Mixed Messages

[agillip]

I have been getting mixed messages so could someone please straighten these two questions out for me?

1. I am 31, B.S. Kinesiology, M.S. Health Education, 5 years of management experience. No prior service. Can I Direct Commission into any field or do I need to attend basic, and BOLC I-III?

2. I just read elsewhere that $20,000 is the maximum bonus allowed by law, however the website says that an officer may qualify for up to a $30,000 bonus. Which one is right? How do you qualify for the $30,000?

[Towely]

not sure about the 30,000 but i think the 20,000 limit is only for enlisted..thats close to a guess though.

[Specialist Purdue]

Officers may get up to $30,000 bonus. The 20k is for enlisted personel.

[Pv.stippich]

yes u need to attend basic every soldier needs to.

[agillip]

Thanks for the replies, but my questions still remain.

As far as the Basic question, having done some decent research on this topic, I do know that if I could direct commission I would not have to attend Basic or OCS, only OBC. My question is there any Direct Commission opportunities for Non Prior Service in the Guard?

Additionally, I would like to know how the $30,000 bonus breaks down? I can find how up to $15,000 ($10,000 Officer Affilliation, $5,000 early ship) breaks down, but I can't figure out the other $15,000. Any help would be much appreciated.

[kennedy3]

Agillip, let me know what information you find out. I am in a similar situation, I have B.S in biology, M.S. management, MBA and was working on 3rd masters in chemical engineering. No prior service. I am working on a direct commission after I go through BCT. I ship to BCT on July 7th to Fort Sill. My rank now and through BCT is an E-4. I would like to know about the 30,000 bonus, they have me getting 10,000 officer bonus. What I have found is that you do have to go through BCT, only ones who do not are doctors, lawyers and chaplains.

[matthew.ritchie]

Anything involving the medical community means that all previous knowledge must be thrown out the window. The AMEDD community is managed entirely separately than the rest of the Army, and has rules that you never thought possible, and has exeptions to rules you thought were universal.

As such, I won't even hazard to answer the above questions, because there are too many unanswered variables. If you want the answers, then speak with your state's AMEDD Strength Manager.

[kennedy3]

The 30,000 is only for doctors to pay for medical school. There are direct commission for non-prior service in the guard. The best person to talk to is an AMEDD recruiter in your state. My experience is that other recruiters do not know about AMEDD area.