Changing MOS

[Drofrom]

I'm a DEP in the Army and my recruting station got a new comander, and he talked to my recruter about having me change jobs.
My job originaly was 11x Airborne Infantry. What they want me to chnage it to is 18x SF.
My signing bonus goes way up my pay will increase and the amount I'm getting for college will also increase with my GI Bill.
Another thing that will change is I'll go from 3 years active duty time to 5 or 6 years.
I think I'll do it but I still am thinking about it. I have to come up with a decision by tomorrow.
One good thing is I won't have to change my shipping date.

 

[daveleau]

Make sure that the job is one that you will be happy with. The signing bonus is temporary and will be gone shortly after you get in. But, your job will be with you for at least 5-6 years. Your GI Bill should not have gone up. If you were already to be in for 3 years, it should have already been 36K. The 2 year enlistment nets 29K. This is the same regardless of rank or job, but simply based on being in the US military for at least 3 years. This is not a military fund, but a veterans fund. The military cannot change the amount you get.

In a nutshell, the Active Duty Montgomery G.I. Bill (ADMGIB) grants $36,104 worth of education benefits, in exchange for an enlistment period of at least three years in the United States Military, along with a reduction in pay of $1,200 ($100 per month) for the first year of service. The ADMGIB grants $29,376 worth of education benefits for those who enlist for less than three years (this is mostly the two-year enlistment option for the Army).

 

[pinqy]

Perhaps he's including the Army College Fund. I don't think 11 series is eligible, but 18 series is for sure.

My advice: If you're sure now that you'll be happy in the Army, that you can handle it, that you can make the SF qualifications, then by all means change to SF. But if you have any doubts, stick with your original plan and you can reclass to 18 series on re-enlistment. Here's the main warning...if you do not complete the training for 18 series you can be reclassified "needs of the Army." If you're lucky, they'll stick you back to 11B...but the shortage MOSs right now are truck driver and water purification specialist. (I could be mistaken...this is how it is for most MOSs, but when I joined you couldn't enlist for SF anyway).

You should know yourself and your abilities. If you think you are physically and mentally able to handle SF training and are willing ritght now to commit 6 years, go for it. If you're not confident, don't.

 

[jeepgirl1]

My advice: If you're sure now that you'll be happy in the Army, that you can handle it, that you can make the SF qualifications, then by all means change to SF. But if you have any doubts, stick with your original plan and you can reclass to 18 series on re-enlistment. Here's the main warning...if you do not complete the training for 18 series you can be reclassified "needs of the Army." If you're lucky, they'll stick you back to 11B...but the shortage MOSs right now are truck driver and water purification specialist. (I could be mistaken...this is how it is for most MOSs, but when I joined you couldn't enlist for SF anyway).

I found this in a MILPER message:

APPLICANTS SELECTING MOS 18X WHO DO NOT COMPLETE ANY PORTION OF THEIR MOS QUALIFICATION TRAINING WILL REVERT TO MOS 11X. THEY WILL RECEIVE THE BONUS FOR MOS 11X THAT WAS AVAILABLE AT THE TIME OF CONTRACTING.

 

[pinqy]

Oh, good. When I first enlisted I saw several people rock out of Language school and reclassed as infantry, mechanics, and cooks.

 

[BourbonFromHeaven]

Dude,


Don't be a SF-baby. Stay with orginal contract and get some line time and a deployment down. It'll do you better.

If you go SF route, you have to go into a class made up of a bunch of people fresh out of Airborne school who have to get trained up before you take the Assesment Course, and they only train you up on basic skills.

In the 2 and half years it would take you to get to a Q course, you could have already spent all that time on the line, get a deployment or a EIB, spend time watching squadleaders do their jobs, instead of just class room, be a SAW Gunner or a Team leader and get real practical training.

Anyone can take the Special Forces Assesment, it's not hard to get a class date for it, so it's not like a once in a life time oppertunity. My Rifle Platoon has a few guys who dropped out of that SF program, and now have to deal with 6 year contracts when they would have rather had a 3 year one.

 

[BourbonFromHeaven]

I think I'll do it but I still am thinking about it. I have to come up with a decision by tomorrow.

No, you don't. You have all the time you want to make the decision. That recruiting office works for you. If you are unsure and want another 2 weeks to think about it and research it, then say so. If they give you some bologna that the contract won't be available, it's bologna. They can get you that contract, you may have to wait longer, but you can get it.

 

[JamesBell]

The above comment was right on. You have all the time in the world to make your mind up. Don't let them push you into anything.

One thing you should consider is what happens if you don't make it to the end of SF training. The chances of making it through airborne school of good, but your chances of making it through SF training are lower. The grading is tougher and the chances of injury increase. Think through everything before you do anything.

And remember, remember, remember you don't have to do anything while you're in the DEP. Make them put your contract together they way you want it. Once you go to boot camp, you're pretty much stuck with what you have. Until then, you can make them work and get it right.