Subscribe
By Staff Sgt. Jarod Perkioniemi
20th Public Affairs Detachment
Kuwait - The Reserve Officer Direct Commissioning Program and Warrant Officer Accessions Program are aimed at Soldiers, in the Troop Program Unit and Active Guard Reserve, interested in continuing their career and transitioning from the enlisted to the officer corps.
There is currently a $10,000 officer accession bonus for those who are commissioned as an officer or warrant officer and commit for six years in selected career fields.
While the programs have different minimum non-waiverable requirements, both require Soldiers to complete and submit commissioning packets for review by Department of the Army selection boards. The selection process is based upon vacant positions and the pool of qualified applicants.
ODC applicants must also attend a local interview board, where they go before a group of officers.
"It was hard getting ready before the [initial selection board] because there was nothing to study," said 2nd Lt. Troy M. Froistad, 372nd Engineering Battalion. "They are grading you on your demeanor, personality and potential as opposed to your military knowledge."
Froistad spent 13 years as an enlisted Soldier and achieved the rank of sergeant first class. He has worked many different military occupational specialties to include, retention and transitions non-commissioned officer. In this role, he helped others take advantage of the direct commissioning program.
"It was a tough decision to leave the enlisted side, but once I decided that the Army was [going] to be my full-time career, I wanted to be able to achieve as much as possible," said Froistad, an Ashland, Neb., native. "For me, that meant crossing over to the officer side of the house."
2nd Lt. Daine M. Trammell also took advantage of the ODC program after serving 13 years in the enlisted corps.
"I decided it was the most suitable option for what I wanted to accomplish with my military career," said the Philadelphia native.
Trammell offered some advice for those looking to take advantage of either program.
"Decide in advance which selection board you want to submit your packet to and start compiling in all the necessary documentation to reduce the stress of putting the packet together under the crunch of meeting the board's deadline," said Trammell.
The basic non-waiverable requirements for both programs are, Soldier must be a U.S. citizen; have a GT score of 110 or higher; a secret security clearance; be able to pass a standard three event Army Physical Fitness Test and meet height and weight standards.
The ODC is designed to identify and produce officers to fill second lieutenant to captain vacancies in most areas of concentration.
Some of the additional minimum prerequisites for ODC are, a bachelor's degree or an ACT score of 19, or SAT score of 850 and pass a Chapter 2 Appointment Physical.
The WOA looks to identify Soldiers who have exhibited expertise and leadership skills in a specific MOS to become technical and tactical experts in their field of concentration.
Additional minimum prerequisites for WOA are, a high school graduate or equivalent; if applicant does not posses a security clearance, they must be eligible with limited derogatory information on Electronic Personnel Security Questionnaire; and pass a Chapter 2 Appointment Physical for Technician. A Chapter 1A Flight Physical must be completed for Warrant Officer Flight Training.
Army Reserve Soldiers looking for more information or assistance can contact the theater retention team, which provides support throughout the theater of operation.
| Date Taken: | 10.15.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 10.15.2008 09:01 |
| Story ID: | 25005 |
| Location: | KW |
| Web Views: | 140 |
| Downloads: | 129 |
This work, Officer programs offered to Reserve Soldiers, by SFC Jarod Perkioniemi, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
