From the Reserves to the Army?

Question

How hard is it to transfer from the reserves as an officer to active duty as an officer?

Also a colonel told me that you can pretty much pick your job as an officer in the reserve but that in the Army it's much more competative?

I'm starting my junior year in college and was thinking about joining both the Army Reserves and ROTC at the same time through the Simultaneous Membership Program and graduating in two years as an officer in the Army Reserve (and getting to pick what branch I want to be in), I woud then switch over to active Army so that I could get the branch I wanted easier.

The colonel said that while I was in S.M.P. the Reserves were investing in me as an officer and that it would be hard to transfer to active duty once I graduated and became an officer in the Reserves.

Anyone who was in reserves as an officer and then transfered to Active, or anyone who would know anything about this, answer please.

Answer 1

well i am currently a reservist, with pretty low rank (not an officer or nco) but i want to go active duty myself. Its alot of paperwork and a pain in the butt. i would say it would be pretty hard for an officer to go from the reserve side to the active side because of your billet as an officer. What i mean by that is you will be a platoon commander and if the unit thinks they have one i doubt they will sign your paperwork to release you into active duty. Its not up to anyone but your unit and if they need you, there not going to let you go.

Answer 2

Easy peasy.

you can be an Inactive Reserve or Active Reserve. In today's Army you would probably become Active Reserve ASAP and sent to Afghanistan or Iraq. Transfer is easy from Reserve to Regular, the Colonel was trying to look out for the interests of his branch, you can't fault him.

Just remember the "hurry up and wait" attitude of the military and the piles of paperwork penchant of the bureaucrats make it time consuming but not hard.

Answer 3

You'll need to get a conditional release to Active Duty from your National Guard unit. Then goto an active recruiter and he'll get you set up.