Reading Between The Lines: Army Style

I feel for my spouse.  He has worked hard, done what he was told, and still keeps listening to those above him.  He should be rewarded but I think unless we find a loop hole we are doomed to not get him that justly deserved rank award.

Yesterday, being the research junkie that I am, I did some research to try to find a loop hole.  I might have found a technical error that when brought to JAG (Judge Advocate General) might just get J in the door for the board that is coming up.  MIGHT.

This is the data I collected.

According to the MILPER 11-317, its a pdf file, the following changes might have eliminated him from being a candidate.

B. REQUEST FOR WAIVERS FOR TIME IN SERVICE (TIS), AGE, AND UCMJ/CIVIL CONVICTIONS ARE SUSPENDED INDEFINITELY.

D. SOLDIERS IN THE ACTIVE COMPONENT (AC) MUST NOT HAVE REACHED THEIR 28TH BIRTHDAY ON THE DATE OF SUBMISSION OF THEIR OCS PACKET TO HRC. SEE PARAGRAPH 5G.

 K. A COMPLETED COPY OF DA FORM 2807-1 MUST BE INCLUDED IN THE APPLICATION PACKET. THE FORM MUST SHOW THE REASON FOR THE PHYSICAL AND BE DATED. THE FORM MAY NOT BE OVER 1 YEAR OLD FROM THE SCHEDULED SELECTION BOARD END DATE FOR WHICH THE SOLDIER IS APPLYING.
J's physical is almost two years old and he was told they were good for two years but he said getting another physical is no problem.

However, there is some good news too in the new announcement the Army made in its MILPER 11-317.

 J. MINIMUM APFT SCORE FOR ALL SOLDIERS IN ALL COMPONENTS APPLYING FOR OCS MUST BE 240 (80 POINTS IN EACH EVENT) ON ALL TESTS. APFT DATES MUST BE 30 DAYS OR MORE APART. MOST RECENT APFT MUST BE WITHIN 60 DAYS OF SUBMISSION OF APPLICATION TO HRC.

J's last APFT score was over 250 so he isn't in danger of not being accepted for the score on that one for his fitness test.

  E. MEET ARMY HEIGHT AND WEIGHT STANDARDS IAW AR 600-9.

J is far from being overweight.  He is quite fit and muscular to boot.

 Q. GT SCORE OF 110 OR HIGHER.  J's GT score was above 130.  He's smart.

 R. THE ARMY IS PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN ACCESSING OFFICERS WITH DEGREES IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING OR MATH; HOWEVER, ALL SOLDIERS MEETING ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS MAY APPLY. 

J has a bachelor's degree in a science field.  They'd want him because of that, one would think right?

 3. THERE ARE TWELVE CHANGES OR ITEMS OF INTEREST TO THE AC/RC OCS PROGRAM ANNOUNCED IN THIS MESSAGE. IT IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED THAT SOLDIERS APPLYING FOR THE FEDERAL OCS PROGRAM REVIEW AR 350-51, PARAGRAPH 1-7, WHO MAY NOT APPLY.

Now I head over to the AR350-51 Paragraph 1-7 subset M and I find the following:
 1–7. Who may not apply
Individuals may not apply if—
m. They would be over 34 years of age when appointed as a commissioned officer.

That is my loophole.  Think it will work?

He has all the qualifications that they want in an officer.  His APFT score is high enough over the minimum.  His GT score is also way above the minimum.  He has the ideal degree they want.  He is under 34 for another 9 months.  He has time.

But....they won't give age waivers according to the MILPER 11-317.  So is this futile?  I mean does anyone think we have a chance?

Annoyed With The Army

Dear President Obama,

I love my husband.  I love being an Army Wife.  But there are a lot of things I don't love about this life right now.

My husband just called me to inform me that OCS (officer candidate school) is no longer an option.  I'm pissed.  This has been his dream since he enlisted 4.5 years ago with his bachelor's degree.

When he was stationed in Korea he started his OCS packet.  That was 3.5 years ago.  The Army told him he had to wait a bit.  He didn't want to wait. 

After Korea he got stationed here.  He told his command that he wanted to go to OCS.  They said its not going to happen because of the upcoming deployment.  Again he had to wait.

He deploys and finds out that he can still get all the paperwork together while deployed.  He worked his butt off over in Iraq to get his physical and papers signed.  He gets home and is told he has to wait.  He waited as a good soldier ought to.

He waits.  His references expired.  So he got new references.  He was told again this summer to wait because of the next deployment.  He waited.

He then gets told that they are going to have a board in July before the mini deployment but that the folks at the board won't be ready for him.  He is told to wait until after the mini deployment is done.  He waits.

He gets back and tries to get his packet submitted yet again.  This time he is told that things are changing and there won't be another board this year.  He is told to wait until today for the seminar.  He waits. 

He goes to today's seminar.  He is now told he is too old.  They now have a cut off of 28 for OCS unless he was part of the reserve component.  He isn't reserves.  The Army killed his dream.

Is this how our Vets are being treated?  Why are their dreams being killed?

He listened to them and waited.  He did as he was told.  He went off to war.  He waited again as was told.  Now they are telling him its too late. OCS is the reason why my husband went into the Army to begin with.  He was given a promise that with his education the Army would be foolish to waste him on anything but being an officer.

Sincerely,
R

(Oh and I so did email this to him at the White House.  I am angry.)