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Question
I served a six year active duty enlistement with Security Forces. I suffered a knee injury, had several surgeries, and ended up receiving an honorable discharge after a medical board found me unable to continue. I received a 2Q re-entry code. I have fully recovered from my injury and wish to go back into service. I've learned that I have to complete a DD Form 293 and have a review of my case to change my re-entry code. Is this the process that takes place and is there more I need to do know or do. Any info. will be helpful
Hi Tyson,
Wrong form. The DD Form 293 is a request to upgrade a discharge (in other words, if you had a general discharge, or an other than honorable discharge, you would use this form to request consideration to upgrade to an honorable discharge).
You already have an honorable discharge, so this form won't do you any good.
What' you're seeking to do is to change your RE Code (Reenlistment Eligibility Code), not upgrate your discharge. That entails a change to your military records, and therefore a DD Form 149.
The procedures for this can be read on my website at: http://usmilitary.about.com/cs/airforcebase/a/chgrecords.htm
However, I have very bad news for you. The Air Force is currently "downsizing" (decreasing in size), and for the past few years they are simply not accepting any prior service enlistees, unless they are certified in a few critical career fields, such as Pararescue or Combat Controller, or Linguist. This condition is expected to continue until at least 2009 (possibly longer).
Even if you are sucessful in getting your RE-Code changed, your chances of joining the Air Force active duty in the next couple of years (at least) are small -- very small. Between now and 2009, the Air Force plans to reduce their active duty force by another 30,000 troops.
The Army and Marine Corps (possibly the Navy) may be interested, if you are sucessful in getting your RE Code changed.
Hope this helps!
Rod Powers
http://usmilitary.about.com
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Answers by Expert:
Rod Powers
Expertise
Rod Powers is considered one of the premire experts about U.S. Military career information on the planet. He has more than 30,000 articles about U.S. Military career information on the About.com U.S. Military Careers Information website at: http://usmilitary.about.com. Additionally, he is the author of "ASVAB for Dummies," "ASVAB AFQT for Dummies," (available in Dec 2009), and "Veteran Benefits for Dummies," all published by Wiley Publishing. He is also the author of "Barrons' Guide to Officer Candidate School Tests," published by Barron's Educational Series.
Experience
Rod Powers is a retired Air Force first sergeant, with 23 years of active duty service, 11 of those years as an Air Force First Sergeant. He has helped thousands of military members, recruits, and military applicants since he took over the About.com U.S Military Careers Information site in 1999. He has a reputation for "telling it like it is," so questions may not be answered based on "what you want to hear," but will be answered based of the bast available information, concerning the service/situation.
Education/Credentials
Rod is a distinguished graduate of the Air Force Noncommissioned Officers Academy, the Air Force Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy, and the Air Force First Sergeant Academy. He also holds an Associates Degree in Personnel Administration from the Community College of the Air Force (CCAF).
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