Active Army Rotoray Wing Guy to Air Force UPT Guard/Reserve

[Deuce362]

I need some help here. I've been trying for a long time to figure out how to transfer from the active Army to the USAF Reserves or National Guard. I've already taken the AFOQT and TBAS and got great scores. Here is the background.

I have two kids in EFMP. I need to relocate to a place closer to family but I do not want to give up on the military. I already have 10 years in. I'm currently a commissioned Army pilot. I am a pilot at heart and that is what I'm going to do for the rest of my life. The problem is that my kids need stability and they need to be near family. It's getting to the point where the marriage will suffer.

I have read into the regulations and it seems there is a way to do it except for one line that says AD officers will not transfer into a guard or reserve component of another branch. I know there is a waiver for everything. I can get out of my ADSO and active duty through a REFRAD but it would seem that I would have to completely separate from the military rather than do a transfer. I can not afford to have anything more than a month or so break in service.

Can anyone help me out? Does anyone know, seen, heard of anyone going from active to reserves in another branch without a break in service?

[Yoda]

You will ideally separate on one day and enter the reserves/NG the next or simultaneously.  If you have an ADSO getting out of it is now harder than it once was.  The toughest part will be lining up your UPT with your ETS date so you don't have a month or two of time with no civilian job.  With the EFMP part, make sure you have a plan for health insurance when working as a traditional reservist.

[pilot]

Got a AD army commissioned bro going to UPT in the reserves. The method he had to use was UQR from the army (separate completely) and then swear in the following day. He coordinated a UPT date with HRC for his sep date from the army.  Had it about as locked as you could get, and now his UPT date got pushed 5 months or so, so he’s scrambling to get his sep date pushed, but will likely have a break in service and will be funemployed for a while. I’m coming off a 4 year break in service, and my dates have been all over the place as well, with multiple changes to my “penciled in” dates as I’ve waited on the various wickets during the very painful accessions process. Fortunately I have a lot of flexibility with my civilian job so it doesn’t matter, but if you get on with a guard or reserve unit plan on at least a year from getting hired to starting pilot training, even as a non-OTS prior rated guy. For reference I got hired in October last year will maybe start a year after that due to a short fall slot that opened. Otherwise I’d be looking at February-ish. Things that took a while were getting the age/TFCS ETPs, getting board paperwork together for the AFRC board, getting an FC1 scheduled, completed, and approved, getting the scroll completed (reserve thing only I think), getting the ARB done, and getting sworn in (AFRC recruiting wouldn't let me swear in until the ARB was complete, and that took 3-4 months from my submission to being approved).  

Anyway, you may have more luck than some of us going thru the process now, but it’s a long painful process with a bunch of timeline uncertainty and changes, so I’d count on the same and have a backup plan since army separations dates are not that flexible. Not sure on the guard side but I imagine their wickets are probably similar. Getting hired by a unit also took a really long time as not many wanted to mess with age ETPs for me. Been a long road for sure.  

[Deuce362]

Another problem i've been running into is units don't want to look at me because i have an ADSO. I don't think they realize that I can't get rid of my ADSO until i have a date for UPT and i can't do that until i'm hired. I could put the ADSO waiver and REFRAD paperwork in now but the ETS date would be a shot in the dark. Is there anything I could tell these units that would make them not so scared?

[Deuce362]

FlyArmy, did your friend have any ADSO left before he put his UQR in? If so, how did he waive his ADSO?

[Flip6]

@FlyArmy is right. The inter-service transfer is for people who are already qualified to perform their duties in their new branch. Since we RW guys still have to go to UPT, we have to separate entirely before swearing into the Air Force. I just dropped my UQR last week. Though I’m curious as to where you heard you can get out of your ADSO. I’m a year out from my Flight school ADSO, and aviation branch pretty much laughed in my face when I asked for an ADSO waiver even though I already got offered a job with a Reseve unit. 

I would suggest focusing on getting hired first. Depending on your ADSO date, you should be able adjust your separation date to coincide with the date you are able to commission in the Air Force to avoid a break in service. I may end up eating my words, but I’ll let you know how it works out for me. 

[Deuce362]

I am claiming hardship iaw ar 350-100. That's how I'm getting out of the ADSO. I can't afford the break in service. I just hope I can get with a unit that is understanding.

[pirate]

It was 15 years ago but I made it all work by leaving the active Army, going into the USAR and then processing the inter-service transfer to the Air Force Reserve.  

At the end of my ADSC I found a non-deplaoyable USAR training battalion.  We had an honest conversation before they accepted me.  Basically, I told them my big plan and said if this all works I’d like your support with the inter-service transfer, and if it doesn’t I’ll be the best staff officer you ever had.  I had some AF Reserve interviews lined up and spent about 5 months in the Army Reserve before it all worked out and I was able to transfer to the Air Force.  I was at UPT within a year of leaving active duty.  

I wasn’t an aviation branch guy.  So, I didn’t have any wings at the time.  

I know 3 army guys who made the jump in the same fashion as detailed above.  Each with a slightly different variation of the same story.  

If you have a USAR unit near you home it may be worth a visit and discussion.  

Good luck.

[boxster02]

Deuce-

From my research and friends who have navigated the same realm (FWIW not specifically from the Army), bottom line is that a reserve commission in your service (approved by Sec of the Army or higher) will alleviate any issues with continuity in PEBD/TIS/TIG. This can be inactive reserves, or whatever your service nomenclature is. Essentially you'll be in the USAR until scrolling/oath/appointment is complete and you'll be released into the ANG. Your AD baselines should not be effected, but due to prerequisites to process form XYZ, you'll most likely have a 6 week gap from AD sep date to eligibility to get paid. 

Shoot me a PM for details.

[Deuce362]

Did you guys sell your leave before the break? I'm a o2e with 10 years and a mortgage. Im know I may have to take a break but anything more than a month and a half and it's going to be a struggle. 

[boxster02]

For us you can sell 60 days back at the rate of your base pay. I believe its 25% taxed. You should have circa 10k to hold you over if you do not take terminal leave (leave 60 days prior to). I would plan on 6-8 weeks, with a 10 week maximum. The more time you have to stay on top of everything, the smaller the "gap". 

 

[Deuce362]

Please define "stay on top of everything"

[boxster02]

Pm sent.

[Yoda]

I am working the same process (with no ADSO).  From what I have seen there is a good chance for a gap due to unforeseen circumstances or someone dropping the ball somewhere.  So while I am ready to direct to the unit and head off to UPT, I have plan B to keep the family afloat with money and healthcare coverage until I go off to UPT.  Plan B is a civilian job and living off much less money (ie smaller house).  CIV employer is fully aware of the situation and supportive -- it is really an employee's job market if you are qualified.  

[pilot]

On 8/15/2018 at 7:19 AM, Deuce362 said:

FlyArmy, did your friend have any ADSO left before he put his UQR in? If so, how did he waive his ADSO?

Nah, adso complete. 

[Deuce362]

How hard would it be to work with HRC in order to to line up my ETS date with upt start date?

[pilot]

3 hours ago, Deuce362 said:

How hard would it be to work with HRC in order to to line up my ETS date with upt start date?

If you could do it that would be just short of a miracle. I’ve heard of it happening. But very rarely. Getting hired by a guard/reserve unit is hard enough. Then getting thru all the wickets (getting hired, AFRC board if reserves, waivers/ETPs, FC1, ARB, scroll (if reserves), appointment/oath, and any hiccups along the way, and trying to time that with getting out, is tough. HRC wants too much lead time, and they don’t like moving stuff around. When I got out 4 years ago they required 12 months from the time they receive it (which took a month to route up the chain) to my terminal leave date. So it was basically 15 months. I think it’s a little shorter now but it’s still ridiculous and they are inflexible once you do it. 

If you can get an army guard or reserve unit to temporarily take you, I’ve heard it’s signifcantly easier to make the transfer happen with no break in service. But that’s another step in the process that has its own issues and has to work out just right. 

If the ANG/USAFR is what you want, go for it and try to make everything work as best you can, but I think it’ll be tough to line it up. Going straight Army AD to ANG/AFR. Not impossible, but will require HRC to be flexible, and a lot of luck. Just my $.02 personally and talking to guys who have done it are doing it currently, but maybe with the EFMP situation it could help.