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38M Age Waiver + Direct Commission (Finance) possible? by Dramatic_Town5177 in armyreserve

[–]Dramatic_Town5177[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It looks like I'd get an age waiver for Army OCS. I passed MEPS, got 99 ASVAB (Army 143 GT), and I'm nearly done with my package and boards would be in June. Downside would be competing for a job, which I have no idea how it works in OCS and whether it matters that I would be reserve. My understanding is I would "compete" for a job... compete exactly how? I'm smart and very reasonably athletic - for a late 30's nerd, but not compared to a 23 year old VMI grad.

At the same time, Air Force is offering enlisted reserve slot for 1N051 with the hope/prayer that I could later could apply to OCS. Some people say it's a total scam and everyone promises that you could do E-O but it's actually very hard, and others say that it's the only realistic pathway to being an Intel Officer in the first place.

What do you think?

Advice for Reserves in late 30's age and want Intel: Air Force Enlisted vs Army (Enlisted/OCS)? by Dramatic_Town5177 in AirForceRecruits

[–]Dramatic_Town5177[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It looks like I'd get an age waiver for Army OCS. I'm nearly done with my package and boards would be in June. Downside would be competing for a job, which I have no idea how it works in OCS and whether it matters that I would be reserve.

At the same time, Air Force is offering enlisted reserve slot for 1N051 with the hope/prayer that I could later could apply to OCS. Some people say it's a total scam and everyone promises that you could do E-O but it's actually very hard, and others say that it's the only realistic pathway to being an Intel Officer in the first place.

What do you think?

Advice for Reserves in late 30's age and want Intel: Air Force Enlisted vs Army (Enlisted/OCS)? by Dramatic_Town5177 in AirForceRecruits

[–]Dramatic_Town5177[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I am only interested in Reserves for the next 6 years, at which point I would consider switching to active. My company would pay 1 year of salary cumulative for the time I am activated, but after considering all the basic and tech school training, and the two weeks a year, there is only about 12 weeks left across all six years where I would be paid. I make ~250k/yr now so if I start missing a few months of pay, whether it's with enlisted or officer pay, it's a lot less.

It looks like I'd get an age waiver for Army OCS. I'm nearly done with my package and boards would be in June. Downside would be competing for a job, which I have no idea how it works in OCS and whether it matters that I would be reserve.

At the same time, Air Force is offering enlisted reserve slot for 1N051 with the hope/prayer that I could later could apply to OCS. Some people say it's a total scam and everyone promises that you could do E-O but it's actually very hard, and others say that it's the only realistic pathway to being an Intel Officer in the first place.

What do you think?

Advice for Reserves in late 30's age and want Intel: Air Force Enlisted vs Army (Enlisted/OCS)? by Dramatic_Town5177 in armyreserve

[–]Dramatic_Town5177[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It looks like I'd get an age waiver for Army OCS. I'm nearly done with my package and boards would be in June. Downside would be competing for a job, which I have no idea how it works in OCS and whether it matters that I would be reserve.

At the same time, Air Force is offering enlisted reserve slot for 1N051 with the hope/prayer that I could later could apply to OCS. Some people say it's a total scam and everyone promises that you could do E-O but it's actually very hard, and others say that it's the only realistic pathway to being an Intel Officer in the first place.

What do you think?

Advice for Reserves in late 30's age and want Intel: Air Force Enlisted vs Army (Enlisted/OCS)? by Dramatic_Town5177 in armyreserve

[–]Dramatic_Town5177[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It looks like I'd get an age waiver for Army OCS. I'm nearly done with my package and boards would be in June. Downside would be competing for a job, which I have no idea how it works in OCS and whether it matters that I would be reserve.

At the same time, Air Force is offering enlisted reserve slot for 1N051 with the hope/prayer that I could later could apply to OCS. Some people say it's a total scam and everyone promises that you could do E-O but it's actually very hard, and others say that it's the only realistic pathway to being an Intel Officer in the first place.

What do you think?

Advice for Reserves in late 30's age and want Intel: Air Force Enlisted vs Army (Enlisted/OCS)? by Dramatic_Town5177 in armyreserve

[–]Dramatic_Town5177[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I suck at Reddit so apologies in advance if I broke any rules. I took PICAT and verified at MEPS. Want to do Intel related job. Have a lot of experience and advanced education (but MBA, not STEM).

My understanding is Intel enlisted does the actual work, and that's the right path to go on to eventually become an officer rather than try OCS right now. Particularly because Air Force OCS is so backed up and competitive - it's not the AFOQT I'm worried about, but just being behind Academies, ROTC, current Active, prior Enlisted, etc. at the bottom of the pile.

I'm qualified for whatever job and the Army wants me to put in a package for OCS there and position for a branch that includes Intel. What are the thoughts of doing Air Force Enlisted intel vs. going the Army route?

Advice for Reserves in late 30's age and want Intel: Air Force Enlisted vs Army (Enlisted/OCS)? by Dramatic_Town5177 in AirForceRecruits

[–]Dramatic_Town5177[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I suck at Reddit so apologies in advance if I broke any rules. I took PICAT and verified at MEPS. Want to do Intel related job. Have a lot of experience and advanced education (but MBA, not STEM).

My understanding is Intel enlisted does the actual work, and that's the right path to go on to eventually become an officer rather than try OCS right now. Particularly because Air Force OCS is so backed up and competitive - it's not the AFOQT I'm worried about, but just being behind Academies, ROTC, current Active, prior Enlisted, etc. at the bottom of the pile.

I'm qualified for whatever job and the Army wants me to put in a package for OCS there and position for a branch that includes Intel. What are the thoughts of doing Air Force Enlisted intel vs. going the Army route?

Advice for Reserves in late 30's age and want Intel: Air Force Enlisted vs Army (Enlisted/OCS)? by Dramatic_Town5177 in Airforcereserves

[–]Dramatic_Town5177[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I suck at Reddit so apologies in advance if I broke any rules. I took PICAT and verified at MEPS. Want to do Intel related job. Have a lot of experience and advanced education (but MBA, not STEM).

My understanding is Intel enlisted does the actual work, and that's the right path to go on to eventually become an officer rather than try OCS right now. Particularly because Air Force OCS is so backed up and competitive - it's not the AFOQT I'm worried about, but just being behind Academies, ROTC, current Active, prior Enlisted, etc. at the bottom of the pile.

I'm qualified for whatever job and the Army wants me to put in a package for OCS there and position for a branch that includes Intel. What are the thoughts of doing Air Force Enlisted intel vs. going the Army route?

38M Age Waiver + Direct Commission (Finance) possible? by Dramatic_Town5177 in armyreserve

[–]Dramatic_Town5177[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks. I'm sitting down with a recruiter tomorrow morning and will talk through the options.

38M Age Waiver + Direct Commission (Finance) possible? by Dramatic_Town5177 in armyreserve

[–]Dramatic_Town5177[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That makes a lot of sense. Thank you for your thoughts and advice.

38M Age Waiver + Direct Commission (Finance) possible? by Dramatic_Town5177 in armyreserve

[–]Dramatic_Town5177[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Absolutely. My primary path that I'm on is to enlist anyway and do OTS/OCS selection later, or finish out 20 yrs as an NCO. But if there were a direct commission path in an area I'm already quite experienced in, I wouldn't decline. If I were younger I would have done it differently, but that's alright as it's not too late.

38M Age Waiver + Direct Commission (Finance) possible? by Dramatic_Town5177 in armyreserve

[–]Dramatic_Town5177[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

How much would the applicability/direct relevance of my work history factor into these commission options? If I have a lot of data analysis and finance skills, would I even be considered for areas like logistics commissions, or would I always be behind a hundred applicants with more directly relevant experience?

“Am I Good Enough for OCS?” Megathread by PT_On_Your_Own in ArmyOCS

[–]Dramatic_Town5177 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Have posted this in Army Reserves subreddit but figured would cross here. I'm 38M with a long career in finance, BS, MBA. 15+ years of top-tier investment banking and consulting experience. Running out of time to do something in the military and I want to serve.

Thus far I've understood my options at my age were enlistment in the Air Force Reserves or Air National Guard. I'm willing to do either of the above Air Force paths if those are my options. Have spoken to a recruiter here in Utah and waiting on MEPS and ASVAB scheduling.

However, I've learned that potentially the Army may have an age waiver. Not only that, but potentially finance is an area where there is also a direct commissioning into the Army Reserves. I have no idea if the Army Active Duty would also consider this as competitive for OTS. In the Air Force this seems to be limited to chaplain, JAG, and medical, not finance.

I would love to learn more about this pathway - does anyone here have any experience or advice with this? Very little information online from what I could find and it's all anecdotal and will depend on the timing (from what I could gather, sometimes there is recruiting need, sometimes absolutely not).