Cross Commissioning

blakeUSAFA18hopeful

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I've heard this term thrown around during the nomination process. What is cross commissioning? How is it accomplished? Any insight would be greatly appreciated!
 
I've heard this term thrown around during the nomination process. What is cross commissioning? How is it accomplished? Any insight would be greatly appreciated!

During DS commissioning ceremony there was a young lady that cross commission into the Navy. Not sure of the process but it does happen.
 
I think it's pretty rare, like 5-10 per graduating class. I don't know what the requirements are but I believe I read that there needs to be a swap back from the other academy/service. I think I read that it can happen if there is a family connection to the other service or something like that.
 
somewhere in the bowels of this site there is a thread regarding this issue, including the process, but from what I remember is this:

The SA (branch) must agree to release the cadet, and the other branch must agree to accept them. IOW, just because the AF says: sure we will allow it, Army, Navy or CG have to say we will accept them.

In this day and age of budget constraints, I am not sure how frequently this will occur.

Using the number of 5-10 per yr., with a graduating class of @1000 cadets, tells you, yes it can occur, but the chances are .5 to 1% chance.
 
Boyfriend cross-commissioned into the Marine Corps from USMA, one of two from his class. There were apparently several others who tried and were not accepted. I don't think he even knew for sure what service he was going to commission into until a couple weeks prior (he had a BOLC date and everything), let alone whether or not he would have an air contract.

He had to do a lot of legwork, mostly in the form of one big-ass packet explaining why he wanted to be a Marine instead of an Army Officer and then backing it up. Things that helped his case were that he had done a couple Marine-related summer trainings (including Leatherneck) and performed well, had good recommendations, and stood quite high in his class. Cross-commissioning from USAFA is likely similar though apparently those guys have to go to OCS if they want to go Marine Corps (there's also a USAFA grad Marine down here as well).

If anyone's really interested in the particulars or has specific questions I can ask. Though I don't think the original poster was really that curious about actually doing it, it's definitely not something to put all your hopes and dreams on.
 
Curiosity question.. because the Coast Guard isn't DOD, would cross commissioning into the CG even be an option? Or does it not matter?
 
Curiosity question.. because the Coast Guard isn't DOD, would cross commissioning into the CG even be an option? Or does it not matter?

Yes, I know two USNA grads who commissioned USCG.
 
Yes, I know two USNA grads who commissioned USCG.

Really? Did the come here on exchange/do anything summer related with us?

As for the 2017er who asked: I imagine it'd be a lot harder to do coming from USAFA to the USCG-you'd be really behind everyone else who's been studying nautical science for 4 years/spent 2 summers underway. But anything's possible!
 
Really? Did the come here on exchange/do anything summer related with us?

As for the 2017er who asked: I imagine it'd be a lot harder to do coming from USAFA to the USCG-you'd be really behind everyone else who's been studying nautical science for 4 years/spent 2 summers underway. But anything's possible!

At least one did an exchange. I'm not sure about the other.
 
Really? Did the come here on exchange/do anything summer related with us?

The USNA 2004er who cross-commissioned was on exchange at CGA in 2002 (or was it spring of 2003?).

With the exception of USMMA (for obvious reasons) I don't know of any USMA or USAFA cadets who have cross-commissioned to the Coast Guard straight out of an academy.

That said, I do know of a number of DOD officers who cross-commissioned from their services (almost always aviators). Generally they dropped down one or two paygrades (usually O-4 to O-2 or O-3). Director commission aviators (DCAs) got through a few weeks of Coast Guard indoc.
 
The USNA 2004er who cross-commissioned was on exchange at CGA in 2002 (or was it spring of 2003?).

With the exception of USMMA (for obvious reasons) I don't know of any USMA or USAFA cadets who have cross-commissioned to the Coast Guard straight out of an academy.

That said, I do know of a number of DOD officers who cross-commissioned from their services (almost always aviators). Generally they dropped down one or two paygrades (usually O-4 to O-2 or O-3). Director commission aviators (DCAs) got through a few weeks of Coast Guard indoc.

I've actually talked to a few of these guys. I think it'd be a hard thing for an Academy grad to do because they have to have certain amount of hours in their aircraft and have to meet certain age/time in service requirements
 
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