AD IRR to ADSF

[DCAT Medic]

Gents,
I am starting to run into some questions about the route I am trying to take and have not found any threads on this situation, here is a run down of the situation: I am an activated E6 Individual Ready Reserve (IRR) member, my re-deployment is coming up in about a month, I have been trying to re-enlist (about a month now) to go active duty (AD) special forces (SF). Since I am IRR I have no retention NCO to work for me, so I have been contacting numerous people to find out the answers for what route I need to go in order to acomplish my goals. I have contacted the reserve retention NCO here in Iraq, I have contacted the AD retention NCO here in country, I have called the AD recruiter in Boise, ID (my home of record), and I have contacted the ADSF recruiter at Ft. Bragg NC. I am being told that I am unable to re-enlist for anything that says SF in a contract, furthermore I am being told that all I can do is use the reserve component to active component (RCAC) program. In doing the RCAC program I have to put together a packet, send it in to HRC, then I will outprocess from the reserves, enlist into the AD Army and be assigned to a post. Once at that post I can put in my voulunteer packet to go to SFAS and so on. The SF recruiter told me to request Ft. Bragg so hopefully I would not have to wait the year inbetween PCS moves (which makes sence to me). All of this was kind of half assed told to me, and it was put together by me from what every one was telling me. Does anybody on here have further insight or a firmer grasp of what process I should take? Any type of direction or re-enforcment of this RCAC program as the "only route" would be surely appreciated.

Steve

[Sinister]

I am assuming you are a 90-series MOS now and not an 18D.

The RC-to-AC route is the Army map. It takes a while and some patience (even if the Soldier has a letter for a unit pin-point assignment). The last Soldier I got transferred from RC-to-AC took almost a year, but some of that was because he wouldn't take a grade reduction to come back in, and he waffled about going to BNCOC. He eventually followed the Army's advice, but pissed away a great opportunity. When you think you're smarter than the Army the Army may ask you to prove it and make you a squad leader to serve in your MOS in combat.

To re-enter the Active Army after de-mobilization you will have to enlist back in the Active Army as a prior-service enlisted man (since as an IRR you will be a civilian again), and there may be no guarantee you're coming back in specifically for 18D (it all depends on Recruiting Command's / USASOC's 18D mission that day/week/month/year). MEPS and the Army will do a grade determination to see what rank you will return as.

I don't think as a prior service you qualify for 18X, although you could ask for a waiver (depending on how patient you are). That means you have to be assigned somewhere, and in the post-9/11 Army that means a unit in OIF/OEF rotation or a fixed post (hospital or clinic).

That said, reenlisting for Bragg is probably not bad advice (you could end up in the Division, MEDDAC or a clinic, Womack, or any of the other troop units on post), which would allow you to put in an SFAS volunteer packet.

[The Reaper]

IIRC, Guard SF students are given the opportunity to transfer to AD at a point in the SFQC.

If you make it that far, the board is not that tough.

TR

[DCAT Medic]

Originally Posted by Sinister

I am assuming you are a 90-series MOS now and not an 18D.

The RC-to-AC route is the Army map. It takes a while and some patience (even if the Soldier has a letter for a unit pin-point assignment). The last Soldier I got transferred from RC-to-AC took almost a year, but some of that was because he wouldn't take a grade reduction to come back in, and he waffled about going to BNCOC. He eventually followed the Army's advice, but pissed away a great opportunity. When you think you're smarter than the Army the Army may ask you to prove it and make you a squad leader to serve in your MOS in combat.

To re-enter the Active Army after de-mobilization you will have to enlist back in the Active Army as a prior-service enlisted man (since as an IRR you will be a civilian again), and there may be no guarantee you're coming back in specifically for 18D (it all depends on Recruiting Command's / USASOC's 18D mission that day/week/month/year). MEPS and the Army will do a grade determination to see what rank you will return as.

That said, reenlisting for Bragg is probably not bad advice (you could end up in the Division, MEDDAC or a clinic, Womack, or any of the other troop units on post), which would allow you to put in an SFAS volunteer packet.

Thank you for the reinforcement of that route as the way to go. You are correct in your assumption, I am a 91W30. I would be very happy to come back in and go to BNCOC! I was told as well that there would be a grade determination, however I was also led to believe that all of this could be done at the de-mob site if my packet had already been submitted, processed, and accepted. The year that it took that individual, was that mainly his choice, or was a good part of that the actual process?

Thanks again for your insight and knowledge on this matter.

Steve

[DCAT Medic]

Originally Posted by The Reaper

IIRC, Guard SF students are given the opportunity to transfer to AD at a point in the SFQC.

If you make it that far, the board is not that tough.

TR

Thank you for your input on this matter. However I am not sure about NGSF given my situation at the home front. I have to think of my family as well as what I want to do. That means if I were to go NG and something happens to me during SFQC (I get broke or medical out) then I have to think about what is my backup plan. I’m not saying that that route is bad, but I have to put my families’ needs in the equation as well. Once again thank you for your input, I don’t take it lightly.

Steve