Appointment Accepted - Next Steps for a Prior-Enlisted Soldier

Honey_Badger

Honey_Badger

Member
Joined
Nov 27, 2018
Messages
19
Good morning!

I was offered (and accepted) appointment to the Academy as a prior-enlisted candidate this morning. I've been in the Minnesota National Guard as an 11B - Bradley Crewman and SAW Gunner in a Mechanized Unit for the last five years. I am also currently working at Minnesota's Joint Force Headquarters' J1 as a Title 32 Human Resources Specialist. Effectively, I'm a full-time employee of the Minnesota National Guard as a federal technician, but I am not in the Active Guard program.

Beyond getting a DD 368 approved for conditional release, what are my next steps as it pertains to the National Guard?
When should I expect to receive the currently unavailable Instructions For Applicants Offered Admission/Forms For Applicants Offered Admission?
Beyond contacting WP DPTMS, how can I get a head start on Fingerprints and the Electronic Questionnaire for Investigations Processing?

I've attached a screenshot of the offered appointment screen and the aforementioned items in question.

Thank you!Capture.PNG
 
Mod-note:
Congratulations on your appointment.

For security reasons, I highly recommend that you don't use personal identifying info in your Forum User-name.
Please post here if you wish to change it, and I will PM you.
 
AROTC-dad said:
Mod-note:
Congratulations on your appointment.

For security reasons, I highly recommend that you don't use personal identifying info in your Forum User-name.
Please post here if you wish to change it, and I will PM you.
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Your advice is much appreciated. Could you please assist me in changing my forum username? Following that, can we remove these two replies to my thread?
 
Congrats! Now take a deep breath. You are one of the early appointments due to your prior status so there is plenty of time to complete the requirements. It may be January before the documents appear. You should contact your RC to help you through the NG release. Not the first time they've done it so there will be a process. Due to your civilian status as a technician you need to consider taking LWOP instead of resigning in order to maintain your USERRA rights should something happen. I am sure you will do well and graduate without looking back, but if some unforeseen health or life event caused you to leave USMA you could ask for re-instatement to your old job under USERRA. Contact your state Nation Guard ESGR rep and discuss.

Now hurry up and wait and enjoy the Holidays.
 
cptenca said:
Congrats! Now take a deep breath. You are one of the early appointments due to your prior status so there is plenty of time to complete the requirements. It may be January before the documents appear. You should contact your RC to help you through the NG release. Not the first time they've done it so there will be a process. Due to your civilian status as a technician you need to consider taking LWOP instead of resigning in order to maintain your USERRA rights should something happen. I am sure you will do well and graduate without looking back, but if some unforeseen health or life event caused you to leave USMA you could ask for re-instatement to your old job under USERRA. Contact your state Nation Guard ESGR rep and discuss.

Now hurry up and wait and enjoy the Holidays.
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cptenca,
Thank you for this helpful advice. I do believe I can retain those rights for up to five years following the beginning effective date of the LWOP?

I'll be working with the Soldier Admissions Officer mostly on this instead of my RC (at least, according to my RC's page on the West Point website).
 
In theory yes, 5 years, but it would also depend on whether you have previously exercised USERRA in that job. Can be a little complicated, that's why I recommend you contact the ESGR rep who will have the latest.

Good luck...
 
Walman888 said:
Congrats! Job one is now turning all of those red dots to green. It's a chore! Go Army!
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I'm sure it won't be the most difficult thing I'll be doing in the next five years. Would it be possible to use the current fingerprints the DoD already has on file for me, or will a new set be required? Same questions for the e-QIP!
 
I'd call DPTMS they may can pass your background in JPAS. Sure other priors have had the same experience.
 
Hi, I’m currently a HS senior planning on enlisting in the Guard next summer and eventually pursuing USMA.

If you don’t mind my asking, what were your HS stats (GPA, SAT, etc.), and how was the process of getting letters of rec and commander’s endorsement? Also did you seek normal nom and how did that go as a current service member?

Sorry for hitting you with so many questions at once but I know this is a fairly unique path/situation and there aren’t many with the experience to answer them.

Thanks for any and all insight.
 
Honey_Badger said:
Walman888 said:
Congrats! Job one is now turning all of those red dots to green. It's a chore! Go Army!
Click to expand...
I'm sure it won't be the most difficult thing I'll be doing in the next five years. Would it be possible to use the current fingerprints the DoD already has on file for me, or will a new set be required? Same questions for the e-QIP!
Click to expand...
Start a dialog with your RC. Advise he/she of your circumstances. They will likely know you anyway. They will pave the way for you and have the correct answers at hand.
 
Spartan917 said:
Hi, I’m currently a HS senior planning on enlisting in the Guard next summer and eventually pursuing USMA.

If you don’t mind my asking, what were your HS stats (GPA, SAT, etc.), and how was the process of getting letters of rec and commander’s endorsement? Also did you seek normal nom and how did that go as a current service member?

Sorry for hitting you with so many questions at once but I know this is a fairly unique path/situation and there aren’t many with the experience to answer them.

Thanks for any and all insight.
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Greeting!

My answer is going to require some background for you. I enlisted in November 2013 during my Junior year of high school with the split-training option and started basic combat training in between my Junior and Senior Year (I graduated from high school in 2015). I graduated from Infantry School for my AIT after I graduated from high school. Since then, I have been serving and working continuously while also continuing my education at the University of Minnesota. I am going to graduate from UMN with a B.S. just two months before I start CBT at USMA. The critical part here is that I immediately began taking college classes after high school and maintained a good GPA at the University level. Showing that you can succeed academically at the college level is critical according to the Soldier Admissions Officer. Seeing that you have a decent GPA in college will override your high school stats.

That being said, my high school stats weren't nearly as good as my grades are now at the University of Minnesota. I graduated with ~3.6 GPA. My ACT score was 27. My class rankings were ~25th percentile. I worked more diligently and cared significantly more once I started at the University level. Studying at the University of Minnesota has been far more challenging than high school, but if you can show West Point you can maintain academic success, you'll be golden.

I did not seek a congressional nomination. It's far easier as an enlisted soldier to get your Commander's Endorsement once you get out to your unit and eventually decide to apply to USMA. A Commander's Endorsement will act in lieu of your a congressional nomination -- I wouldn't worry about getting anything beyond this for your Nomination. here: https://www.usma.edu/admissions/Shared Documents/Commanders_Assessment_USMA_Form_351-12.pdf (it is also available electronically through your Candidate Portal).

Some advice:
1. Stay fit. Stay involved in athletics. Keep yourself in great physical shape.
2. Invest yourself within your Guard unit. Show your leadership that you are reliable. Your commander will seek consultation with all your NCOs before giving you endorsement and rating.
3. Again, keep in school. I've been taking a full-time class load, working part/full-time, and serving continuously in the Guard since high school.

Every Soldier applicant is different. I don't know how others approached this. I'm just letting you know what worked for me.
 
You're a different animal than my prior DD being Guard. But you do want to stay on top of things with your unit and ensure any needed paperwork is wrapped up early. In my DD's case, she was dealing with a rear det when she came back from Iraq. They were more interested in a warm body for details than letting her out process. It took intervention by her division CSM to get things unstuck and she only finished her clearing about a week before R-Day.
Good luck at USMA. The first 1/2 year will probably take some adjustment as you get used to the "West Point" way which is not necessarily the "Army" way. Once my DD got over that she has been doing well. While I wouldn't say she loves West Point she realizes it is where she belongs.
 
UHBlackhawk said:
You're a different animal than my prior DD being Guard. But you do want to stay on top of things with your unit and ensure any needed paperwork is wrapped up early. In my DD's case, she was dealing with a rear det when she came back from Iraq. They were more interested in a warm body for details than letting her out process. It took intervention by her division CSM to get things unstuck and she only finished her clearing about a week before R-Day.
Good luck at USMA. The first 1/2 year will probably take some adjustment as you get used to the "West Point" way which is not necessarily the "Army" way. Once my DD got over that she has been doing well. While I wouldn't say she loves West Point she realizes it is where she belongs.
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Fortunately, my unit was behind me in this application process and I know paperwork is already being passed between my Admin NCO and my S1. Certainly, however, I will continue to work on getting all of my paperwork pushed through for proper release and transfer.

I keep seeing 'DD' written all over these forums. What does it stand for? I see an acronym list on another forum that says "dear daughter," so I just want to confirm.
 
Honey_Badger said:
UHBlackhawk said:
You're a different animal than my prior DD being Guard. But you do want to stay on top of things with your unit and ensure any needed paperwork is wrapped up early. In my DD's case, she was dealing with a rear det when she came back from Iraq. They were more interested in a warm body for details than letting her out process. It took intervention by her division CSM to get things unstuck and she only finished her clearing about a week before R-Day.
Good luck at USMA. The first 1/2 year will probably take some adjustment as you get used to the "West Point" way which is not necessarily the "Army" way. Once my DD got over that she has been doing well. While I wouldn't say she loves West Point she realizes it is where she belongs.
Click to expand...
Fortunately, my unit was behind me in this application process and I know paperwork is already being passed between my Admin NCO and my S1. Certainly, however, I will continue to work on getting all of my paperwork pushed through for proper release and transfer.

I keep seeing 'DD' written all over these forums. What does it stand for? I see an acronym list on another forum that says "dear daughter," so I just want to confirm.
Click to expand...
Dear Daughter. DS is Dear Son. The list of acronyms is on the home page.
 
DS and DD are an easy way for parents to distinguish between their Dear Sons and Dear Daughters as opposed to their Worthless Sons (WS) and Worthless Daughters (WD). Of course you won't hear much about the WS's and WD's on this forum. Also, in the case of DS's it's a form of shorthand since typing DS is shorter than typing "son", although I guess technically, one must hold the shift key to type DS so it's the same number of key strokes.
 
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Honey_Badger said:
Fortunately, my unit was behind me in this application process and I know paperwork is already being passed between my Admin NCO and my S1. Certainly, however, I will continue to work on getting all of my paperwork pushed through for proper release and transfer.

I keep seeing 'DD' written all over these forums. What does it stand for? I see an acronym list on another forum that says "dear daughter," so I just want to confirm.
Click to expand...
95% of my DD's COC was behind her application. Some of her NCO's messed with her once they found out about West Point, but the vast majority of her NCOs and officers supported her. As a matter of fact, she was thinking about turning down her appointment so she could stay with her unit in Iraq for the full deployment. Her BDE CSM grabbed her by her collar, told her in no uncertain terms to pack up her stuff, get on the C-130 to Kuwait, take the golden ticket to West Point and make them proud. Unfortunately, the rear det was not on the same sheet of music, and that's what you have to watch for. Admin people who are outside your COC but who can wreck your plans. I'm not saying this will be the case, but if it is do not hesitate to bump it up the COC both in your Guard unit and at West Point. Work it from both ends. I know of a case at one service academy where the COC did not get the person to the academy for I-Day as they felt the person was mission essential. It was not very pleasant for that COC as they had to get the person from the middle of nowhere to the service academy ASAP when it was discovered why she did not show up.
 
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