Blue to Green 11X Opt. 40 and 18X

[andrew928]

Gents,
I am trying to find information on the ability to use the Blue to Green program as an E-5 and acquire a slot with an 11X Opt 40 or 18X contract. I have talked to recruiters at my home station but would like some input from those with the proper know how.

 

[DELCO]

What information do you need exactly? I just finished the process from blue to green as an E5 coming from the Navy and am shipping out soon under an 18X contract. If you're speaking to an Army recruiter you are off to a good start. Use the search option on this site as well. It helped me fill in some gaps about the process and answered a lot of questions I had.

 

[andrew928]

As far as getting the slot for 18X. It's not on the avaliable listing but I've also talked to the SORM in Hawaii and they told me the recruiter had to contact somone.

 

[andrew928]

also, Ive heard that Airforce is no longer allowed to transfer over into 18X. Does anyone have any truth to that?

 

[amlove21]

also, Ive heard that Airforce is no longer allowed to transfer over into 18X. Does anyone have any truth to that?

These sorts of rumors never make sense to me. Can NO service transfer? Just the AF?

I’ll say I doubt the Army restricted the USAF from applying to Army SF Blure-Green. But I’ll bet the recruiter would know.

 

[Kheenbish]

Recently did the whole process (again), but was offered other options in the AF. Talk to a recruiter, get a DD368 (conditional release) signed by your commander, apply for sep through AFPC, then the wing will sign off. Your functional will also have to approve of this, then AFPC will approve and give you a letter saying they will release you on the condition that the Army picks you up. You go to MEPs pick a job, yes 18x is still open. Option 40s are difficult to get but still possible. You won't be reduced in rank anymore.

You have to be in your last year of your current enlistment. Whole process will take awhile, a friend of mines command would only approve for him to transfer over on the last day of his current enlistment.

 

[DELCO]

@Kheenbish Has laid out for you what you need to do. Conditional Release is what you need to transfer. According to your introduction you are coming up on the end of your 6yr enlistment contract. If you have not started your DD368 process for Conditional Release yet you may want to get that started. It takes time for the release to be approved. You are still considered prior service when you go to an Army recruiter. Whoever said the Airforce is not allowed to transfer to 18X may be telling you that the Airforce isn't letting anybody leave the Airforce to pursue anything outside the Airforce until they've completed their contract. The Army determines whether you qualify for a certain job or enlistment option. Your recruiter should be looking at the current "Prior Service Business Rules". There they should be able to determine whether your time in service and rank will be a problem for going 18X option. Those and your ASVAB scores will determine whether you are eligible or not for the18x slot, not the fact that you are Airforce.

If you don't get your Conditional Release (DD368) on time beofre the end of your AF contract do not fret. You can still talk to the Army recruiter and it may be faster. Because your contract is up for the Airforce, you will not need to wait on a Conditional Release. The Army recruiter will now be free to submit a package for you to send you to MEPS where you can "negotiate" a contract for 18X. The biggest takeaway from all this is making sure you are eligible (ASVAB score, time in service, Rank) for getting the 18X option.

So you got two options. Use this information to work with your recruiter. Also remember, Army recruiters may not have all the answers. You may have to do some research like you are doing now and point your recruiter in the right direction. I was the first Blue to Green guy with a DD368 at my recruiter's office so we used all our combined knowledge to figure out how to get me what I wanted. If you're really set on going Army SF or get an option 40 you got to push the process along.

 

[andrew928]

I appreciate the responses. I'm currently at a school that rhymes with sere so I can't get my 368 completed now. That being said I actually hit my 6 years this month but have extended for a year so that should be an issue. I have also talked to my leadership and they are on board.

 

[Danno96]

What information do you need exactly? I just finished the process from blue to green as an E5 coming from the Navy and am shipping out soon under an 18X contract. If you're speaking to an Army recruiter you are off to a good start. Use the search option on this site as well. It helped me fill in some gaps about the process and answered a lot of questions I had.

DELCO,

I am currently a GM2 active duty. I am wanting to do blue to green and would like to get 11X with opt. 40 in a perfect world. i see you were coming from E5 also. what was the process and how hard of a time did you have at your command to release you? Also did you have to take a reduction in pay grade? based on the date i assume you have already shipped. any insight you can offer is appreciated! thanks in advance!

GM2 Stewart,

 

[Danno96]

What information do you need exactly? I just finished the process from blue to green as an E5 coming from the Navy and am shipping out soon under an 18X contract. If you're speaking to an Army recruiter you are off to a good start. Use the search option on this site as well. It helped me fill in some gaps about the process and answered a lot of questions I had.

DELCO,

I am currently a GM2 active duty. I am wanting to do blue to green and would like to get 11X with opt. 40 in a perfect world. i see you were coming from E5 also. what was the process and how hard of a time did you have at your command to release you? Also did you have to take a reduction in pay grade? based on the date i assume you have already shipped. any insight you can offer is appreciated! thanks in advance!

GM2 Stewart,

 

[DELCO]

DELCO,

I am currently a GM2 active duty. I am wanting to do blue to green and would like to get 11X with opt. 40 in a perfect world. i see you were coming from E5 also. what was the process and how hard of a time did you have at your command to release you? Also did you have to take a reduction in pay grade? based on the date i assume you have already shipped. any insight you can offer is appreciated! thanks in advance!

GM2 Stewart,

Hows it going GM2,

How much time you got left on your contract? If your chain of command is willing to let you go then the process is easy. Mine was a little difficult because I was coming from the IW community. As seen on this thread, your first step is to start process of getting a DD368 routed up your chain of command. Hopefully you are in good standing with them and they know you been wanting to do this. You will also need to talk to an Army recruiter. They will get you in the Army once NAVPERS receives your DD368 conditional release and approves for you to leave. Look at my previous posts. I lay out a step by step way to do it. Just omit the parts that pertain to IW rates (region and headquarters approval). As far as rank reduction goes I kept my rank but that is decided by the Army. Your recruiter will send in a package for a decision to be made. Don't know what really determines the outcome, but be sure to send every award and qual you got. Petty officer indoc certs as well.
As far as 11b opt 40 goes, from popular posts and from talking to many priors who have attempted, they really don't have those options available for us prior service members at the recruiters office or MEPS. Getting an 11b contract, then at basic getting hold of a RASP recruiter or waiting til they show up at your company at boot might be your best choice. This is a gamble. Everything is a gamble for people trying to get that opt40 at this time. As of lately it seems the young straight out of high school kids are getting those. But try and push for it when talking to the recruiter. If you get it you'll be the first out of many priors I know trying to land that

 

[Danno96]

Hows it going GM2,

How much time you got left on your contract? If your chain of command is willing to let you go then the process is easy. Mine was a little difficult because I was coming from the IW community. As seen on this thread, your first step is to start process of getting a DD368 routed up your chain of command. Hopefully you are in good standing with them and they know you been wanting to do this. You will also need to talk to an Army recruiter. They will get you in the Army once NAVPERS receives your DD368 conditional release and approves for you to leave. Look at my previous posts. I lay out a step by step way to do it. Just omit the parts that pertain to IW rates (region and headquarters approval). As far as rank reduction goes I kept my rank but that is decided by the Army. Your recruiter will send in a package for a decision to be made. Don't know what really determines the outcome, but be sure to send every award and qual you got. Petty officer indoc certs as well.
As far as 11b opt 40 goes, from popular posts and from talking to many priors who have attempted, they really don't have those options available for us prior service members at the recruiters office or MEPS. Getting an 11b contract, then at basic getting hold of a RASP recruiter or waiting til they show up at your company at boot might be your best choice. This is a gamble. Everything is a gamble for people trying to get that opt40 at this time. As of lately it seems the young straight out of high school kids are getting those. But try and push for it when talking to the recruiter. If you get it you'll be the first out of many priors I know trying to land that

DELCO,

Thanks for the response! i have a year and 4 months left on this contract. i have got the DD368 from my career counselor, im going to go to a recruiter to fill it out once we get back. (currently haze grey) after that i will route it through my chain and hope for the best. we had a guy try to route one the end of last year. (He is a GSEFN) it got dennied and he was told that big navy is not allowing anyone to leave since they are trying to grow right now. im not sure how much that is true since obviously you were able to transition. How long did you have left in your contract when you transferred? i understand you have to be past your 3 year mark, but im trying to get the process started as i am sure it takes a while. How long did it take you when you did, and how is your progress going since youve switched? Thanks again for the response!

GM2

 

[That_Dude]

So I was ALMOST complete with the blue to green contract but it ended up expiring last October. I went to reroute another one, but was denied. I spoke with the lady who handles the 368s on the Navys side and she said that they are not allowing people to start the blue to green process until they are 1 yr out of the EOS. Her name is Martha Fry. You can get ahold of her if you Google the navadmin on the blue to green. She will also give you the navadmin that is no longer allowing people out of there contracts early. So that is all correct. What is not correct is that your command can stop the process. That is up to big Navy. They can make a suggestion to say no, but if you are not going to reenlist, and you denied cway then it shouldn't matter. If I remember correctly, Mrs. Fry said it will for sure be approved if it is submitted a year out from your EOS. I am reapplying this Nov. and going for 18x. Where are you stationed? I'm an AO in San Diego.

 

[DELCO]

DELCO,

Thanks for the response! i have a year and 4 months left on this contract. i have got the DD368 from my career counselor, im going to go to a recruiter to fill it out once we get back. (currently haze grey) after that i will route it through my chain and hope for the best. we had a guy try to route one the end of last year. (He is a GSEFN) it got dennied and he was told that big navy is not allowing anyone to leave since they are trying to grow right now. im not sure how much that is true since obviously you were able to transition. How long did you have left in your contract when you transferred? i understand you have to be past your 3 year mark, but im trying to get the process started as i am sure it takes a while. How long did it take you when you did, and how is your progress going since youve switched? Thanks again for the response!

GM2

A couple of things,

If you're coming towards the end of your contract you should have no problem being let go. When you route that 368 through your chain to NAVPERS, along the way it goes through a community manager. So for you there is a high ranking GM (in most cases a master chief) that sees whether they can afford to let go of their GMs. Projected growth, retention, rank and current manning are all factors. If the community manager approves for you to go, it is then that it gets sent to NAVPERS for you to be released. It is always (usually) a go at NAVPERS if your community manager says yes. You're about to finish contract, so no reason for them to say no since you obviously don't plan on re-enlisting with the Navy meaning you will also be turning down a CWAY package as well. The process took me close to a year and a half. But that because my community (IW rates) need more approvals for release.
Another thing, like @B2G mentioned, your chain can't stop you from submitting the transfer, but being in good standing with them and including them in the know of your plans makes this a whole lot easier and faster. They will bat for you. Especially when the Chief's Mess gets involved. My package got stuck on the way to NAVPERS and my Chief made some calls and pulled for me. Next thing you know I get my Release within the week. Just some advice for routing this beast.

God Speed

 

[That_Dude]

@DELCO Where are you at in the 18X pipeline?