My little dilemma

[nightmare515]

Alright well this was mentioned in the September Selection Board thread but I thought I would make a new thread since that one is a bit long.

 

Heres whats going on.

 

As everyone knows Im active Army and was selected for Warrant. My unit is now pressuring me for answers about when exactly Im leaving since we have one hell of a schedule coming up in the next few months and they need to know what to do with me but I dont know what to tell them.

 

Oct 17 we TDY to NTC until around Nov 20th or so. Everyone in my Chain of Command is asking me when Im officially leaving for WOCS. They don't cut orders fast for enlisted guys like they do for civilians. USAREC says it can take anywhere from 30 to 90 days to get orders and Im not sure how soon after you get your orders are you expected to report to Rucker.

 

Now doing my research USAREC says I will be placed in the next available school date after selection which is the beginning of October. I doubt I'll get shipped THAT fast so Im assuming Ill be in the Nov 9th or Nov 14th courses. But this is all just assumption based on my experience with how the Army works. I've gotten some insane orders with report dates of less than a week later.

 

So its looking like Ill be getting orders either the day we fly out for TDY or shortly after. And if I have to report while on TDY I'd have to be flown out of NTC and back here, something that my unit doesn't want to have to do which is why they are bugging me about this to see whether or not its worth it to even take me with them or leave me here.

 

All these dates came from ATRRS that I got off of the USACAC website for upcoming school dates.

 

I called a recruiter and was told to just wait a bit for the orders to publish and they have nothing to do with that.

 

Has anyone on here gone active to WOCS? I know most of you guys are civilian, guard, or reserve. If so how long after your orders got cut did you actually ship off? And does it really take 30+ days to get orders?

 

Or does anyone have any advice on what I should tell my unit? Or know who to call about this? They want answers now but I dont really know what to tell them.

[SBuzzkill]

Stay behind.

[AW1985]

I was active USAF. I was selected last May 2011 and was under the same impression about it taking quite awhile for my RFO. I was wrong. I reported that July. I was given less then 30 days from RFO to separate (transfer), PCS, and report to WOCS. I believe that 30-60 days was for the infamous bubbles, a problem that is no longer an issue (I graduated WOCS last Sept. and start the the -60 course next week to give you and idea of the lack of down time). I would call, email, and plan as if you were staying behind.

 

Congrats!

[nightmare515]

Well see thats the other half of my problem. My unit is supportive but we are also very short handed and they still act like the "Army" sometimes. They want to see paperwork saying Im leaving during our TDY or shortly after in order to leave me behind. If this were a normal training exercise then they would have no issue just leaving me here, but since Im a pretty essential part of a very short handed tank platoon they don't want to leave me behind unless they have to. But they also don't want to take me with them and then I get orders to leave and have to send me back.

 

Im trying to plan on staying behind but this week we are loading up trains to ship our stuff to California. I told them that it's probably easier to gamble leaving me here rather than gamble taking me with them. I showed them the recent trend of AD guys getting quick ship dates to WOCS about 2 months after the selection date but without RFO paperwork saying Im leaving they don't buy that.

 

Im honestly not trying to screw my unit over, these have been my guys for years. But Im trying to help them with their own problem of what to do with me. They'll be mad if they take me and have to send me back they say, but they'll be mad if they leave me and Im still here when they return...My CoC doesn't understand how I got a selection status but no ship date, they don't get how WOFT works.

You say to call and email but do you know who I would contact?

[AW1985]

Yeah, I believe I called a number I found through this page:

 

http://www.usarec.army.mil/hq/warrant/WOgeninfo_after_selection.shtml

 

I was in the same boat and was trying to take a deployment prior to WOCS, but wanted to know the time frame better (this was back when there were rumors of a 9-10 month wait). So I called the number for HRC and was basically told to follow the "don't call for 90 days guidance".

 

So, I started to work out a deployment...about a week or two after selection I received an email from Post housing informing me that they had my name on an upcoming class roster and wanted to know my housing plans.

 

I was pretty confused, so I gave Post housing a call and asked them if they had any tentative dates. The gal told me that I was slotted for the Aug. 11 class. Obviously this put me in a frenzy...so I called HRC back and politely told them I needed at least 30 days per USAF regs to out-process. They then were more than willing to work with me and I had my RFO within a week or two.

 

So, long story short, call and inform them of your situation and they SHOULD help you. If not, I'm willing to bet a phone call from your Command might speed up the process.

[nightmare515]

Thanks, are any of those hyperlinks working for you on that site? I clicked on them all but when I get to the HRC website it says webpage not found. I'm logged in with my CAC as well.

[AW1985]

No they didn't...I assumed due to no CAC card.

 

Let me see if I can find a number for you.

 

[AW1985]

Yeah...sorry no luck...I know I got the number from that page though. Sorry I couldn't help out more.

 

 

[nightmare515]

No problem, thanks for the support.

 

I'll call a different recruiter tomorrow and let them know whats going on and see if they can help me. I'm pretty much betting on getting an RFO before I actually fly out. From reading around various forums it seems like its the Guard guys who have to wait months for school dates. So I guess I'll just be rolling the dice.

 

Its funny because I have to load my gear on a train by the end of this week. So if I get orders within the next month before I go on TDY then Ill be pretty screwed especially if Im scheduled to report during NTC. We'll have to figure out a way to get my bags back somehow.

 

Sticky situation for sure. I'll let you know how it plays out.

 

Please lmk if you stumble across a number or POC that I can call.

 

Thanks

[nightmare515]

Well looks like Ill be going to NTC anyway. My unit is looking out for number 1 which is themselves which is understandable I guess. They are going to take me with them on TDY and if I come down on orders while there instead of going through the trouble of sending me back they will deny my PCS orders at the Battalion level and force a later school date. Hopefully that later date won't be too far in the future.

 

That kinda irks me because my unit has known I was doing this forever. On Active Duty the sole reason they force you to have a Battalion Commander LOR is so that he can approve you leaving the unit. The last sentence of my LOR from him said "SEND HIM NOW". Well now that "now" has come they want to act like this is a huge shock and they arent prepared for it so instead of a congrats and good luck Im getting a "well congrats but we don't have a replacement for you so we won't let you leave until we find one".

 

So pretty much unless I get orders by next Monday at the latest I'll be going TDY. I don't mind going with them, like I said I love my guys. And maybe my WOCS date won't be until after TDY. But the fact that my Chain of Command blatantly said they were going to deny my PCS orders rather than simply send me back or just leave me here kinda pissed me off. Especially since everyone from the lowest Private to the Commander knows how much this meant to me and asked me everyday if I was selected.

 

Sorry, had to rant a bit.

[d10]

They are going to take me with them on TDY and if I come down on orders while there instead of going through the trouble of sending me back they will deny my PCS orders at the Battalion level and force a later school date.

 

Your battalion can't deny DA Orders. The process for that involves the first 2 star general in your chain of command submitting a memorandum to HRC. That's not going to happen. The worst your unit can do is give you minimal time to return home and clear.

[nightmare515]

 

 

Your battalion can't deny DA Orders. The process for that involves the first 2 star general in your chain of command submitting a memorandum to HRC. That's not going to happen. The worst your unit can do is give you minimal time to return home and clear.

 

So if I come down on orders while at NTC they have to send me back? Are they just blowing smoke to aggravate me or something? I'm pretty ignorant when it comes to PCS orders I've never had any sort of issues with orders before, I thought it was pretty cut and dry. Come down on orders and you leave...

 

Maybe they were talking about just having battalion drag their feet once I get my RFO so that way it takes forever to actually get my PCS orders.

 

It's funny because all of the officers in my company are on my side, its the senior enlisted guys that are fighting me.

[AW1985]

I'm not sure so sure.....they can't deny them (DA orders), but I know that my buddies command just made a friendly phone call and had them adjust his school date by nearly 6 months prior to the RFO. I guess it will come down to how pro-active your unit is in adjusting your school date, or how late they let you return to out-process.

 

Sorry....your whole situation sucks. I would think that a better system would be in place. Most selective service schools will come with a start date when you hear if your selected or not. That would remedy this whole situation.

[nightmare515]

I'm not sure so sure.....they can't deny them (DA orders), but I know that my buddies command just made a friendly phone call and had them adjust his school date by nearly 6 months prior to the RFO. I guess it will come down to how pro-active your unit is in adjusting your school date, or how late they let you return to out-process.

 

Sorry....your whole situation sucks. I would think that a better system would be in place. Most selective service schools will come with a start date when you hear if your selected or not. That would remedy this whole situation.

 

Now that I think about it I believe that's exactly what they'll try to do to me. He said he would have the school date denied and get me sent on a later date. I guess I mistook that for flat out denying my orders. But if they talk to branch before I get my RFO then they can do whatever they want without me even knowing.

 

I wonder if I can call branch before they do and let them know I have a pending RFO. But they should already be tracking since its on my AKO assignments that I have an approved WOCS packet. Now I wonder whose side branch would be on...

[Yamer]

Thats the proactive you should be right there... Thats what id do if it were me...

[Bobsyouruncle]

I got picked up and deployed the next day. I told my unit that was a bad plan but they wouldn't listen. A few weeks later I got orders to report in less than a month. I couldn't get back in time so I had to do a 4187 requesting a later reporting date.

 

I don't know why your unit feels the need to send you on training, to train you on something you won't be doing now. Sounds like a case of a command who can't see the forest through the trees.

 

What can you do, they'll screw themselves over, spend days filling out paperwork to change your date, and probably end up buying you a ticket home anyway.

 

I wonder if this is company level, or battalion? BC may feel differently and he recommended you.

[nightmare515]

It's company level, I told them everything that you said but they are stubborn. I also asked why send me to NTC to train for our deployment next year when I'm not going to be here. It's all about numbers for them.

 

I want to talk to battalion but I don't want to piss my unit off by going over their head and they pull some underhanded crap and screw me.

 

I need to talk to my branch manager for WOCS here but I have no idea who to call for information. Do you know who I should talk to?

[Yamer]

chain of command would suggest that you call the bat commander now since your unit commander is of no help to you? I dont know im just swinging in the dark from a civilian POV

[nightmare515]

chain of command would suggest that you call the bat commander now since your unit commander is of no help to you? I dont know im just swinging in the dark from a civilian POV

 

No it doesn't work like that unfortunately. Chain of Command means I have to go through the proper channels to talk to the battalion commander. Plus me being enlisted I wouldn't deal with him anyway I'd talk to the Battalion Command Sergeant Major. Even if my unit is uncooperative if go over their heads they get upset. That whole "open door policy" in regards to talking to higher ups is not as cut and dry as people think. Walk into the Battalion Commander or CSMs office without your Company level command knowing and you're dead. Even though the Army claims otherwise. You MIGHT be able to walk into the Company Commanders office and talk to him, but anyone higher than him you better have permission.

 

I emailed the Chief of Warrant Officer Assignments for Aviation today and told him about my situation. Maybe he will be able to give me some information on what to do.

[Bobsyouruncle]

Nothing you can do really, unless you are able to somehow casually bring the situation up to your BC but you probably don't hang out in the same circles. I'd bet money on you having orders before the 17th of OCT though. I think it was around 30 days or less for me.

[nightmare515]

Nothing you can do really, unless you are able to somehow casually bring the situation up to your BC but you probably don't hang out in the same circles. I'd bet money on you having orders before the 17th of OCT though. I think it was around 30 days or less for me.

 

How long after you got your orders was your report date?

 

I talked to my platoon Sgt again today about this he said 1sgt would flip if I got orders to report while at NTC. I'm still trying to convince them that I'm likely going to get orders before we leave. I don't want to keep pressuring it to piss them off but I'm seriously trying to save them from the headache that they don't want to deal with which is me having to cut NTC short.

 

Oh well..

[Bobsyouruncle]

I believe I got picked up Jan 22, got my orders the end of February with a reporting date of early April.

[nightmare515]

Well I heard they don't do WOCS in December due to block leave. So if I get orders in October the next school date is in November as far as ATTRS says. Maybe ill go in January instead or maybe get quick shipped in November. The Branch guy never emailed me back and won't return my calls. I'm not even sure its the right one.

[av8rnik]

good luck nightmare with getting this figured out. i am fighting my own battle right now with ft hood and the flight surgeon who did my flight physical. here i am with a slot and i cant get my ship date because of some paperwork issues.

 

does anyone know, is there a chance that i will lose my spot depending on how long it takes to get this issue resolved?

[nightmare515]

I believe you just keep getting delayed until you get everything resolved. I think, not sure. I've heard of guys waiting up to a year to finally attend WOCS due to issues. Not sure if there is a deadline to get everything done though.

 

Whats the deal with your flight physical?