15-month enlistment option available

May 16, 2005





FORT KNOX, Ky. (Army News Service, May 16, 2005) – A 15-month-plus Army enlistment option is now available nationwide for 59 occupational specialties, allowing recruits a choice of following military duty with service in a program such as AmeriCorps or the Peace Corps.

The U.S. Army Recruiting Command announced last week a nationwide expansion of its “15-Month Plus Training Enlistment Option,” a program USAREC officials said was designed to promote and facilitate military enlistment in support of national service.

The 15-month-plus enlistment option was first implemented in October 2003 as a pilot program in 10 of the Army’s 41 recruiting battalions: Albany, N.Y.; Columbia, S.C.; Miami; Raleigh, N.C.; Cleveland; Kansas City, Mo.; Oklahoma City; Sacramento and Southern California (Mission Viejo, Calif.), and San Antonio, Texas.

How it works

Applicants enlisting for this program will incur an eight-year military service obligation. The obligation will consist of: 15 months of active duty after completion of basic and advanced individual training and 24 months of satisfactory participation as an active drilling member in the Army Reserve or National Guard. Soldiers have the option of serving the remainder of their eight-year obligation in one of three ways, as:

• an active drilling member of the Army Reserve or National Guard;

• a member of the inactive Individual Ready Reserve, known as the IRR

• a member of a National Service Program designated by the secretary of Defense (such as AmeriCorps or the Peace Corps).

Soldiers in the program also have the option of re-enlisting to remain on active duty, USAREC officials said.

Recruits who enlist for the 15-month-plus training option will be eligible to select one of the following enlistment incentives:

Incentives available

• a cash enlistment bonus of $5,000 payable upon completion of the initial active-duty obligation;

• Student Loan Repayment of up to $18,000;

• a monthly education allowance for up to 12 months (currently $816 per month); or

• a monthly education allowance for up to 36 months (currently $408 per month).

More about Army enlistment opportunities is available at goarmy.com.

MOSs in program

The 15-month-plus enlistment option is available for the following military occupational specialties:

o 11X Infantry
o 13B Cannon Crewmember
o 13D Field Artillery Automated Tactical Data Systems Specialist
o 13F Fire Support Specialist
o 13M Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) Crewmember
o 13P MLRS Automated Tactical Data Systems Specialist
o 13S Field Artillery Surveyor
o 13W Field Artillery Meteorological Crewmember
o 15Q Air Traffic Controller
o 15R AH-64 Attack Helicopter Repairer
o 15T UH-60 Helicopter Repairer
o 15U CH-47 Helicopter Repairer
o 19D Cavalry Scout
o 19K Armor Crewman
o 21B Combat Engineer
o 21C Bridge Crewmember
o 21E Heavy Construction Equipment Operator
o 21F Crane Operator
o 21J General Construction Equipment Operator
o 21K Plumber
o 21L Lithographer
o 21M Firefighter
o 21R Interior Electrician
o 21S Topographic Surveyor
o 21T Technical Engineer
o 21U Topographic Analyst
o 21V Construction and Asphalt Equipment Operator
o 21W Carpentry and Masonry Specialist
o 25L Cable Systems Installer-Maintainer
o 31B Military Police
o 31E Internment and Resettlement Specialist
o 42A Personnel Administration Specialist
o 42L Administrative Specialist
o 44C Financial Management Technician
o 45B Small Arms/Artillery Repairer
o 52C Utilities Equipment Repairer-Heating and AC
o 52D Power Generation Equipment Repairer
o 56M Chaplain Assistant
o 63B Light Wheel Vehicle Mechanic
o 74D Chemical Operations Specialist
o 88H Cargo Specialist
o 88M Motor Transport Operator
o 88N Transportation Management Coordinator
o 89B Ammunition Specialist
o 91E Dental Specialist
o 91G Patient Administration Specialist
o 91Q Pharmacy Specialist
o 91R Veterinary Food Inspection Specialist
o 91S Preventive Medicine Specialist
o 91T Animal Care Specialist
o 91W Health Care Specialist
o 92A Automated Logistical Specialist
o 92F Petroleum Supply Specialist
o 92G Food Service Operations
o 92M Mortuary Affairs Specialist
o 92S Laundry and Textile Specialist
o 92W Water Treatment Specialist
o 92Y Unit Supply Specialist
o 96R Ground Surveillance Systems Operator

(Editor’s note: Information provided by USAREC Public Affairs.)

[RFleischman]

i dunno if i like that idea. but whatever....

[333MP]

I don't like it.

[Brad]

Mike, isn't this similar to the way it was during Vietnam? I'm rusty on the history, but draftees only had to serve a year in Vietnam after training, right?

Seems to me like this is an "at war" measure that will go away when we return to a peace status.

When I was drafted April 8, 1968 it was for 2 years active and 4 years inactive reserve. I received my first Honorable Discharge in 1974...so it was a 6 year commitment.

Yes the tour was for 12 months in Vietnam with a individual rotation instead of full units as today. I think this was a lot better way of doing it since during combat you always had combat Veterans in the field when a FNG joined the unit and everyone did not have to start all over again, and actually way less expensive to rotate one solder versus an entire battaltion. Think they should go back to that and this would make a tremendous difference at this time