This is a move heaven and earth path but it is exactly what you have to do to get an 18x contract that will allow you to attempt for Army SF. Because you are in the Information dominance community you will need to take extra steps than the average sailor. Here are the steps.
1. Make sure you meet the requirements for Army SF then let your chain of command know your desire for switching branches to go Army SF. This can be done during your Career Development Board(CDB) or through request for counseling.
2. Once you have the backing of leadership, go see an army recruiter and let him know your situation in the Navy and get him to sign a DD368 Conditional Release ( This is going to be what allows you to leave the Navy Reserves on the condition you get a contract with the army).
3. There are now 3 letters of endorsement you will need: One from your unit CO, NOSC CO, and your Region. You will need to draft a letter to your CO with letterhead requesting his endorsement. Make sure you put it in a routing folder along with your DD368 signed by you and your Army recruiter. You can get the unit yeoman to help you draft one or use a template. After Unit CO endorsement it should be routed to your NOSC CO by your Career Counselor (NC). After NOSC CO approval it will be routed to your IW Region Command (also should be done by NC). If approved by region, it will go to headquarters (CNIFR). If approved it then goes to NAVEPERS for the final approval.
*As you can see a lot of routing happens. DO NOT expect it to be routed automatically. You will need to track down the movement of your release and endorsements at each step and make sure it is not sitting in anyone’s inbox. In my case I had to push it at EVERY point. Other rates do not go through the same process we do so your NC may think all you need is an endorsement from your Unit CO and your NOSC CO. NAVPERS will DENY your request if they receive such a packet.
4. Once NAVPERS approves your request they will sign on your DD368 saying you have until a certain date to get picked up by the Army. As of right now it is 6 months. The DD368 will most likely be sent back to the sender which may be your NC. You can call them to check the status of your release and where it was sent if approved. Return to your recruiter with the fully signed DD368 and begin the process for getting to MEPS.
5. At MEPS make sure you get an 18x contract. Currently they are taking prior service E5 and below. I’m speaking this from my experience. A pay grade determination will be made by the Army before you go to MEPS. It could be that my prior experience, evals, and the Army schools I’ve been to allowed me to get 18x with E5 or it could be that the Army was feeling generous who knows. It is not guaranteed.
*The recruiter may ask you for orders of your promotion to send in for pay grade determination. Let him or her know that the Navy does not give orders for promotion but frocking letters and promotion evals along with an update on our Member Data Summary (which you can find at BOL under your OMPF). If they keep asking for it like they did me. Get the Navy recruiters next door to let them know. If not when you get to MEPS they’ll take care of it.
*This is my profile
IT, Navy 4yrActive then 2yr Reserve
28yrs old
Airborne Qual
Prior services wondering about repeating Airborne...On my Reservation sheet it says that I will need to which they will not change at MEPS. After some phone calls from my Army liaison at MEPS, I was told I will not have to repeat Airborne, to show my certificate and jump log once I get to FT Benning. I’ll confirm it once I get cleared to not repeat or get told to repeat when I’m over there. Any questions feel free to contact me.
1. Make sure you meet the requirements for Army SF then let your chain of command know your desire for switching branches to go Army SF. This can be done during your Career Development Board(CDB) or through request for counseling.
2. Once you have the backing of leadership, go see an army recruiter and let him know your situation in the Navy and get him to sign a DD368 Conditional Release ( This is going to be what allows you to leave the Navy Reserves on the condition you get a contract with the army).
3. There are now 3 letters of endorsement you will need: One from your unit CO, NOSC CO, and your Region. You will need to draft a letter to your CO with letterhead requesting his endorsement. Make sure you put it in a routing folder along with your DD368 signed by you and your Army recruiter. You can get the unit yeoman to help you draft one or use a template. After Unit CO endorsement it should be routed to your NOSC CO by your Career Counselor (NC). After NOSC CO approval it will be routed to your IW Region Command (also should be done by NC). If approved by region, it will go to headquarters (CNIFR). If approved it then goes to NAVEPERS for the final approval.
*As you can see a lot of routing happens. DO NOT expect it to be routed automatically. You will need to track down the movement of your release and endorsements at each step and make sure it is not sitting in anyone’s inbox. In my case I had to push it at EVERY point. Other rates do not go through the same process we do so your NC may think all you need is an endorsement from your Unit CO and your NOSC CO. NAVPERS will DENY your request if they receive such a packet.
4. Once NAVPERS approves your request they will sign on your DD368 saying you have until a certain date to get picked up by the Army. As of right now it is 6 months. The DD368 will most likely be sent back to the sender which may be your NC. You can call them to check the status of your release and where it was sent if approved. Return to your recruiter with the fully signed DD368 and begin the process for getting to MEPS.
5. At MEPS make sure you get an 18x contract. Currently they are taking prior service E5 and below. I’m speaking this from my experience. A pay grade determination will be made by the Army before you go to MEPS. It could be that my prior experience, evals, and the Army schools I’ve been to allowed me to get 18x with E5 or it could be that the Army was feeling generous who knows. It is not guaranteed.
*The recruiter may ask you for orders of your promotion to send in for pay grade determination. Let him or her know that the Navy does not give orders for promotion but frocking letters and promotion evals along with an update on our Member Data Summary (which you can find at BOL under your OMPF). If they keep asking for it like they did me. Get the Navy recruiters next door to let them know. If not when you get to MEPS they’ll take care of it.
*This is my profile
IT, Navy 4yrActive then 2yr Reserve
28yrs old
Airborne Qual
Prior services wondering about repeating Airborne...On my Reservation sheet it says that I will need to which they will not change at MEPS. After some phone calls from my Army liaison at MEPS, I was told I will not have to repeat Airborne, to show my certificate and jump log once I get to FT Benning. I’ll confirm it once I get cleared to not repeat or get told to repeat when I’m over there. Any questions feel free to contact me.
