What is my best route?

Blue2Green4WOFT · November 17, 2012

Hello everyone let me first introduce myself I am Jon, I am an Active duty Navy Master at Arms with 3 years TIS stationed at Patuxent River Naval Air Station. I recently was going to apply to the Army WOFT program but my CO did not want to sign off on my conditional release because of "man power" even though my mos is over manned and good sailors or being forced out by PTS left and right. To top it off they asked me to take an IA billet to Afghanistan even though we cant afford to lose anyone as they say hence my release request being denied!! but i told them i would do it anyway being the good motivated sailor I am and I would get to work with an Army unit while deployed! I even explained that selection process would take up until almost the end of my contract anyway but the CO wasnt having it still. I also had LORs lined up from a CW4 and LTCOL at the test pilot school here but wont be any good now since i cant apply . I wanted to transfer over directly but now im gonna have to wait until im officially separated in another year. Im currently 27 years old 120 GT and 130 on the AFAST with 20/15 vision and a 280 on the APFT and improving. Im also enrolled at UMUC and will have an Associates degree in Gen ED by the middle of next year. So my question now is what is the best way for me to go about applying when i separate? based on scores I have seen from those selected i think i should be in good shape on that front. When I separate should i get a packet together and just apply as a civilian with prior service or should i enlist Army immediately and apply in service? Also does anyone know if civilians get two looks and then have to wait a year like military do? Any help would be great thanks in advance!!

heloidaho · November 17, 2012

Most of your questions are answered in a lot more detail if you look around some past threads. But, to generally answer, you should try to apply immediately after separation if what you want to do is go to WOFT. Keep improving your packet, and just have it completely squared away and ready to submit a couple months before you separate. Also continue to talk to your chain of command. You could get lucky.

But if you separate, enlist in the Army, and then apply, the time frame is potentially more extended than just getting selected after separation.

You will get 2 looks at your packet as a civilian before you have to wait and reapply.

Edited November 17, 2012 by heloidaho

Yamer · November 18, 2012

I wouldnt reinlist in army and then submit. Youve done your time in a branch. Its time for you to do what you want. I say submit as a civilian street to seat or as a branch transfer... The national guard is another route too

j.matt · November 18, 2012

I'm pretty much in the same position as you but about a year ahead and in the Marine Corps. The difference was that my command was willing to sign the conditional release but because of the rarity of the paperwork and laziness of my S-1 it never went anywhere. I'll advise you to do what I did. Work on your package. Keep pushing to get the release. Worst case scenario is that you don't get the release, it's 6 months or less from your end of contract and your package is almost complete. Talk to a recruiter and get the ball rolling. The active duty recruiter is who you talk to in either case.

One problem you may encounter is having to get the release even if you wait until the end of your contract. You're still going to have the 4 years of your inactive service obligation and you're going to have to get release from that. Still need the release, just from a different command.

I would also weigh heavily whether or not you want to enlist first. Like heloidaho said, it will add much more time to when you can start applying. Plus, I don't know how you are about being enlisted, but after 8 years enlisted, I'm not doing that again. It's been a great 8 years but I've done my time and enlisted isn't for me anymore. If I can't go in for WOFT I'm not doing it.

Good Luck.

Blue2Green4WOFT · November 18, 2012

Thanks for the responses guys, who would i get the conditional release from in regards to my inactive service time? would my current CO be the one to sign off? since my contract ends at my current command I am stationed at in a year.

j.matt · November 18, 2012

Not sure about the Navy but for the Marines it would go to headquarters for the IRR(Individual Ready Reserve). And your current CO would only sign off on it if you were to do it now. You may want to contact your headquarters for personnel because I thought it was just my CO that had to sign off on it too but instead I had to go through much more legwork of writing a request, getting it signed by everyone in my chain of command (to include the first General Officer), send it to HQ Marine Corps, then they sign the DD368 and send it back down.

Blue2Green4WOFT · November 18, 2012

Alright thanks I will definitely look into that, either way I dont see it being an issue to get a release from the inactive time like I said the Navy is using PTS to down size significantly. The CO just doesnt want to sign off for an immediate release because the security command here is having a hard time getting new manning. It sucks but you only get what you want if it fits the needs of the Navy!

j.matt · November 18, 2012

Exactly. I understand what you're saying about why there shouldn't be a problem getting released now but can't get your CO to sign off on it. We were having the same problem in my battalion. The Marine Corps authorized early outs for up to a year early but our CO was kind of put in a bind because our battalion was so understrength. Lots of guys I know put in the paperwork anyways. CO recommended it get denied but in the end it was the Marine Corps' decision so they all got approved.

Moral of the story; if the Navy is the same with the paperwork, go ahead and send it up the chain. Your CO could submit the request stating he doesn't recommend it but it could still get approved. Just a thought.