2016 - 11X Option 40 Availability

[Wedge]

Greetings everyone,

I had a little info on my intro but decided to make a new thread on this topic. There are other topics but locked.
Anyway I finally got my paperwork, waited a few years to go back to the recruiting office. My recruiter tells me that there are no 11X Option 40s available at all, for the entire year. He says I have three options,
1) Get an Option 40 as a 42A (Human Resources) or 27D (Paralegal)
2) Enlist as 11X, no Option 40
3) 18x

From my hour long chat with my recruiters, their point is that I'm too old (28). I need to make a decision now. And that since the wars have dwindled, they no longer need Option 40s with 11x, and that they are impossible to come by. In his decade of experience, he's only put in two recruits. There is so many threads on whether you can pick up a contract in OSUT or Airbourne, I will never know. And that is the gamble I will have to live with. I have read extensively that I should always stick to my guns and stay the course, and only enlist with an Option 40. In addition I can't get another recruiter, the officer from the area sent me back to the same station. But anyway, even as I write this, I feel strong about my decision. I am disappointed the fact that there isn't one a available and the fact I'm getting older. I was just wondering, what are your thoughts about this situation?

 

[JVillan]

I was in a similar situation, but I was having to get a moral waiver. During the process of my waiver approving, I was down in the dumps thinking there was no way i would be able to get option 40 in my contract. I was ready to settle for just 11x and apply for the Ranger Regiment later on. When my recruiter asked what job I wanted I just told him 11x. Didn't even mention option 40 as i thought there would be no way i could get it. Then he asks me if thats all I want. I was confused by that question so I hesitantly asked if I could get option 40 in there. He responded by saying "alright it's yours" like it was no big deal. I was very surprised by this and of course I took it. Sorry if it seems like I am bragging, I'm just still very excited that I was able to get it. But I wanted to point out that he never even told me anything like "there were only a few slots left" or anything along those lines. I was actually under the impression that there were a lot of slots available because of the way my recruiter sounded. The Army website says that more slots open up every month, so if you are willing to wait a week I'm sure you have a better chance to get one in March. I only reserved mine last Tuesday so maybe I got one of the last slots for the month. Also, don't let your recruiter tell you that you have to make a decision now, because you don't. If you have your heart set on 11x with option 40 then don't settle for anything else (especially if you don't require a moral waiver like i did).

 

[Wedge]

I appreciate the reply JVillan. That's a dream come true. And to add to the that note, I am sticking to my decision about 11x with Option 40. Your're right, the site: FAQ does say there's 150 contracts each month, 'but' it also says : "Once USAREC meets its mission in an MOS, there are no more contracts available for that FY (fiscal year). USAREC adds more contract(s) roughly 18 months out from the report date." That kinda sucks too. Honestly I don't know, I feel like they're yanking my chain no matter what. I went to MEPS before, through them but didn't enlist. I think they're still pissed about that. I rather wait, but the problem is that my recruiter says that he can't keep my packet open all month long. He says he's wasting his time with me, then turns around and says he's not mad at me if I don't enlist, he'll go through the process with me again because it's his job. Uh... I don't what to say, haha. Chew me out or don't Sarge. But anyway, they're not going to like my answer tomorrow.

 

[JVillan]

I seem to have overlooked that part. The bright side to waiting it out, besides not being stuck with a job you don't want, is if for whatever reason a slot becomes available your recruiter will (hopefully) contact you right away. Anyways, good luck!

 

[Diamondback 2/2]

.

 

[RUBSUMLOTION]

GT score? If you're looking to go the route of trying to obtain a RASP slot without an option 40, you'll need a good GT score. Like 115+. When the Ranger liason took volunteers from airborne, he only accepted guys with high GTs or in demand MOSs.

 

[Wedge]

@RUBSUMLOTION Sorry for the late reply, I have a GT score of 112. I am still having trouble obtaining a contract 40. What are the chances of a Ranger liason or LNO picking up guys for RASP in OSUT? I ask this because I emailed the official 75th recruiting email and he said that there is a possibility getting a ranger contract in OSUT at Sand Hill but due to scheduling it may not happen. Secondly, should I just enlist regular 11x, or wait for option 40, or at least wait for an option 4 (airborne contract)?

 

[DA SWO]

@RUBSUMLOTION Sorry for the late reply, I have a GT score of 112. I am still having trouble obtaining a contract 40. What are the chances of a Ranger liason or LNO picking up guys for RASP in OSUT? I ask this because I emailed the official 75th recruiting email and he said that there is a possibility getting a ranger contract in OSUT at Sand Hill but due to scheduling it may not happen. Secondly, should I just enlist regular 11x, or wait for option 40, or at least wait for an option 4 (airborne contract)?

Have you looked at 13F

 

[Wedge]

Not as of today because of what my out of state recruiter said. I will touch bases on that. A few months, the only jobs available with an option 40 was 42A (Human Resources) or 27D (Paralegal). That's it. There were not what I wanted.

My situation was heard by an out of state Army recruiter, and he tried to help me out but there isn't much he can do. He said he checked and said there isn't any Opt. 40s or Opt. 4s. And that my packet was closed a few months ago. Because of this, my current recruiter may have just said no and not really checked. My current recruiter may have been right, but sounds like they don't want to help me no more. I was suggested to go to another recruiter.
Secondly, I emailed the 75thRangerRegiment recruiting email. As I got this:

"We have no control over the option 40 contracts that is all done through active army recruiters but there are other ways to get into regiment if you are still wanting to go the 11B route and don’t want to wait.
If the applicants can't get an option 40 then, as long as they meet the requirements, they will have the opportunity to engage the Ranger LNO while in basic training. In theory the LNO is to brief every soldier on Sand Hill, however in practice some times scheduling does not permit. If the soldier meets and exceeds the requirements he will come up on the LNOs tracker so when he goes to that company he will look for those soldiers who are a "potential" for Regiment. If the soldier does not get picked up, but has the opportunity to get to airborne he can engage the airborne Ranger LNO who briefs the RASP candidates and those interested. If the soldier does not get to volunteer through either of these means then when he gets to his first duty station he can engage me here 75recruit@soc.mil and start the packet process. Thank you!"

I'm reading a lot in the forums where there's guys getting Option 40s. I'm not sure what the heck is going on. I feel like I'm the only guy right now hitting walls with this and seriously going in with nothing. But again, a lot of veterans also have said that is a bad idea. "Between a rock and a hard place."

 

[RUBSUMLOTION]

I didn't go through OSUT and I never saw a Ranger liason in basic but I did see one in AIT. Since I already had an option 40, I didn't have to talk to him. A few of my buddies submitted packets but they were not accepted.

It seems like you have two options here, you can take any option 40 contract available right now or wait a few months, preferably till October, and grab one with a more appealing MOS. I say October because when I enlisted, I reserved my contract about a week after the new fiscal year. I had every MOS available to me with an option 40. Infantry, comms, Intel, 13F, you name it, it was available. Now I could have gotten lucky but maybe all the op40s are replenished at the start of a fiscal year. So don't quote me on this.

You sound like you want this so if I were you I'd wait and get that guarantee shot at RASP.

 

[Mudrunner]

Hey Wedge! I am currently in a position similar to yours. I am only 17 though and still have my senior year to go through before i can ship. I went to MEPS back in January and F'd up on my papers. I stupidly wrote that i thought i might have been allergic to peanut butter when i was a little kid based on something my parents told me. The lady at MEPS instantly DQ'd me just for that so ive spent the last 6 months trying to get a waiver saying that im not allergic. The waivers kept getting denied untill it finally got approved 2 weeks ago after i spent 5 hours eating peanut butter at an allergist to prove that nothing happened to me. My recruiter is finally talking to me about jobs and he said that all of the 11X op40 contracts were taken back in April when the slots opened for the 14 month Seniors. He told me that there will be no more 11X op40s for at least 8 months. He said that I should just enlist now (with some shitty ass job that i dont want) and try to renegotiate my contract later if what i really want shows up. I told him that i will wait a year if i have to in order to get what i want. He told me that there is almost no chance of getting an 11X op40. He also said that I'd be lucky to get just an 11X. He told me just to take the best job he has available right now and try to talk to a Regimental recruiter. So I don't know what to do, if i should wait for an 11X op40 to show up one day or if i should take the first 11X i see and take a gamble on getting to speak to a Regimental recruiter and be accepted to go to RASP. (By the way, ive known my recruiter for over a year and he knows what I want because i mention it to him every Thursday when i do PT with the future Soldiers at my recruiting office and its upsetting that now that i finally qualify to enlist, he just wants me to pick something ASAP so he can get his commission.)

 

[Jay_Pew]

all of that

So I can't speak on behalf of knowledge of the Army, but what I can tell you is, you're only 17 and not even done with highschool yet. You have nothing but time on your hands. There is no logical reason to rush to enlistment when you will not be leaving for basic for possibly close to a year, and especially so for a job you do not want. It makes much more sense to wait till the beginning of the fiscal year (October), in which jobs will become open, and if you are quick enough, you will get exactly what you want. And FYI, there is no "renegotiating your contract", that's just some fancy recruiter suave for trying to get you to sign ASAP.

 

[Red Flag 1]

.

 

[Gunz]

He said that I should just enlist now (with some shitty ass job that i dont want)

What makes you think you're qualified for a shitty ass job?

 

[Ooh-Rah]

What makes you think your qualified for a shitty ass job?

LOL

I was wondering if someone would call him on that.

@Jeeperman17 -

1) Your reply is to someone who has not posted in over a year

2) Remember that "someone" has to do that "shitty-ass job" you are referring to. Best not to insult any jobs within the military until you've at least joined the ranks, don't ya think?

3) What @Jay_Pew said is gospel. Use the search function and look for thread on MEPS and recruiters.

4) Best of success to you, I hope you stand strong and get the contract you want and are welcomed into the brotherhood you are seeking.

Begin now to practice situational awareness by being aware of whom you are talking to and how your posts may be interpreted.

 

[AWP]

Nothing teaches humility like a shitty ass job. I warmly encourage all high-speed, low-drag members of the military to make fun of the guys who ensure you're paid and such, just be an adult and do it to their faces. They will appreciate your candor and you'll be surprised at what they can do for you...

 

[Marauder06]

... They will appreciate your candor and you'll be surprised at what they can do to you...