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Matt Dammes

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I have a possible once in a lifetime Job offer, but I am currently active duty military with a couple years left on my second enlistment. Are there any options for me to get out or switch over to Guard/Reserve. I am in a very nonessential career field and want to explore my options since I will never get this chance again. Oh yeah, it has to be an Honorable Discharge.



Any help would be great.



Dammes

 
This would be a question best directed to your retention NCO or UA. He/She will be able to tell you which programs are open for and then you be able to make the best choice. Either way you go, Good Luck.



Cliff
 
In today's smaller, over-worked, and transforming Army, there are always options for a soldier with a good service record.



I believe Cliff R gave some sound advice...talk to your Bn or Bde career counselor or retention NCOIC/OIC. They should be able to point you in the right direction. If you were within one year of your ETS date, you could probably re-up for it, but since you have a few years left, that limits your options. You could always try to see if a guard unit in the area where you want to work needs your MOS also. If they do, I think it is possible to make the switch, but it takes a lot of coordination between the gaining and losing commanders.



The only other thing I can think of is emploring your chain-of-command to consider an early termination of your current service obligation, based on a considerable life-style change which could result from getting this job. I've heard of soldiers who have won lotteries or other-wise inherited large sums of money and been able to get out. I know in order to do this, you have to be able to provide bonafide documentaton that the new job (or inheritance)will dramatically enhance your lively-hood somehow. Then it really is up to the losing command. Example: A soldier at Ft. Bragg won the McDonalds Monopoly game, back in '97 or '98, when I was stationed there with the 82nd Abn Div. He was able to prove to the Div Cdr that inheriting close to $1,000,000 was a significant life-style change, which the Army couldn't begin to compete with, so they let him go.



If your unit is expecting to deploy to OIF, OEF, or the Balkans anytime soon though, I wouldn't get my hopes up. Likewise, you claim your MOS in "non-essential".... You may think this to be true, but in these times of war, EVER soldier is important in some way. If your departure from the unit would create a vaccuum or leave the unit under-manned somehow, then you can forget making the switch unless you have a very benevolent Bde Cdr.



Best of luck. At the very worst, maybe you could ask the potential employer to hold the spot open until you are eligible to get out.....they would gain a more seasoned and experienced leader in the long run. If you aren't already an E5 or E6, you would probably be one by then and would have some better schooling under your belt for the resume. Best of luck.



DD
 
One thing to consider as well. If the job offer is from a contractor that you deal with in your current military duties, then you will almost certainly be turned down. Not only would it be inappropriate for you to take the position which was negotiated on duty time, but it could cause an investigation, since it would appear that the professional distance required between a government employee and contractor had been breached. If you want to see the possible consequences of such a situation, do a Google search on "Darlene Druyun".



If that is the situation with you, I would politely tell the contractor, "No thanks!", and distance myself from the person who made the offer. Let your chain of command know what occurred so they can make theri own decision on whether they want you to still work with that individual.



None of us will get rich working for the government, but there is a satisfaction in doing a good job in defense of our Country, that you won't find anywhere else. If being rich is your sole goal in life, then I suggest you get out at the end of your current enlistment.
 
its called PALACE CHASE.. you double your time left in the reserves if there are job opening in you career field.. see a reserve recruiter... good luck



troy
 
there's a better job? :)



Let's see: E9 pay, 500+ seapay, 1500 for housing, no duty, no watches, and I set my own working hours pretty much...... Nah, life is GOOD! Where else can you get all that for walking around and yelling at folks ;)





Serious note: as others have said, you need to speak to your career counselor or equivelent... there are often programs out there. I have seen some strange requests get approved, but it all depends on your service's manning, especially in your career field.
 
PALACE CHASE is a voluntary separation program for active duty Air Force officers and enlisted members. It affords you an opportunity to separate from active duty early and serve the remaining portion of your commitment in the Air National Guard or Reserves.



I did 21 years in the Air Force and know a number of people that took this route to get out of the service to take civilian Jobs. Some even got Air Reserves Technician positions.



troy
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Here is a link which has a complete description of how the Air Force processes PALACE CHASE requests (see below).



Personally, I think that anyone that states that they want out of the military should be shown the door -- under the military's terms -- not the miltary member's. Let them out with an honorable discharge, but make them pay back every cent that was spent on their training, going all the way back to basic training.
 
Nelson...what kind of lefty, pyscho-bable is that? Pay back every cent the gov't spent on training...where is the precidence for it?



A person signs an initial contract that includes a service lock in that ensures the gov't gets payback for their training. Once the training committent is satisfied, there is no reason someone can't jump from the active into the guard or reserves.



Besides, 65% of the folks serving in the desert...they are from the Guard and Reserve. So, it's not like an Active Duty guy is going to get out of anything. Most likely, he's going to jump into a unit that is vulnerable for deployment.
 
Thanks for the info... I am in the band here at Scott and I might have an offer as a firefighter down in Atlanta (Hometown) by end of the year

Before I applied for the Job I asked my commander and SMsgt in charge of personnel if I would be able to palace chase. They said yes.

However, the Chief at the pentagon in charge of Guard/Reserve has now said no. I am looking at different avenues and hopefully everything will work out. Otherwise I might have to pay the fire department I applied for a fee for all the background and investigative stuff they did.





Thanks for the info



Matt



 

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