FTS Transition and O-4 Promotion Board

[careerO-3]

I have applied for the Spring FTS board and I am still awaiting the results. In order to apply, I submitted my letter of resignation from active duty back in the fall (I'm a P-3 guy). To complicate matters, I have my in zone promotion board for LCDR on 6 April. My question is...if I get picked up for FTS will my active promotion be denied because I am transitioning to FTS? I expected this to happen if I don't get picked up for FTS (SELRES backup). Also, does anyone have any advice on letters, phone calls, etc. I should make to millington to have the best shot at promotion? Thanks in advance.

 

[helolumpy]

Once you resignation is approved, you are removed from consideration for the Active O-4 board.
If you resignation was submitted to Millington prior to the board, that letter should be in your record, therefore it will be a fact reviewed during the board process, therefore do not expect to make O-4.

If you letter was not part of your package, then you may in fact pick up O-4.

I don't know what would happen if you select for O-4 on this board and then pick up FTS prior to pinning on.
I'm sure it's happened plenty of times, but the FTS folks can probably answer with more certainty than I can.

Good luck

 

[careerO-3]

Thanks for the info. Yes my letter is in my record...but if I get picked up for FTS there will be some other sort of documentation stating I am no longer resigning. But the FTS guys in Millington said I have a good chance of not getting promoted because they will know I am leaving the P-3 community and I am no longer of any use to the unrestricted line community. I have two buddies who went FTS last year and one picked up O-4 and the other did not.

 

[Jim123]

I don't know what would happen if you select for O-4 on this board and then pick up FTS prior to pinning on.
I'm sure it's happened plenty of times, but the FTS folks can probably answer with more certainty than I can.

I applied for and selected FTS (fall board) right after selecting O-4 on the active duty URL promotion board (spring/summer). I had to wait several months as active duty for my turn to be promoted before I could redesignate from active duty to FTS (something about end strength... <shrug>). If I hadn't selected for promotion before selecting FTS, my redesignation might have been much sooner... uncommon but not unheard of.

@OP, sounds like you already figured out the catch-22 for this year's promotion boards. I wish I knew the answer but I don't know what will happen if your letter of resignation is "pulled" upon successfully selecting FTS this cycle. Did the FTS guys in Millington differentiate between you being ineligible for promotion vice hurting your chances for being promoted because you are laterally transferring out of your community?

 

[careerO-3]

@OP, sounds like you already figured out the catch-22 for this year's promotion boards. I wish I knew the answer but I don't know what will happen if your letter of resignation is "pulled" upon successfully selecting FTS this cycle. Did the FTS guys in Millington differentiate between you being ineligible for promotion vice hurting your chances for being promoted because you are laterally transferring out of your community?

Yeah, the guy I was talking to said something to the effect of: "If the people on the promotion board see that you have some sort of FTS stink on you, they could decide to vote against you being promoted because they figure it is the FTS communities job to promote you now, not theirs." He then went on to say I shouldn't have to do anything just sit back and accept my fate. He's probably right but if there was anything I could do to help myself out I wanted to try.

 

[FlyBoyd]

Yeah, the guy I was talking to said something to the effect of: "If the people on the promotion board see that you have some sort of FTS stink on you, they could decide to vote against you being promoted because they figure it is the FTS communities job to promote you now, not theirs." He then went on to say I shouldn't have to do anything just sit back and accept my fate. He's probably right but if there was anything I could do to help myself out I wanted to try.

1. If the results come out in time you "may" get it removed but prob not.

2. Expect to be passed over and if you get picked up for FTS you most likely will get it next year. I say most likely because you are now competing against all FTS for O-4 and the group as a whole has way stronger records than the AD group. The shitbags/DUI dudes etc are not really there to eat up the non-promotion percentage. Not everyone can be promoted due to percentage limitations so I am just saying I have seen it happen. I personally know a guy who got passed over twice for O-4 on the FTS boards and is now in the USCG. He had a strong enough record to compete for and get an FTS slot but fell through the cracks twice after that...who knows. On the other hand a peer of mine got passed over for O-4 the first time (I didn't) so he screened for O-5 a year after me. He got picked up I didn't.

Not much you can do. Ride it out and tackle it once it plays out.

OBTW, FTS "stink?" Check my profile and see what I have done/am doing. It stinks to them because they are jealous.

 

[careerO-3]

Thanks for the responses everyone. If nothing else this can serve as some useful info for other guys considering going the FTS route.

 

[helolumpy]

I say most likely because you are now competing against all FTS for O-4 and the group as a whole has way stronger records than the AD group. The shitbags/DUI dudes etc are not really there to eat up the non-promotion percentage. Not everyone can be promoted due to percentage limitations so I am just saying I have seen it happen.

Opinions may vary...