Expert: Aaron Shifferly - 3/14/2011

Question
QUESTION: Cpt Shifferly,

Back in December of 2010 I took a trip to MEPS in order to get some answers regarding student loan repayment questions and somehow ended up signing a Delayed Enlistment Program (DEP) contract for a 35N MOS scheduled to ship out in May, 2011.

I have since been working with my recruiter to complete my OCS packet. A security clearance/background investigation has been ongoing since the middle of February, 2011 and to the best of my knowledge has been expedited so that I can interview for OCS before my ship date. It is my understanding that the PT test results are the only remaining incomplete portion of my OCS packet - my job is travel-intensive and I am having difficulties arranging a time to complete the PT test.

I am currently working to complete my Masters thesis with an expected defense date in mid-April (giving me enough time to complete my degree before ship date). Unfortunately, due to scheduling conflicts of professors on my thesis committee (of which I am at the mercy of), my defense is now needing to be pushed back another semester to sometime in late July or early August, 2011.

Because I am determined to complete my Masters degree before I ship, am I correct to assume that I can/will need to renegotiate my DEP contract ship date to accommodate me earning my degree? If so, it is to my knowledge that October is the beginning/end of the Military's fiscal year - would it be beneficial to use October as the renegotiated ship date?

Please let me know if you need additional information or clarification.

Thank you for you time and service,
Matthew

ANSWER: You can renegotiate a DEP contract all you want since you don't actually 'belong' to the Army until you show up for that first day to ship.  However, your job may be in jeopardy.. along with being the beginning of the Army's fiscal year, 1 October is when all quotas and job recruiting goals get reset.  You may be required to re-negotiate your job and you may not get the one currently guaranteed you as it was made this fiscal year.  Talk to your recruiter, let them know what it is you're doing, and see how they can help.  Also, if your contract doesn't say OCS, you won't get it.. make sure it says it.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: CPT Shifferly, thank you for the timely and informative response.

The job that might be in jeopardy you are referring to is my current MOS? It was to my understanding that if commissioned, I would lose that anyways - once commissioned I would work wherever the Army needed me. (Ideally I would like to work either MI or ACE, but am willing to perform any task required of me to serve my nation)

How would I go about getting OCS included in my contract? Is that considered a 'billet'? (please excuse my ignorance, I am new to all of this and trying to familiarize myself with these processes and options)

Thank you again for your time and service,
Matthew

Answer
Yes.. MOS quotas are set by fiscal year (October 1 to September 30).  If you were to be commissioned you wouldn't necessarily be an MI officer, just at the needs of the Army and their commissioning quota.  ACE isnt a branch, it is a subset of the Engineer branch and you'd have to get some seniority before they'd allow you to work there. To get OCS included in your contract you tell the recruiter you want to enlist for the OCS option and talk with him about it.  It would be written into your contract just like your MOS was.  If it isn't you won't be immediately afforded the opportunity to go.