Expert: John L - 6/13/2011

Question
QUESTION: I joined the NV National Guard in Oct 2005, into the MOS 15N. My recruiter used the DOD conversion chart to convert my Navy NEC. In March of 2011 I attended ALC phase 2 and was sent home because I was told I was not MOSQ, because I didn't have aviation proponent approval.

All my paperwork states I'm MOSQ, I've deployed twice within the last six years, I've gone to other non-MOS type ATRRS schools and I've received both bonus payouts.

My recruiter states in 2005 there was no aviation proponent requirement and so far every memo, AR NGR FY CRM that was in force at the time that I could "find" support this.  

But now I'm being denied the ability to go to school and having to go through the whole process of a waiver, after 6 years.

Do you know if there was something in place in 2005 that would have required this?  From my research that change didn't happen until 2006.

ANSWER: Your conversion from other services does not count in Aviation as what you did in tha Navy and what we do with Army helicopters is not the same.  You skated by un noticed all this time.  Army schools have to sign off on any MOS conversion, and The only way they would is if you were a seahawk mehanic working on balck hawks with less than a year break in service.

There was rules in 2005 for MOS conversion that were messages to recruiters about conversion.

basically, you are now stuck with having to go to MOS school at FT Eustis (most likley) then you can go to ALC ph 2.  

I would first put in all your paperwork to be sent to the 15N school commandant to see if they will grant you the MOS credentials.  Seeing how you have been working 15N all this time and been to other schools, they may grant it to you.

I have also seen that they have made a sodlie come down to the school and basically go thru a condensed version and they test out of the school in just 3 weeks or so.  Be open to that as it will show willingness to make this right.

Technically, they are right, but your back ground may help the process go by quickly.

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

QUESTION: Is there something (AR,NGR, Memo, ALARACT etc) in writing prior to Jan 2006 that states that?

Answer
There is,but I do not recall what it was since we have a new reg that covers that, however, lack of a reg the other way that says it converts is the issue.  We used at the time you came in a DMDC data base that showed SIMILIAR jobs in different services, but it the stipulation was that the MOS granting authority had to ok the MOS conversion.

Trust me on this, I have been thru this before with several soldiers where the recruiter just assumed that he MOS would be granted because in the days before 9/11, a battalion level S1 could write the memo, and state HQ would grant the MOS order.  However, when I cam in recruitng in 2004, there were memom out stating  what could be considered, and it changed regulary, especially in combat arms.  Aviation never granted MOS for balckhawk, chinook or apache because no other service uses them, the seahawk in SIMILIAR, but there are too many variances, especially if the break in service is more than 2 years.

I am sure you know the bird well, but the Army does not know that and they want you trained in case you do make a mistake, their butt is covered.