crazy question

I got into a discussion with a friend of mine yesterday morning--he's retired navy--anyway, he says that SA candidates can commission into any service branch after graduation. I disagree and told him that only USMMA graduates can choose a different branch of service (if desired) upon graduating. He recounted many anecdotal stories of people he knew who had done so. Maybe is was that way during his years of service but I don't think it is allowed now--although he says it is. Thanks for any info--a breakfast bet rides on this

Sorry your gonna have to pay for breakfast but you can cross commision into the army or air force. I don't know about coast guard, I can't think of anyone who did. But it is not as simple as just selecting it. For example, if you wanted to go into the army then west point would have to have someone who wanted to go navy or marines, all cross commisions have to be one for one, but it also doesn't have to be direct like my example, there could also be a situation where an USAFA cadet wanted to go navy, and a west point cadet wanted to go air force, then there would still be a navy spot for the army.

Shoot. Well I don't really mind, after all he's a friend and all. Heck, I'll even treat his wife too since they are always together. The only time I had ever heard of something like this was my sister-in-law's father-in-law; He was a usma grad but ended up in flight school for the air force and then ended up flying fighter aircraft for the Navy. He then became a flight instructor. She wasn't really sure about details over time so I guess I took her info with too much salt : )
Thanks

In the Permit to Report packet, on the Agreement to Serve page, Section I.a.2.a. says "That upon graduation from the Naval Academy, I Will accept and appointment, ..., as a commissioned offecer of the Regular Navy, the Regular Marine Corps, or the Regular Air Force" furthermore at Summer Seminar both USAFA and USNA talk about cross-commisioning and the challenges of it (someone has to be willing to take your spot too).

Cross-commissioning is possible but unlikely. A small number each year do it. I don't remember exact requirements, but think it was something like either the job you wanted only existed in another service or you did an exchange semester or some such thing that left the option only to a very very small number of people. And even then there were a bunch of hoops to jump through. I knew a few USNA grads who went AF or Army, and have run into one USAFA grad who ended up in Naval Aviation, so its certainly possible. I think you split the breakfast on the grounds that while he's technically true, it's not exactly something to plan for.

I also think it is (was) a very very small number. A good friend of our graduated from Air Force Academy (82) then went to Army, flight school and ended up flying Apache helicopters. He is still active duty. I think the chances of doing this are probably very slim. Possible, but not likely.

That comment about commissioning in "regular Air Force" may be a never changed relic of the days when USNA did commission a sizable percentage of graduates in the Air Force (1950s).

The Navy does have the Blue to Green program. I don't know a lot about it, but my enlisted son tells me that, if you are accepted into the program you switch to Army, after your Navy enlistment is up, and begin chopper flight training. Of course, I could have misunderstood, but I believe that applies to enlisted anyway, not commissioned officers.

Until at least the early '60's a significant percent of USNA & USMA graduates could choose to commission into the Air Force. As the relatively new Air Force Academy got up to speed this changed to the present system where there usually needed to be equal numbers to cross commission and I seem to remember there being some requirement such as a parent was career in that service. Usually the numbers have been small (5 to 15 per class). There have been exceptions such as my class (USNA '82). The Air Force was apparently short of officers that year and we had about 50 "Go Blue" without the equal numbers requirement. Don't know if USMA '82 did the same. Just to be clear though, this is not a normal service selection that you can expect to have as an option on graduation.

PJ

Army Blue to Green for Officers

MomoftheMagik said:

The Navy does have the Blue to Green program. I don't know a lot about it, but my enlisted son tells me that, if you are accepted into the program you switch to Army, after your Navy enlistment is up, and begin chopper flight training. Of course, I could have misunderstood, but I believe that applies to enlisted anyway, not commissioned officers.

Click to expand...

Officers are indeed eligible to do the Blue to Green. I know a few USNA grads from early 2000's who wanted to go SEAL, didn't make it, went Green, got into Rangers and Special Forces. Not a usual way to go, but the Army needs JOs, and if the Navy has enough bodies in a particular paygrade and year group, and all other things are go, it can happen.
http://www.goarmy.com/btg/index.jsp