Prior Service Attempting To Go SF

CDG

Mittens
Verified Military
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Apr 15, 2011
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Just wanted to post this info up, as I got it confirmed recently.

For prior service personnel who are not a) Already graduates of Army or USMC BCT, b) SOF personnel, or c) USAF Security Forces will be required to complete Army BCT and AIT once you enlist in the Army or Guard. Additionally, the way the regs are written, prior service Army or USMC personnel who have been out longer than 36 months would also have to repeat BCT and AIT. The rank you got out at will be valid for 48 months after separation, barring an overmanning at that specific pay grade in the MOS you are attemtping (not really an issue for SF I suppose). After 48 months you could come back in reduced one paygrade.
 
Hit up Goon175 and he will give you the no shit, real deal.

Bottom line though: Navy dudes will go through BCT since WTC was dropped recently (I attended in 2010 and it was sofa king gay) but your Guard recruiter should be able to tell you if your NEC will transfer over (mine did). I have no idea how they handle PS guys in BCT though since you'll have rank (I was a SFC when I attended WTC and it was not the norm...but I'm abnormal anyway so I fit the profile.)
 
Hit up Goon175 and he will give you the no shit, real deal.

Bottom line though: Navy dudes will go through BCT since WTC was dropped recently (I attended in 2010 and it was sofa king gay) but your Guard recruiter should be able to tell you if your NEC will transfer over (mine did). I have no idea how they handle PS guys in BCT though since you'll have rank (I was a SFC when I attended WTC and it was not the norm...but I'm abnormal anyway so I fit the profile.)

I was surprised to hear I would have to do BCT/AIT, because everything I had heard was about WTC. I have no clue about my NEC transferring, although I doubt it since I was a MK41 VLS (Vertical Launching System) Tech. With going through the SF pipeline, it will hopefully never become relevant. :-) I think sending guys like me to BCT/AIT makes sense, and I'm actually kind of happy about it. More time for me to work on land nav and I will have at least a rudimentary grasp of Small Unit Tactics, something us Swabbies rarely get. :D I have seen a few things mentioned about the PS guys in BCT. The most consistent, from the NG forums, seems to be that PS guys have their own barracks and own DFAC during BCT. The training is mostly the same, but the PS guys break off at some points to do different things. Additionally, from what I can gather, you are treated much differently as PS than the recruits are. Much more is expected of you (as it should be) but you are not getting the in-your-face Drill Sergeant treatment either.
 
I was surprised to hear I would have to do BCT/AIT, because everything I had heard was about WTC. I have no clue about my NEC transferring, although I doubt it since I was a MK41 VLS (Vertical Launching System) Tech. With going through the SF pipeline, it will hopefully never become relevant. :-) I think sending guys like me to BCT/AIT makes sense, and I'm actually kind of happy about it. More time for me to work on land nav and I will have at least a rudimentary grasp of Small Unit Tactics, something us Swabbies rarely get. :D I have seen a few things mentioned about the PS guys in BCT. The most consistent, from the NG forums, seems to be that PS guys have their own barracks and own DFAC during BCT. The training is mostly the same, but the PS guys break off at some points to do different things. Additionally, from what I can gather, you are treated much differently as PS than the recruits are. Much more is expected of you (as it should be) but you are not getting the in-your-face Drill Sergeant treatment either.

Yeah, prob not much need for a MK41 bubba in the Army. :D I do know that the pipeline AIT, SOPC, SFAS does set the guys up for success: there 5 of us PS guys in WTC in 19th and 20th Groups. One buddy just finished the Q, two more are making their way through, another guy was med-dropped from selection but ended up transferring to Air Guard...he's now a Combat Controller. Oh, then there's me...the token support guy. All of us are still close 2 years after WTC.

I will say the BS in WTC was total BS since we all knew better but there were some PS guys who were simply dipshits. A few times the DS got in my face pretty much because it was a power trip for a SGT/SSG to drop a SFC (actually enjoyed the extra PT because the Army PT for Joes is retarded but we still had failures). I have to say though I personally think it's fucked up for a leader to drop a soldier and not get down with them. Saw that shit in WTC and BAC: most of the "leaders" didn't appear able to do many push-ups since they clearly weren't able to push-back from the dinner table. Lead from the front...of the chow line. (I did see one guy who lead us through 200 jumping jacks and had much respect for that guy).

Bottom line is if you're committed to the cause, you'll do whatever it takes.
 
Yeah, WTC is no more. Everyone goes through the same basic training, or if you are coming as an 18x - Infantry OSUT. You are all pretty much treated the same, there aren't different chow halls or anything like that. My bunkmate is OSUT was a BUD/S wash out, really squared away guy, but he was doing everything we were doing. The real question is what rank were you at discharge?
 
Yeah, WTC is no more. Everyone goes through the same basic training, or if you are coming as an 18x - Infantry OSUT. You are all pretty much treated the same, there aren't different chow halls or anything like that. My bunkmate is OSUT was a BUD/S wash out, really squared away guy, but he was doing everything we were doing. The real question is what rank were you at discharge?

I was an E-5. The word I got was that I would be paid as an E-5 while in Basic, but would wear E-4. Not sure if I would keep that situation through AIT as well, or if I would put E-5 back on after BCT. Kinda having a tough time keeping the recruiter on the phone for more than 2 minutes at a time....
 
That doesn't even make sense. Youre pay grade is how much you get paid....your recruiter is literally retarded, fyi. You would need a grade determination, and hopefully that would come back as E-4 not E-5, b/c the only thing you would be able to join for right now is 18x, and you have to be E1-E4 for that. That would literally be your only option. So you would be an E-4/SPC while in infantry OSUT (14 weeks), airborne hold (?), airborne (3 weeks), and until after you get selected at SFAS and are promoted in the Q at some point.
 
That doesn't even make sense. Youre pay grade is how much you get paid....your recruiter is literally retarded, fyi. You would need a grade determination, and hopefully that would come back as E-4 not E-5, b/c the only thing you would be able to join for right now is 18x, and you have to be E1-E4 for that. That would literally be your only option. So you would be an E-4/SPC while in infantry OSUT (14 weeks), airborne hold (?), airborne (3 weeks), and until after you get selected at SFAS and are promoted in the Q at some point.
Interesting.... Does it make any difference that I'm going the Guard route vs. AD? The recruiter made it sound like I was going to be signing some hybrid version of a REP-63 contract....
 
Ok I am not the SME on Nat. Guard contracts, totally different rules, the guard is state run, AD and Reserves are Federal, and recruiting for the guard falls under the Nat. Guard Buraeu. So as far as keeping rank and all that stuff, I have no idea. I still stand by the fact that If you are an E-5 you will get E-5 pay and where sgt.'s stripes, ditto for E-4. If I was an E-5 and someone told me to where spc. rank, it would be met with a resounding "fuck you".

Are you dealing with an SF Nat. Guard recruiter? It was my understanding that prior service guys don't have to join a regular unit first, that they can work directly with the SF recruiters for that unit. Again, I'm not the SME on that, so keep that in mind.
 
Ok I am not the SME on Nat. Guard contracts, totally different rules, the guard is state run, AD and Reserves are Federal, and recruiting for the guard falls under the Nat. Guard Buraeu. So as far as keeping rank and all that stuff, I have no idea. I still stand by the fact that If you are an E-5 you will get E-5 pay and where sgt.'s stripes, ditto for E-4. If I was an E-5 and someone told me to where spc. rank, it would be met with a resounding "fuck you".

Are you dealing with an SF Nat. Guard recruiter? It was my understanding that prior service guys don't have to join a regular unit first, that they can work directly with the SF recruiters for that unit. Again, I'm not the SME on that, so keep that in mind.

I don't have such a problem with it. I figure that since the change requiring PS guys to go through BCT took effect, that it makes things perhaps easier on the DIs to not have someone wearing SGTs stripes in the recruit platoon. If my paycheck is reading "E-5", I can deal with wearing E-4 for a few weeks.

I am dealing with an SF NG Recruiter. I am working directly with B/2/20. The way it was explained to me is that I technically join a regular unit, but am released to split train with the SF unit. My home unit would still be responsible for my pay and admin stuff, but I would never go there for drill or anything. I am meeting with the recruiter on the 21st of this month and can hopefully get some of this ironed out.
 
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