• Please take a moment and update your account profile. If you have an updated account profile with basic information on why you are on Air Warriors it will help other people respond to your posts. How do you update your profile you ask?

    Go here:

    Edit Account Details and Profile

Declining Commission

TimLee

New Member
So I recently found out I was accepted to SWO and that I previously wasn't accepted to Intel. As a result I've been looking at the Marines and federal agencies. I actually got accepted to a good Federal LEO job where I'd be able to train and do Intel, and travel.

Would I be able to decline SWO, and if so how? Even if I were to consider SWO, would you decline given the opportunities presented at the civilian side?

Note: I did not receive my letter yet, just verbal confirmation

Thanks
 
Last edited:

Hair Warrior

Well-Known Member
Contributor
Congrats on the LEO job. That can be a very rewarding career.

If you haven't signed paperwork/ sworn in yet, you can probably talk to your recruiter and back out.

But it may create obstacles if you decide to reapply for military service at a future date.

Whatever you choose, tackle it 100% with no regrets.

P.S. I do intel. It can be interesting, but it ain't James Bond, and you can't talk about it outside of work. Assess your priorities and motivation.
 
Last edited:

FormerRecruitingGuru

Making Recruiting Great Again
So I recently found out I was accepted to SWO and that I previously wasn't accepted to Intel. As a result I've been looking at the Marines and federal agencies. I actually got accepted to a good Federal LEO job where I'd be able to train and do Intel, and travel.

Would I be able to decline SWO, and if so how? Even if I were to consider SWO, would you decline given the opportunities presented at the civilian side?

Note: I did not receive my letter yet, just verbal confirmation

Thanks

Why did you put down SWO if you're not even interested in pursuing it?
 

TimLee

New Member
Why did you put down SWO if you're not even interested in pursuing it?

To be honest with you, I heard about the Information Warfare paths or a Lateral Transfer that one could go through, but from what I've read and talked to people about, the odds of actually getting through are slim. I also kind of felt like I had to fill in all the choices possible.
 

TimLee

New Member
Also, the Navy process took about 2 years to even get to this point, and I applied blindly to special programs with the FEDs, and I know from friends, the Marine's officer process is much quicker. To be honest, I'm conflicted about how to go about choosing, since each opportunity offer the same benefit
 

zippy

Freedom!
pilot
Contributor
Stick with the LEO/intel gig. If you applied for it you'll probably find it much more rewarding than SWO. Some will argue you can go SWO and reapply later but you never know when that federal hiring window will slam shut.

If you want to do both you could show up to the LEO gig and drop military leave and your job is protected for upto 5 years.
 

Hair Warrior

Well-Known Member
Contributor
If you want to do both you could show up to the LEO gig and drop military leave and your job is protected for upto 5 years.
Interesting thought. But, with the active duty number of years of commitment, wouldn't he be cutting it close trying to finish up his military active duty service before that 5 year window expires? Or, can he go SELRES/IRR as a SWO after only ~3 years AD?

I looked here but couldn't figure it out for this particular scenario: http://dopma-ropma.rand.org/military-service-obligation.html
 
Last edited:

zippy

Freedom!
pilot
Contributor
He'll have to do the legwork and figure that out... Commitment used to be 4 active/4 reserve... not sure what it is now.
 

Uncle Fester

Robot Pimp
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
If it's a no-shit, 6c Fed LEO position, I'd take it. Even if the particular agency you're hired for winds up not ringing your chimes, you'll have lots of paths open to you anywhere else within Fed LE. More opportunities, really, than SWO would afford you.
 

TimLee

New Member
If it's a no-shit, 6c Fed LEO position, I'd take it. Even if the particular agency you're hired for winds up not ringing your chimes, you'll have lots of paths open to you anywhere else within Fed LE. More opportunities, really, than SWO would afford you.

Yeah it's a 6c, in the NYC area, take home car, etc.

To be honest had the NAVY told me that I had gotten SWO a month earlier, I would have hopped on it ASAP. While I'll still evaluate the pros and cons of SWO or Feds, if I do decide to say no to SWO, How would I actually decline it?


Interesting thought. But, with the active duty number of years of commitment, wouldn't he be cutting it close trying to finish up his military active duty service before that 5 year window expires? Or, can he go SELRES/IRR as a SWO after only ~3 years AD?

I looked here but couldn't figure it out for this particular scenario: http://dopma-ropma.rand.org/military-service-obligation.html


I spoke to someone about changing the commitment times between active and reserve, and was told it was a no go. I think the only branch that allows you to do 3 years as an officer, is the Coast Guard.

However, no matter what I choose, I definitely appreciate you guys for taking the time to answer this thread
 

azguy

Well-Known Member
None
Frankly, I would have been tempted to go FLEO. It can, from what I understand, be a really cool job (agency dependent). I don't think the benefits and pay even come close to the Navy, but if you love what you do pay shouldn't be much of a factor.
 

Flash

SEVAL/ECMO
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
Frankly, I would have been tempted to go FLEO. It can, from what I understand, be a really cool job (agency dependent). I don't think the benefits and pay even come close to the Navy, but if you love what you do pay shouldn't be much of a factor.

Depending on the agency and the billet you would be wrong. The retirement isn't as good but better than their non-LEO GS counterparts, 34% pension at 20 years.
 

TimLee

New Member
Frankly, I would have been tempted to go FLEO. It can, from what I understand, be a really cool job (agency dependent). I don't think the benefits and pay even come close to the Navy, but if you love what you do pay shouldn't be much of a factor.

In terms of benefits, is that a comparison of a 20 year active Navy career vs a 20 FLEO career? What specific benefits do SWOs have vs FLEOs?
 

azguy

Well-Known Member
None
Do your homework bud. Navy is 20-yr, no-contribution, 50% of base pay. From what I remember, Federal is 20-30yr, lots of contribution, much lower percentage base pay. Take this with a grain of salt; this isn't my SME area and these stats (for Federal GS/LEO) are based on stats I have from a while ago.
 
Top