for the rest of my life.

All well and good as far as your motivation, ad also why I walked away from a commission that was waiting, but it doesn't answer the question of why your state hasn't sent you to OBC.

[Musashistudent3108]

@KWDriver

Sorry, realized that after I posted. Its a long story.


Long story short, its a little known fact that I am allowed to attend OBC as long as I presently hold a slot within the unit (which I do), but I was denied this opportunity by higher, and there are presently no plans to send me to OBC within the foreseeable future, meanwhile I am completely untrained, and expected to lead a platoon of Soldiers, many old enough to be my Dad, without the foggiest idea what I am doing. These circumstances made me reassess what I wanted out of my military career, and it made me realize that the Officer Corps (not to mention the National Guard) is no place for me.

[SLEDGE HAMMER]

You have to be leaving out a key detail in your synopsis - WHY they wont send you to OBC (especially when you're already slotted). Also, wouldn't OBC be something that's slotted through ATTRS and therefore your unit would have little control over it?

So how about you be upfront with us and not evade the question again. And before you respond with some nonsense like "I don't know" or "they just won't"...bullshit.

[KW Driver]

Not sure if his unit, or the state pays for OBC, but it's not a Federally mandated, automatic thing. It's coming out of the State budget at some level.

And I agree, the why does seem to be missing. The fact that you haven't readily given a why inclines me to believe that you are partially to blame, or at least responsible in your unit's/CoC perception.

If it was sequestration, for example, you'd have said so.

[Musashistudent3108]

@SLEDGE HAMMER

The specific reason is my Brigade Commander put the kabosh on me going. I was slotted for IOBC and Airborne by my training NCO. but my orders were denied at Brigade level. I am a graduate of the ECP program. When we enter a unit within the Guard, KW Driver is correct, it is up to that unit to pay for us to attend OBC. Simple answer for a simple question, Brigade didn't want to pay. This is why so few of us get on Active Duty I suppose, even though ECP is one of the harder commissioning sources to successfully graduate from. I had no wish to be anything but straight forward with you, I just didn't want to make my post to lengthy, Standing Order #4 being what it is after all.

All things considered I think it happened for a reason. Where I want to go with my career in the Army and the path I was on can no longer be reconciled. I won't miss the commission. I really didn't want to get too far into where I am/was, I am merely concerned with how to get were I am going.

[Jim]

Each State has an AG (the 54 Warlords) who is responsible for his ARNG force. Each has amazing authority. You need to check with admin, when you go on AD, you may be eligible for credit for up to four years credit for pay purposes.