ave wait time for Army BOLC, and effects on job interviewing?

dunninla

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I've started a discussion with my cadet about how the next couple of years is likely to shake out, and plan vacations, etc. around that.

My cadet will graduate and commission in the middle of May, 2015. I have read that BOLC slots go first to West Point commissionees, and then everyone else (ROTC Active, ROTC Guard/Reserves, OCS).

Can anyone comment on how long would be the average wait from May 15 until report date to BOLC? I am guessing 5 month average wait to report just from reading the report dates of some who post here. If it helps, my cadet is interested in MI (in Fort Huachaca in Arizona), and Adjutant General (HR) at Ft. Lee, VA.

If she goes Active, I'm wondering what she'll do during those months... but it's really not a big deal. But if she goes Reserves/Guard, then the big wait until BOLC is over has a pretty big impact on her future employer... it basically means, if I understand it, that she wouldn't be able to start a civilian job, for practical reasons, until after BOLC is completed.... So a May 2015 college graduate might not be able to start a civilian job until... what... March 2016?

I wonder how this undetermined start date would affect her attractivenes in the corporate job market, when most new college hires report in mid-summer for job training and orientation as a group... I'm guessing lots of companies wouldn't put the offer out, b/c the offers they are putting out in the spring of 2015 would be for headcount needs and associated budget approval they have new employees starting summer, 2015, and not Spring 2016 or summer 2016.

Can anyone who has gone Reserves or Guard and interviewed for a job with larger companies for Sales, Marketing, Management Trainee, etc. comment on how employers tend to react when a job candidate writes, under Availability Date, somewhere in between Dec. 2015, and September 2016? I don't know what else they could put as an answer to that, b/c in Spring 2015, when offers are firmed up, no cadet would have any way of knowing their BOLC report day, right?
 
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First of all, it's really two questions, and I'll attempt to answer both. The first question seems to be "How is an AD 2LT's BOLC date determined?" The answer to that is that it is based wholly on the OML status of that individual. If you are at the very top of the AD OML, you will go very soon. After that, they have a certain number of slots that they are allocated, and they fill accordingly. So, a great example is myself and my friend, who both commissioned AD, both got DMG and Aviation branch. He was higher on the OML, however, and got a BOLC date in June, right after graduation. He was at about 6% on the AD OML. I got a date in late August. I was at 11% on the AD OML. We both ranked pretty high, so we got earlier dates. So, a more complete answer to the question is that it can range from almost immediately to over a year later. I've heard of cadets having to wait up to 15 months to go to BOLC. I can only assume that this was the case for branches that were overcrowded, had a unexpected reduction in seats available, or that the cadet was simply at the very bottom of the OML and therefore the last guy/gal on the list.

For Reserve/Guard BOLC, it will be based on a number of factors. I know a handful of RD 2LTs, and they all seemed to have been sent pretty quickly after accessions. I do know that the Guard/Reserve can't wait forever to send a 2LT, nor would they want to, because they can't effectively utilize that 2LT until they are trained up. Nobody seemed to have been waiting more than a month or two to go to BOLC, but mileage may vary. Branch might influence this as well, as every branch has NG/Reserve slots, and some may have more Guard/Reserve slots than others.

Hopefully this answers the question. The best way for your daughter to go sooner is for her to simply perform well. Being high on the OML will result in you going very soon.

Also - don't think that ROTC doesn't have summer slots. We do. There are just as many ROTC 2LTs in my summer BOLC class as there are West Point 2LTs. In fact, some West Point 2LTs are having to wait all the way to November to start their ABOLC.
 
I have read that BOLC slots go first to West Point commissionees, and then everyone else (ROTC Active, ROTC Guard/Reserves, OCS).

Not sure that's entirely true.

My son reported to Aviation BOLC and Flight School 12 days after graduation. The first USMA grad didn't show up for about month or so. The other to cadets that branched Aviation from his class were both NG, one reported the end of December and the other in April. The one that reported in April was higher on the National OML. My son was at 10% on the AD OML and still reported that early.

Norwich Dad's son was ROTC and reported to Infantry BOLC at the same time my son reported.

NG and Reserve do seem to have a longer wait for BOLC.

USMA grads have a different system, they can select BOLC dates based on their OML, many will take advantage of the leave they have after graduation before reporting. This allows a chunk of the ROTC grads and early slot to BOLC.

My son mentioned the same as khergan, that the OML comes into play for BOLC dates, but I have a feeling allocations for slots have a lot to do with it as well.
 
I actually think Reserves/Guard has an advantage with BOLC slots and here's why:

If you already know what unit you are going to and have a letter of acceptance (for position and branch) you can start networking fast with command, branch and HRC to get you slotted ASAP. While AD has to wait for the HRA to work with branch to do RFO and BOLC allocations you can be much more proactive with your slot placement. I went to BOLC when I wanted to go, seriously. Even to the the last week I could have changed the date if I wanted to.

If she knows shes wants NG/reserves or gets slotted that way my advice would just to be proactive. Start getting those numbers to contacts at HRC and you will be golden. This might not work for all Army branches but for those I knew in the NG/reserves went to BOLC when they wanted because they did what I did. It's about who you know sometimes.

As Khergan said, a unit doesn't want a un-branched quald 2LT sitting around at drill. They will send you out the door fast so you can come back and actually do something.
 
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With a long career in industrial sales and sales management at large fortune 500 companies, I would offer the following:

Most of the sales jobs I have experience with are a result of open territories, expansion plans, and other similar events. They don't really follow a university graduation cycle. They are "targets of opportunity."

I am aware of pro-military companies (and hiring managers) who are willing to accept delays, unplanned training events, etc in order to support our military. The situation your DD is facing is not unique - just not "normal".

If I was looking for a sales trainee I might be willing to wait. Or start to train and then allow a leave of absence for Guard or Reservist duty. If I had a sales territory open, I would have to fill it as quickly as possible.

Not sure what the legal requirements are, but I believe companies have to allow reservists the time off to train, deploy, etc. Not sure if this applies to someone not yet in the Guard/ Reserves.

A sales role has significantly more flexibility than most. Its the nature of the job.

I am not aware of a large company that hires a new grad into a management training role. They may exist but most hire experience or promote from within.
 
I dont know about FY13, but for FY12 the average wait time for active duty AG Lieutenants was around 11 weeks. It was about 9 for MI. Again, these are averages. Some waited four or five months. Wait times vary from branch to branch.

And don't AG LTs do BOLC at Jackson?
 
I dont know about FY13, but for FY12 the average wait time for active duty AG Lieutenants was around 11 weeks. It was about 9 for MI. Again, these are averages. Some waited four or five months. Wait times vary from branch to branch.

And don't AG LTs do BOLC at Jackson?

Yup AG, Finance and I think Chaplain.
 
Just my advice but I think I would advise her just to focus and get ready for BOLC. It is tough to calendar in future plans. Sometimes things happen at BOLC such as injuries or other delays(Govt Shutdowns). Sometimes you may have the wrong person evaluating you. Keep in mind a week after BOLC that her unit could be activated also. Your question is excellent but life sometimes makes its own changes to timelines. Also get advice from the campus job placement center. They are one of the greatest resources at most colleges.

Congrats and Good Luck to her.
 
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After commissioning and waiting to go to BOLC, what do the newly commissioned 2LT's do, exactly? Do they get paid also during their waiting period?
 
. . .

Not sure what the legal requirements are, but I believe companies have to allow reservists the time off to train, deploy, etc. Not sure if this applies to someone not yet in the Guard/ Reserves.

.

To afford the legal protection for time off from work, active duty is required. So BOLC will qualify.
 
After commissioning and waiting to go to BOLC, what do the newly commissioned 2LT's do, exactly? Do they get paid also during their waiting period?

There are some opportunities to work LDAC, LTC and ROTC. Others get jobs of some sort of job or another at home.
 
Can anyone comment on how long would be the average wait from May 15 until report date to BOLC? I am guessing 5 month average wait to report just from reading the report dates of some who post here. If it helps, my cadet is interested in MI (in Fort Huachaca in Arizona), and Adjutant General (HR) at Ft. Lee, VA.
I'm currently waiting for AG BOLC and I was an end of camp commission from LDAC in July. At this point I've been waiting about three months, but I haven't even gotten a date yet (because I was an end of camp commission) and that will most likely be for January, so seven months. I say this because if she is an end of camp (EOC), the earliest BOLC dates they gave out were for Jan, which is a change from pervious years where EOC got mostly OCT dates. The rest of the LTs I know from my year (FY13) had to wait at least six months, even the guy in the top 10%. The NG/AR guys and LTs that worked at LDAC/LTC were the only ones I knew who went over the summer because they were able to work with their units to get slots. This might not be true for next year but she should be prepared financial and in her job hunt for a good six month wait especially if she isn't top of the OML.
Another thing she can do its check the ATRRS course catalog and see when they are having BOLC for the branch she wants. I can tell you AG only runs a course ever three months, so it takes longer to get a BOLC for that branch. I don't know about MI.
 
After commissioning and waiting to go to BOLC, what do the newly commissioned 2LT's do, exactly? Do they get paid also during their waiting period?

Also no you don't get paid. You do get time in grade. Most get jobs and/or travel or move back in with parents.
 
My DD graduated and commissioned in May and reported to AG BOLC 14 days later. She was not at the top of the OML and had no idea why she got to go so early...she's already been at her duty station for a month.
 
@sancontoa I couldn't agree more! And she's assigned to a BCT in the 101st! Pretty unbelievable!
 
A lot of people get jobs in between, knew an infantry guy work for a tire company as a tech and another armor guy who worked at a paint mixing shop.

As a reservist I would hold off on applying for jobs when school ends and try to knock out BOLC ASAP then come back and search for employment.
 
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Also no you don't get paid. You do get time in grade. Most get jobs and/or travel or move back in with parents.

Not always.

My son was activated 7 days prior to his report date. His time in grade started the day he was activated. His promotion date will be after he has his required time in grade from that activation date. Since he branched Aviation his service obligation did not start until he graduated Flight School, which was a year and four months from the date he reported. With the 6 year service obligation he will have spent a minimum of 7 years and 4 months Active from the time he was activated. His leave was also calculated from the day he was activated, none of this was from the day he graduated and commissioned. Just a clarification, he did not work at LDAC, LTC, or as a Goldbar recruiter.

The activation date will depend on how much time they allot for travel to BOLC, which depends on the location and distance to travel. The activation date will not happen until that allotted time before the BOLC report date.

Correct on the not get paid part, unless they go work at LDAC, LTC or as a Goldbar.
 
One thing to remember with that wait time, PT. DS always says he'd be damned if he lets any of his solders beat him in a run. Do you really want to be that 2LT that comes in last among your platoon on a PT run. Being out of shape is not good for BOLC. Be ready, physically and mentally. Make advance arrangements for housing, car and savings. Talk to people. Be ready!
 
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