Expert: MARK A. HOWELL - 4/6/2009

Question
I was previously enlisted in the Navy for about a year and three months. I was discharged at my request due to pregnancy/ hardship and the father of my child also being active duty. We had no one for our family care plan at the time and he was more valuable to the Navy. Since then, he has been discharged other than honorable due to misconduct. I would really like to go back active duty either Navy or Air Force, my reenlistment code is 3B and my ex's mom and my mom are both willing and able to take temporary custody/ guardianship of my child. I have talked to some Navy recruiters and it seems like they all are saying different things. One told me I had to write the CNO, another told me to forget about reenlistment because no one wants prior service right now, and still another told me to that my best bet was to go reserve and sneak back active. I also talked to an Air Force recruiter and he told me that the Air Force doesn't accept prior service from other branches. I have been discharged for a little over a year and a half. I would like to know whether I can go active duty Navy or Air Force or whether I would have to go reserve first.

Answer
Monica,
Let me tackle the several parts of your question individually:
1.  The Navy recruiter that said you had to write to the CNO is probably the closest to being correct.  A Reenlistment code of RE-3B means "Restricted assignment. Parenthood. Pregnancy."  Individuals with a Navy RE Code of "3" can normally reenlist in the Navy or another Service, but will probably require a waiver to be processed.  The waiver will go to the CNO's office and it should be granted since you are obviously no longer pregnant after 15 months.

2.  The Navy recruiter that said "forget about reenlistment because no one wants prior service right now" has obviously already reached his quota and doesn't want to work with you.  When prior-service folks re-join it's the same as an active-duty sailor reenlisting, so it's not counted as a "new" enlistment.  So the recruiter doesn't get any credit ($$$) for recruiting you.

Because you are "reenlisting" and not "enlisting" you do not have to start all over again, boot camp, etc.  The Navy will only reduce you in rank by one grade.  The Navy recruiter will send your application to the Navy Personnel Command in Millington, Tenn.   Once a month, the command reviews all applications and makes their decisions.

They may or may not put you in your old job, it depends upon how many people they have in that career field, and also if YOU even want to do the same job.  If you stay in the same career field you won't have to go to technical school over again.  If you want to enter another career field of course you'll have to be trained in it.  If the Navy won't let you reenlist in your old career field because it's overmanned, you can increase your chances if you're  willing to convert to an undermanned rating.  The recruiter can tell you what's currently undermanned.

You MAY also be qualified for a reenlistment bonus.  Right now the Navy’s reenlistment offerings are broken down into three maximum award levels, $45,000, $60,000 and $75,000.  Most skills are in the $45,000 range.

3.  The Navy recruiter that told you to go Reserve and sneak back Active-Duty is waaay off-base (lying).
As for transferring from the Reserve forces to an active-duty component, the short answer is NO.  About the only way for that to happen is when a Reservist earns a Bachelor's Degree and wants to become an officer in the same branch of Service that he currently is in, for example a sailor in the Navy Reserves wants to become an officer in the active-duty Navy.  In that case, the airman gets an approved discharge for the purpose of attending Officer Candidate School (OCS) and upon graduation will enter the active-duty Navy.

4.  The Air Force does indeed accept prior service from other branches, just not right now.  The AF has a quota for such folks and it always fills-up early in the year.

So your best bet is to re-join the Navy, since you're familiar with how they operate and understand Navy-talk.  Do it now before too much time lapses or you'll no longer be eligible.

Best of luck in whatever you decide and I appreciate your willingness to serve your country in uniform.
Don't give up hope!
Colonel H