US Army Prior Service = 18X?

[bobgengeskahn]

Hello all,

I have a question for any recruiters that may be out there or anyone that may know what current enlistment options are like for active duty Army.

I was a contracted Army ROTC CDT in college for 10 months, making me prior service. Due to outside circumstances I was unable to finish my degree and breached my contract, and have spent the last ~4 years clearing things up and keeping in touch with recruiters to watch my enlistment options.

Recently things have cleared up enough that I have been able to start my packet and now its up to MEPS. I was informed this week by another recruiter looking at my packet that I am prior service (the one I was working with did not think I was and was trying to change my MEPS status), and that because of that my ONLY option for enlistment is 18X - SF Candidate.

My problem isnt that I can go 18 series (I have thought about putting in a packet anyway, but down the road), my only concern about this is that if I wash or don't get selected I'll go 11 series. (For those 11Bs and 11Cs possibly reading this, I don't have anything against infantry at all, I'd just rather do something more technical.)

I scored a 94 on my ASVAB with a 130 GT and extended scale on multiple line scores. So I was hoping to be able to pick up an MOS like 89D - EOD, 21B - Combat Engineer, 12D - Diver, 35L - Counter intel. etc.

If 18X is my only option, is it possible to have a different MOS written into my contract or would I have to DEP once I'm there and just take it as it goes?

Any information would be appreciated, thanks!

[navycorpsman]

Wow didnt know Rotc made you prior service. interesting to learn something new everyday. I know it sucks but part of Sf world if you wash out but most times they try and reclass you when you fail out of SF or BUD/S

[bobgengeskahn]

well I don't PLAN on washing out thats for sure. I just want to make sure I have some realistic expectations/have my bases covered.

I never got a DD214 from ROTC, but apparently my recruiter office has dealt with other people before too that weren't even on contract that got to MEPS and were told they had to re-do their packet because they were considered prior.

I got a few responses to this question on another forum (I'm asking all over just to get an idea), one guy, a current Army EOD Tech, said that EOD is leaning toward Prior service guys and have recruiters at various places in the 18x training pipeline just so they can DEP people over. However he is the only one I have heard mention such a thing about any MOS. So I wanted to see if anyone here has heard anything like that.

[navycorpsman]

You know its hard to answer due to the fact that with massive downsizing prior service are having trouble negotiating anyways. I wish you the best and dont expect you to wash out and great you have plans but as a prior service that has dealt with meps word aint **** unless its in the contract so READ carefully.

[chris]

i have heard of the only MOS open is 18X one of the Soldiers in my unit was told this as well. i called BS on it. but the Army is downsizing in a way that will make the 90's look like good years. there are more MOS's open than your recruiter is telling you. bug the crap out of him or her.

as for SF be prepared to wash out. it happens don't take to hard but SF wants the best and most physicly fit. think outside the box as well. good luck to you.

[Caliyanks]

Once you enlist for 18X, thats your job until you pass or fail. If you fail out you will then be moved into the 11 series MOS since you'll already be qualified for that. After your initial tour is up, you can work with the retention NCO's and try to reclass into a different MOS. Hope this helped. And yes, I worked at the Army recruiting HQ's and my Son is a retention NCO. Feel free to PM me if you'd like. Otherwise, good luck.

[tanksoldier]

If you were a contracted cadet you were enlisted into the US Army Reserve.

As mentioned, if you fail the 18X process, you'll be re-classed 11 series.

Even if you're set 110% on being SF realistically you'll probably still fail... so if you're cool with serving out your enlistment as an infantryman, go for it.

[SoCal_Sapper]

Dude, do not go 21B.

[bobgengeskahn]

Why is that? I haven't spoken to anyone that is actually in 21B, but I came across it in my reading looking into EOD, and the Sapper Leader course peaked my interest...

[Tripper]

I somewhat disagree with getting automatically re-classed as 11b (although already having 11b training as a result could weigh pretty heavy on the process as well)
IIRC, SF requires a clearance of Secret or above
with that, if you wash, it would better serve them to re-class you as something MI or something needing a clearance, (pretty much any of the MOS's you mentioned), if they already spent money on getting you a clearance, they would want to make use of it. Infantry is not likely going to be in their top 10 choices.
I know a number of washouts from MI school, and more that the MOS was dropped, Every Person I know that ever got re-classed, that had a clearance of any type, stayed in MI field of some sort.
As a result, a wash might get you exactly what you want. NO that is not a recommendation to intentionally wash out

[Decoligny]

I somewhat disagree with getting automatically re-classed as 11b (although already having 11b training as a result could weigh pretty heavy on the process as well)
IIRC, SF requires a clearance of Secret or above with that, if you wash, it would better serve them to re-class you as something MI or something needing a clearance, (pretty much any of the MOS's you mentioned), if they already spent money on getting you a clearance, they would want to make use of it. Infantry is not likely going to be in their top 10 choices.
I know a number of washouts from MI school, and more that the MOS was dropped, Every Person I know that ever got re-classed, that had a clearance of any type, stayed in MI field of some sort.
As a result, a wash might get you exactly what you want. NO that is not a recommendation to intentionally wash out

From my understanding you are required to have a Secret clearance in order to even be in the Military. You usually are cleared by the time you complete your training.

We have had a couple people in the Squadron I work for who lost their Secret Clearance (financial problems caused by spouses). They were administratively discharged due to not having a clearance, not for any misconduct. This is Air Force though, so Army might not require a clearance for the standard infantry soldier, don't know.

[winnre]

From my understanding you are required to have a Secret clearance in order to even be in the Military. You usually are cleared by the time you complete your training.

Usually the ENTNAC is enough of a check to give you a Secret. When I joined I was not yet a US citizen so had no clearance, however I could not stay more than 6 years without getting citizenship. After citizenship the ENTNAC was used for the granting of the Secret.

If I were you I'd sign up for the MOS I want as a secondary, like MI or whatnot. Then from there after one term re-up for the 18X option. We had folks doing that when I was an MP and those who fell out went back to MP and not 11B. Initial enlistment however gives you only the gun bunny option after an 18X washout.

Whatever you decide and whatever they tell you, GET IT IN WRITING!

[SoCal_Sapper]

Because being a 21B isn't what anyone actually thinks it is. Don't believe your recruiter if he says being a 21B is spending all day st, the demo range blowing **** up. 21B is about 5% demo, 25% pounding pickets and 70% *****ing about how your BC doesn't know what to do with you're fellow combat engineers so he sick you on gate guard. You want to blow **** up all day, go eod.

[SoCal_Sapper]

Holy crap my phone typing abilities are atrocious.

[roll2li]

Because being a 21B isn't what anyone actually thinks it is. Don't believe your recruiter if he says being a 21B is spending all day st, the demo range blowing **** up. 21B is about 5% demo, 25% pounding pickets and 70% *****ing about how your BC doesn't know what to do with you're fellow combat engineers so he sick you on gate guard. You want to blow **** up all day, go eod.

Don't forget filling Hescoes - with the pounding pickets part.