Commissioned Army Officer to Aviation Warrant Officer

[dovq2011]

Gents,

 

quick question. I'm waiting for the January board results to come out, and I'm going crazy over here. For those that have been selected, does anyone know what time HRC usually publishes new MILPER messages? Thanks ahead of time

I got mine around noon CST the Monday after the board concluded. So just keep hitting refresh man.

[Drew]

Yep it will post eventually. My board actually posted on Friday afternoon the week of the board.

[dovq2011]

Funny story, so the last day of the board (Friday), we were in a OPD and the BC was talking about career progression and timelines. He then ended the OPD with the LT slate to let everyone know where they would be moving to. When he got to me he said, "And V... you're staying in the S3 shop until the Army decides to put your ass in a helicopter."

 

Well, that following Monday, the May 2015 results would be posted and low and behold, my name was on that list!

[153orbust]

Gents,

 

I was selected by the JAN board! I'm pretty ecstatic, and looking to be proactive in the conversion process from commissioned to warrant. I have read through the post by Drew, and that was extremely helpful. I do have a couple questions though.

 

First, with my warrant packet I submitted a conditional resignation memo and already have my branch release memo. Do I still need to initiate the UQR process? If so, what is the first step?

 

Once I get my school date, what actions should I take then?

 

As far as the conversion, when do I take off my commission rank and slap on Warrant? When I get to Rucker, or is that done prior to PCS'ing?

 

Thanks for all the help along the way gents, and I hope to run into you guys in the future. First round is on me.

 

 

[Drew]

Gents,

 

I was selected by the JAN board! I'm pretty ecstatic, and looking to be proactive in the conversion process from commissioned to warrant. I have read through the post by Drew, and that was extremely helpful. I do have a couple questions though.

 

First, with my warrant packet I submitted a conditional resignation memo and already have my branch release memo. Do I still need to initiate the UQR process? If so, what is the first step?

 

Once I get my school date, what actions should I take then?

 

As far as the conversion, when do I take off my commission rank and slap on Warrant? When I get to Rucker, or is that done prior to PCS'ing?

 

Thanks for all the help along the way gents, and I hope to run into you guys in the future. First round is on me.

 

 

Way to go and congratulations!!!! Let the fun begin! You have a good attitude because being proactive is the only way you are going to make this happen!

 

You do need to initiate your UQR process but you can't do that until you have a class date. I'll get back to you on the first step, but I believe you get a memo signed by your Batalion commander, which then goes through your S1 to your local HRC rep, which then goes to big HRC, and then gets approved so you can get orders, your appointment to warrant, etc.

 

Once you get your school date in ATRRS, you start your UQR process. Your date will be far in the future, but everything on your UQR will be forward dated because the process takes a while to move up and down the command and wherever else it goes. So start it as soon as you have your date, not several months before you report.

 

You will resign on the date you put on your UQR, which will be about 30 days prior to your report date. That's when you take off your LT rank and pin on WO1, do your oath, etc. Definitey do this before you report with your old chain of command.

 

Hope this helps!

 

Drew

[cptamerica2]

Save money now. During the conversion, I didn't get a paycheck for 3 1/2 months. I got back pay eventually, but it takes time for the Army to "catch up" with your new rank. The conversion to WO1 has to take place prior to your arrival to Rucker. If you come here still commissioned, it can delay your timeline. I arrived last February, and didn't pin on CW2 until July, so count on that process taking a while too.

 

Message me if you have specific questions that I can help with.

[153orbust]

Thanks for the great feedback Drew and cptamerica2, this definitely paints a clearer picture. If I recall correctly, the UQR process takes 4-6 months, is that correct?

 

As far as the warrant rank goes, do you go from W1 to CW2 automatically? Does it have to do with whether we were an O-3 or 0-2 beforehand? I'm an 0-3, and someone says that automatically makes me a CW2, can anyone confirm this? If so, is there anyway to prevent that? The reason I ask this is because if I go straight to CW2 immediately, it will screw me in the long run when it comes to the CW3 board, since I will be behind in terms of flight hours when compared to my peers....

 

Anyways, once I get to Rucker, how soon would I start WOFT? Since I am a commissioned convert, I know that WOCS and BOLC are essentially bypassed. I also have SERE-C complete, so hopefully this eliminates some of the bubble time and puts me into a class immediately (after Dunker).

 

As always, any thoughts and/or input are appreciated. This forum has been amazing resource in the process.

[cptamerica2]

It takes 3-6 months to get promoted to CW2, regardless of your previous commissioned rank. You have to report to Rucker as a WO1.

 

You get looked at for CW3 two years ahead of your peers. My mentor here (CW4) said the shortage in hours shouldn't hurt us, but we need to track as soon as possible when you get to your units.

[Drew]

You are correct, the UQR process can take 4-6 months. I had to fast track mine because I waited too long and it still took me almost 3 months. You do get promoted to CW2 automatically (I believe you just need 2 years TIS as a commissioned officer) but the process to get the paperwork through whatever systems it needs to go through can take a while. It only took mine 3 weeks... As far as I know you can't stop it nor would you want to. From what I have heard down here you will not be at a disadvantage come time to board for CW3. If anything it will help because there will be a reason to fast track your to PC.

 

DEFINITELY SAVE MONEY before showing up down here. I didn't get paid for over 2 months...

 

Honestly I don't think you are going to have a small bubble, you may get lucky, but probably not. More than likely you will start common core with the people you in-process with. While they are suffering through BOLC and SERE, you will be at a detail (probably Honors) waiting patiently to start. Sometimes, if you are at the right place at the right time, you can squeeze into a slot it someone drops and you are there and ready to start.

[dovq2011]

Congrats bro. My UQR took about 3 months to get approved, now I'm just waiting for my orders. I had our schools guy pull my ATRRS reservation, I just don't have an RFO yet for Rucker. Rucker should also be producing your new DA-71 and I believe it will go through your local transitions office (at least so I'm told by the Ft. Riley transition people). I think Drew already mentioned the whole deal with the actual conversation process prior to reporting. Hope to run into you down at Rucker.

 

Gents,

 

I was selected by the JAN board! I'm pretty ecstatic, and looking to be proactive in the conversion process from commissioned to warrant. I have read through the post by Drew, and that was extremely helpful. I do have a couple questions though.

 

First, with my warrant packet I submitted a conditional resignation memo and already have my branch release memo. Do I still need to initiate the UQR process? If so, what is the first step?

 

Once I get my school date, what actions should I take then?

 

As far as the conversion, when do I take off my commission rank and slap on Warrant? When I get to Rucker, or is that done prior to PCS'ing?

 

Thanks for all the help along the way gents, and I hope to run into you guys in the future. First round is on me.

 

 

[Drew]

Congrats bro. My UQR took about 3 months to get approved, now I'm just waiting for my orders. I had our schools guy pull my ATRRS reservation, I just don't have an RFO yet for Rucker. Rucker should also be producing your new DA-71 and I believe it will go through your local transitions office (at least so I'm told by the Ft. Riley transition people). I think Drew already mentioned the whole deal with the actual conversation process prior to reporting. Hope to run into you down at Rucker.

 

 

 

DA-71 will pretty much be the last thing you do. You will get an appointment memo from HRC, you use that and your orders to draft your DA71.

[dovq2011]

Drew,

 

How long did it take you to get your appointment memo from HRC after you got your REFRAD back?

[Drew]

I received my Warrant Officer Appointment on August 21, 10 days prior to my resignation date. It isn't related to when you get your REFRAD approved by HRC. You need your REFRAD approved before they will send you your RFO.

[dovq2011]

Ah, so my WO appointment will be waiting for me when I get back, roughly. How long after REFRAD til you got your RFO? It's only been a couple weeks for me so I can't imagine anytime soon.

[Drew]

The REFRAD can definitely take some time. But if you have a good relationship with your S1. They will know when it gets sent through your local HRC branch. They end up sending it to HRC for approval. As soon as Ms Nollett sees it come through HRC she or someone in her office will email you your RFO.

[dovq2011]

My REFRAD is already approved, I got that back almost 2 weeks ago (it only took 2-3 months for my REFRAD to get approved - I was shocked). I wonder if Snowpocalypse 2016 has delayed my RFO... lol.

[dovq2011]

Did you guys have to do ACAP as well?

[dovq2011]

Did you guys have to do ACAP as well?

Nevermind, miscommunication between the personnel at the transitions office - crisis averted. I do not have to do ACAP.

[cptamerica2]

That's funny, fort hood tried to make me acap.

[dovq2011]

I had to call the head of transitions, from Kuwait, and ask him what I actually needed to do/not do. No ACAP, no ETS physical. Just typical clearing 10 days prior to separation.

[Yamer]

Being NG on orders for more than 180 days, I have to ACAP to outprocess Rucker.

 

I have to remove all sharp objects before opening JKO for my safety lol

Edited January 27, 2016 by Yamer

[dovq2011]

Haha Yamer, brutal!

[dovq2011]

Gents,

 

I was selected by the JAN board! I'm pretty ecstatic, and looking to be proactive in the conversion process from commissioned to warrant. I have read through the post by Drew, and that was extremely helpful. I do have a couple questions though.

 

First, with my warrant packet I submitted a conditional resignation memo and already have my branch release memo. Do I still need to initiate the UQR process? If so, what is the first step?

 

Once I get my school date, what actions should I take then?

 

As far as the conversion, when do I take off my commission rank and slap on Warrant? When I get to Rucker, or is that done prior to PCS'ing?

 

Thanks for all the help along the way gents, and I hope to run into you guys in the future. First round is on me.

 

 

I just realized something... congrats on being the only officer on the AD WOSB... haha.

[dovq2011]

OER related question: I just signed my OER 3 days ago. I separate 07JUL to transition to warrant. So would this upcoming 5 monther be a complete the record?

[apacheguy]

OER related question: I just signed my OER 3 days ago. I separate 07JUL to transition to warrant. So would this upcoming 5 monther be a complete the record?

 

It would be a PCS OER. Or maybe they'll leave it as unrated since you're going over to the dark side and nobody will care what you did as an RLO ever again.

 

Complete the record OERs are only done just prior to your promotion boards, they are optional, and they are always ACOM as a way for your senior rater to let the board know that he thinks you really deserve to get promoted.