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New DCA timeline due to longer contracts after winging?

RivrGuide

Admiral Hartman 4 Life
pilot
Through the grapevine, I heard that everyone is getting an 8 year commitment out of flight school as opposed to the old 6-yr RW/TR & 8-yr FW contracts. Not having been in flight school for a while, I'm not sure if that's true, but IF it is...

Does the CG plan on extending the max active duty time from 10 years? It seems like the new 8 year contracts are going to rule out most Marines and a lot of Navy aviators from the DCA program if they don't change the program guidelines.

Any insight would be great, right now I'm looking at a 3 month window to transition before I exceed the 10 years.
 

Gatordev

Well-Known Member
pilot
Site Admin
Contributor
I'm confused. If you're Navy and you're coming up on 10 years, than that would normally mean you're a YG02 or junior, which is when they changed everyone's commitment. I would definitely check your BOL to confirm what contract you're under. The Wings+8 is affecting the Reserves as well, so I'm sure it may cause fewer bodies for the CG. The question is: does the CG care? They may not need to right now.

Also, it was 7 years for RW (and I think for FW maritime), 8 for jets.
 

RivrGuide

Admiral Hartman 4 Life
pilot
I hit ten years AD in May 2016, my contract runs through Feb 2016. That is a tight window to get picked up without going over. In a perfect world the cutoff would increase to 11 or 12, just wondering if any Coasties know and can weigh in.
 

Gatordev

Well-Known Member
pilot
Site Admin
Contributor
I'd be curious to hear from a CG guy on this, but when I seriously looked into DCA, it was possible that a break in active duty could occur if you had to wait until the "next" board. So you'd still get out and then wait to be picked up for a couple of months. It wouldn't be a break in service, just a brake in active duty. Still possible, Coasties?

I know it's not optimal in the monetary sense, but if you're already going to drop your papers, it might be worth the price so you don't roll over 10. I was in a similar boat as you. I hit 10 right at my PRD as well as my MSR, so if I didn't get picked up, I would have needed to bail either way if I was set on DCA.
 

Gatordev

Well-Known Member
pilot
Site Admin
Contributor
USN went to 8 across the board several years ago (I was an 8yr guy). I think OP is USMC who historically had 6yr RW MSRs.

Yeah, I know he is USMC now, but when he initially posted (with no bio!), it wasn't clear. I was just clarifying (again, assuming he was Navy at the time) that it was 7 for Navy before '02.
 

scottwith1t

east coast
pilot
Would the Navy release someone a year before the end of their 8 year after winging commitment to jump to the Coast Guard?

I ask because if I wait until the end of my Navy commitment I'll be one year too old for DCA. Reading the DCA website it says:
  • Current military members must furnish a signed DD368 (conditional release). Recruiters and applicants shall complete section I of the DD368 form. Recruiters shall then submit the DD368 to the CGRC Accessions branch. CGRC will facilitate release directly with the applicant’s service
So I pulled up a DD 368 and with this above paragraph it appears to me as though it'd be possible to get let go prior to the end of the 8 year Navy commitment. Just wondering how probable this might be...
 

RivrGuide

Admiral Hartman 4 Life
pilot
Does the CG plan on extending the max active duty time from 10 years? It seems like the new 8 year contracts are going to rule out most Marines and a lot of Navy aviators from the DCA program if they don't change the program guidelines.

Anyone in the CG, or someone with knowledge of changes to the DCA program I would still appreciate updates if you come across a change to the policy...
 
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