What are my chances for green to gold?

Duty Honor Country

Duty Honor Country

Active member
Alright ladies and gents, here is what I am dealing with. As many of you know, I am trying damn hard to become an officer. Last week, I called the green to gold rep for the 101st and left a message. The major called me today and I will meet him tomorrow. He told me I have a good chance at getting a 3 year green to gold scholarship since I am prior service, have a 3.4 GPA and a 280 PT score.

Here is the problem. My unit has to release me to do green to gold. As many of you also know, my unit is going to Iraq around the end of the summer. My commander has every right to say no, we need SGT Doody for the mission in Iraq. Tomorrow I am also talking with my LT about green to gold. I am hoping my aspects look good.

What do the rest of you think?
 
Doody said:
Alright ladies and gents, here is what I am dealing with. As many of you know, I am trying damn hard to become an officer. Last week, I called the green to gold rep for the 101st and left a message. The major called me today and I will meet him tomorrow. He told me I have a good chance at getting a 3 year green to gold scholarship since I am prior service, have a 3.4 GPA and a 280 PT score.

Here is the problem. My unit has to release me to do green to gold. As many of you also know, my unit is going to Iraq around the end of the summer. My commander has every right to say no, we need SGT Doody for the mission in Iraq. Tomorrow I am also talking with my LT about green to gold. I am hoping my aspects look good.

What do the rest of you think?
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Doody, I understand that you've been waiting for a long time to become a officer... But I think that you should wait until you and your family return from Iraq to pursue becoming a officer. I think it's the most honorable thing to do.
 
I've always thought that former enlisted made the best officers, and so did most everyone I knew when I was in. We sure do need more of those.

But the final decision is up to you. In any case having combat under your belt maybe a fast track to promotion.
 
battery said:
Doody, I understand that you've been waiting for a long time to become a officer... But I think that you should wait until you and your family return from Iraq to pursue becoming a officer. I think it's the most honorable thing to do.
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I would agree with you if I had never been to Iraq. This will be my second tour in Iraq if I go at the end of the summer. Let me be crystal clear on this issue. I am not using green to gold to get out of Iraq. I am always willing to serve my country. Remember, I volunteered to go to Iraq. No one forced me to go and I did have a choice in the matter. It has been my belief for a while that I can better serve the Army as an officer than an enlisted soldier.

SGT Doody
 
Doody said:
battery said:
Doody, I understand that you've been waiting for a long time to become a officer... But I think that you should wait until you and your family return from Iraq to pursue becoming a officer. I think it's the most honorable thing to do.
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I would agree with you if I had never been to Iraq. This will be my second tour in Iraq if I go at the end of the summer. Let me be crystal clear on this issue. I am not using green to gold to get out of Iraq. I am always willing to serve my country. Remember, I volunteered to go to Iraq. No one forced me to go and I did have a choice in the matter. It has been my belief for a while that I can better serve the Army as an officer than an enlisted soldier.

SGT Doody
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I knew that, I still say that your brothers in arms need you right now and you should wait to become a officer until you're complete with your second tour. But it's completely your choice Doody, you're a good man and whatever decision you make will be a good one.
 
Doody's done his duty (yeah pun intended). One troop more or less doing FIST in Iraq would be certainly of some consequence but becoming an officer could allow him an even greater contibution in the years to come. Remember, that Doody's wife would still be going to Iraq. His family has made a great contribution already. I think it would be a fine thing for him to pursue his goal at this time. I'm sure his CO will be well aware of his wife's deployment and wouldn't even consider his request as an "out" for going to Iraq. Being seperated from his wife under such circumstances is a huge sacrifice all by itself.
 
well, I am 3 weeks out from submitting my packet. It seems that things are going well. My commander gave me a very favorable rating and I am due to see the Battalion commander today or monday.

Here is a few lines about why I want to become an officer. Let me know if I am blowing smoke up someone's arse ;)

"I have served in the Army for 5 years active duty, 2 years reserves and been on 2 real world deployments. During that time, I have been successful at being a good soldier and a good leader. I feel that I have what it takes mentally, physically and morally to become a good officer. I am also ready to make the sacrifice demanded of an officer. Being a soldier is what I am good at, and I more than willing to make the Army a career."

Aren't I a good BSer? :D Pay me enough, and I will write a few dreaded papers for ya? 8)
 
Hahah. Either way good luck and hope you make it! Just go for it now. If you don't take your chance now, you might not have a good shot at it later. Things can change and for stuff like this, I think it's best you just go for it ASAP. You know how rules, proceedures, requirements etc. can change over time.
 
Doody, for the life of me I can't figure out why anyone would ever want to become an officer ;) Seriously, it sounds like you've got a good shot at it. Have you gotten any feedback from your CO? He'd know how the old man feels about the whole thing I would think. How about your CSM, if he's on your side it couldn't hurt either. I guess what I'm saying is that as long as you've got your allies lined up, you should be in good shape. I know it sounds political but you're going to be an officer so get used to it :lol: Best of luck.
 
Not that much as a junior officer, but more and more as you get senior. Don't get me wrong, it's not "them" against "us" kind of stuff. It is, however, a good deal of diplomacy.
 
Charge_7 said:
Not that much as a junior officer, but more and more as you get senior. Don't get me wrong, it's not "them" against "us" kind of stuff. It is, however, a good deal of diplomacy.
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The same happens in the civilian world too. The higher you move up, the more politics becomes a contact sport.
 
Lil Hulk 1988 said:
Charge_7 said:
Not that much as a junior officer, but more and more as you get senior. Don't get me wrong, it's not "them" against "us" kind of stuff. It is, however, a good deal of diplomacy.
Click to expand...

The same happens in the civilian world too. The higher you move up, the more politics becomes a contact sport.
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I agree and I might add that the sooner you realize the big part politics plays in your career, the better off you'll be. For those less experienced types, it's not a bad thing to know enough not to burn your bridges and to avoid making enemies whenever you can.
I was once asked by my 1SG, early on in my career, what I wanted out of the military. I gave the smart a$$ answer "I want your job". He said "son, hitch your wagon to a rising star and see where it takes you". It took me a couple of years to figure out what he was saying. The way I figured it, he meant that I should identify a good quality young officer that I admired and thought that I could help out.
Sure enough one particular officer was assigned as my Plt. Ldr. and I was a squad ldr. I did my best to make that squad (and him) look as good as I could (we won the division squad competition, etc.) and I was promoted to FDC chief and then, after stints in a scout and anti-armor platoons, took over for a retiring PSG. That officer moved on to become Company XO and in an amazingly short time, he became CO and asked me to be his 1SG. There I was with the job I had joked about :) I did that job for the last 5 years I was in the military.
I always kept that little bit of advice in mind and it never failed me. I shared it with many young soldiers along the way.
BTW, that officer and I became good friends. Last time we served together was in Desert Storm, he was the S2 and another of my former Company COs was the BN Cmdr. and we are all still friends.
 
Excellent words of advice, Top. As a young 2LT fresh out of OBC the first CO I had was an older Captain who saw some potential in me. I learned about 75% of what I know about being an officer from him. I was in his battery only a short time before he moved on to Asst. S3 and then he became the S3. Smartest man I ever knew and an amazing memory, with a gift for dealing with people. As I climbed the ranks we stayed in touch. Eventually he became my battalion CO and I rose to Captain of my own battery. Nearly all I ever learned about command I learned from that officer. He was so deft at command it surrounded him like an aura. He knew not just every man in the battalion's first name, but their wife or girlfriend's name, his children's names and what he did in civilian life as well as how well life was going for him. There wasn't a man in the battalion that didn't love and admire "Goldie" as we all came to know him. I was among the privileged few who formed a close friendship with him. Eventually "Goldie" became a Major General and to this day he is like another father to me. When things changed for me in my process of rejoining the Army and I questioned what I was going to do I thought for a moment about him and the decision was made in instant to carry on.
 
DTop said:
Doody, for the life of me I can't figure out why anyone would ever want to become an officer ;) Seriously, it sounds like you've got a good shot at it. Have you gotten any feedback from your CO?
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Most enlisted soldiers do not like the idea of going officer. I had one guy accuse me of doing it for personal gain. While that is one reason, it does not define my move to the officer side of the house. On a nother note, who would pass up free college, $2,000 a month pocket cash from the GI Bill and a substantial pay raise upon graduation? In life, I desire to travel forward as fast as possible.

As for the CO, I have not had a chance to read his imput. He did mark "strongly recommend," after his remarks. The BN commander left his bullets up to my LT since he doesn't really know me well. Of course my Lt made a joke about writting about my not so great moments :oops: I wonder what cadet command would think about those :shock:

DTOP and Charge 7, your advice has not fallen on deaf ears, Thanks for the inside info. It is good to hear from the people that have been there and done that.
 
Few people do anything that isn't for personal gain in some respect, Doody. There aren't that many Mother Theresas out there. It's good when you can blend personal gain with contribution. That's the most realistic goal to set, and from the sound of the things you've mentioned, I'd say you have that goal in sight.
 
BIG BIG PROBLEM

I wish I were a bit more optimistic than my current take on my green to gold packet. Yesterday, I turned in my packet to the ROTC people at Austin Peay State University. The packet was complete to the best of my knowledge. The Captain who was there said everything seemed in order and the Major would look at it. When I Major reviewed my packet, he discovered that my SAT scores are too old. I guess your SAT scores are good for 5 years. I took mine back in 96, 8 years ago. The Major said that cadet command may overlook the SAT date and accept my packet, or kick my packet back and really piss me off. I will be one furious soldier if my packet is kicked back due to my SAT date being too old. The SAT test is a horrible way to judge a student. My SAT score is a 990, yet I got a 3.4 for my first year of college. Go to hell SAT…..

The question is what should I do?

Ft Campbell offers ACT testing on the first Friday of every month and SAT testing on the 3rd Friday of every month. Well, today is the first of the month so I cannot take the ACT. The third Friday of the month will not work because I will not get the results back in time.

I am thinking that I should write to a senator or a member of congress about my case. The wife seems to think that I should not since it would make me look bad in the eyes of the military. For me, it is very hard to be idle when I could be doing something to improve my position.

What do you all think? Should I try to contact a member of congress over this or am I being stupid? All I know is if I get denied a chance to be looked at for green to gold over outdated SAT scores, I will definitely feel that I got a raw deal, I wish the packet for green to gold stated that your SAT/ACT scores need to be no older than 5 years. Then I would have known to take the test back in JAN, FEB or MAR.
 
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