CA Enlistment Woes

[LRSScout]

Ok, so I spent the morning at the recruiters down on bragg blvd.

I have a couple of questions.

1. Can you get a DUI wavered in order to come in to CA on the active duty side?

The office NCOIC told me that neither CA nor PSYOP will take you off the street if you have ever had a DUI. Mine was years and years ago (I was 19), was waived when I came in the first time, and hasn't hurt me from holding a Secret or TS clearance in the past.

2. How difficult is it to transfer from reserve component to AD?

The recruiter said I can go in reserves and transfer to AD after school, or at least put myself up for post AIT activation and deployment.

Is he blowing smoke up my ass? I have kids, and I need this to be a full time gig.

3. What reserve component CA units are here on Bragg? Are they on jump status? Will I be able to go to SOLT still, or will it have to wait until I transfer to AD?

[Olive Drab]

Reserve at Bragg would be either instructing, working as staff at capoc or some job at warrior brigade. I dont believe they stood up a reserve unit there but there is the 360th Bde (A) Charleston SC, and the 422 in Greensborough. Once on mob it should be pretty easy to x-fer to active duty as Ive seen several do just that. If your MOS-q that should be a feather in your cap with regard to transitioning to AD.
Im not sure how going from a TPU soldier to AD would be. Probably need COC approval which would most likely bounce all the way up to the CACOM level. Believe it or not I havent seen anyone do that for 38B directly from drilling just during Demobilization.

[LRSScout]

Reserve at Bragg would be either instructing, working as staff at capoc or some job at warrior brigade. I dont believe they stood up a reserve unit there but there is the 360th Bde (A) Charleston SC, and the 422 in Greensborough. Once on mob it should be pretty easy to x-fer to active duty as Ive seen several do just that. If your MOS-q that should be a feather in your cap with regard to transitioning to AD.
Im not sure how going from a TPU soldier to AD would be. Probably need COC approval which would most likely bounce all the way up to the CACOM level. Believe it or not I havent seen anyone do that for 38B directly from drilling just during Demobilization.

I'll be MOS-Q they will be sending me to AIT (the reclass one) in a few weeks if everything goes as planned.

Thanks for the info, big weight off my shoulders. Sounds like this will work out well then.

[PSYWAR 1-0]

Are you sure you dont want to go PSYOP, Being on a TPT is alot closer to being a 11B vs sipping chi with some furin high muckity muck discussing rule of law and how he wants the gringos to get blood out of a turnip.:D

[LRSScout]

Are you sure you dont want to go PSYOP, Being on a TPT is alot closer to being a 11B vs sipping chi with some furin high muckity muck discussing rule of law and how he wants the gringos to get blood out of a turnip.:D

The 18E sitting across from me says with my background on a 4 man CA team I'll likely be directly assigned to support an ODA when I'm down range.

Sounds like a better deal to me :)

[Olive Drab]

The 18E sitting across from me says with my background on a 4 man CA team I'll likely be directly assigned to support an ODA when I'm down range.

Sounds like a better deal to me :)
AD has better chances of that vs Reserve

[PSYWAR 1-0]

Good point, but how many CA teams Jumped into Kandahar?:D

In my 5 years of pre GWOT time in AD Psyop I did one 6 day exercise with a non SOF unit and that was the 82d. Rest of the time away from Bragg was working with ODA,B &C's, flying with the ALS or doing leaflet drops out of 160th helos, Running a MIST, and PSYOP LNO to a Theater SOC.

I do understand that things could have changed. All depends on if you still want to occasionaly break the enemies shit, or be an "Urban Planner":cool:

[LRSScout]

AD has better chances of that vs Reserve

Which is why I'm so worried about being able to change to AD.

[LRSScout]

Good point, but how many CA teams Jumped into Kandahar?:D

In my 5 years of pre GWOT time in AD Psyop I did one 6 day exercise with a non SOF unit and that was the 82d. Rest of the time away from Bragg was working with ODA,B &C's, flying with the ALS or doing leaflet drops out of 160th helos, Running a MIST, and PSYOP LNO to a Theater SOC.

I do understand that things could have changed. All depends on if you still want to occasionaly break the enemies shit, or be an "Urban Planner":cool:

Damn now you got me all thinking.

[37F5V]

The 18E sitting across from me says with my background on a 4 man CA team I'll likely be directly assigned to support an ODA when I'm down range.

Sounds like a better deal to me :)

All AC Tac PSYOP support now falls within USASOC. Your background will have little to no influence on who you are tasked to support... the RFF on the other hand might... ;)

[LRSScout]

Let me ask this then. At a tactical level what is your primary job as both CA and PSYOP.

See that 18E is a buddy of mine. My original intent was to come back in 37F but he convinced me that CA would be a better fit for me.

A bit of background. Aside from my military skills and schools, I have had a 7 year civilian career architecting, designing and developing websites and web based applications for various alphabet agencies. I understand and have been involved with networking, programming, information systems security, and even basic computer forensics. I thought that with the marketing and IT slant to my previous career I would be a good addition to a PSYOP team. During my time contracting with diplomatic security I also did a lot of security, threat and intelligence analysis, primarily targeted towards cyber terrorism, and industrial and economic espionage.

However I don't want to get stuck doing strategic level work simply because of my computer knowledge and previous experience. Damn I need to make up my mind quick too. Dropping off my SF86 today and hoping to get my class date in the next few days.

There is a 22 Jan class for CA and a 25 Jan class for PSYOP.

Opinions would be greatly welcomed. I don't want to just swing a hammer, and I do like to shoot things and break stuff from time to time still :)

[LRSScout]

sorry double post.

[SF_BHT]

Let me ask this then. At a tactical level what is your primary job as both CA and PSYOP.

See that 18E is a buddy of mine. My original intent was to come back in 37F but he convinced me that CA would be a better fit for me.

A bit of background. Aside from my military skills and schools, I have had a 7 year civilian career architecting, designing and developing websites and web based applications for various alphabet agencies. I understand and have been involved with networking, programming, information systems security, and even basic computer forensics. I thought that with the marketing and IT slant to my previous career I would be a good addition to a PSYOP team. During my time contracting with diplomatic security I also did a lot of security, threat and intelligence analysis, primarily targeted towards cyber terrorism, and industrial and economic espionage.

However I don't want to get stuck doing strategic level work simply because of my computer knowledge and previous experience. Damn I need to make up my mind quick too. Dropping off my SF86 today and hoping to get my class date in the next few days.

There is a 22 Jan class for CA and a 25 Jan class for PSYOP.

Opinions would be greatly welcomed. I don't want to just swing a hammer, and I do like to shoot things and break stuff from time to time still :)

You will not be a shooter and door kicker in either field CA/Psyop.
CA is mostly reserve and limits your AD choices. PSYOP is not that bad and for AD options you have more. You are taking a crap-shoot going reserve and banking on AD at the end of school. It always is an option but it is not even a 50/50 option. It all boils down to being at the right place at the right time and from what I have figured out you are looking for a full time AD job and need to have steady income for the family. You should make your decision on 90-100% things not it should be passable things for your family.
If AD PSYOP is a sure thing then you should go that way and build from there. Just my 2cts

[LRSScout]

You will not be a shooter and door kicker in either field CA/Psyop.
CA is mostly reserve and limits your AD choices. PSYOP is not that bad and for AD options you have more. You are taking a crap-shoot going reserve and banking on AD at the end of school. It always is an option but it is not even a 50/50 option. It all boils down to being at the right place at the right time and from what I have figured out you are looking for a full time AD job and need to have steady income for the family. You should make your decision on 90-100% things not it should be passable things for your family.
If AD PSYOP is a sure thing then you should go that way and build from there. Just my 2cts

We have a winner, hard to beat that logic.

[TPD1280]

Let me ask this then. At a tactical level what is your primary job as both CA and PSYOP.

Both are targets of opportunity for insurgents.

The difference in major combat operations is that PSYOP has a direct support mission and CA does not have a mission until it's over.

[LRSScout]

Well it took me much longer than I would have liked, and an IG and Congressional threat that I fully intended to carry through on, but it looks like this shit is finally going to happen.

I should be hitting MEPS Friday or Monday to sign an AD PSYOP contract, aiming for the 5 march class.