Explanation of "scroll" process and Timeline of events until receipt of COMDOCs

[FlyinSpy]

Hurry up and wait, as always.

As OTT mentioned above, not necessarily "as always". A datapoint: I originally went through the whole DIRCOM application process in late 97 / early 98. The paperwork went in, and then I heard nothing for months and months. My recruiter had moved on, so there was no one to take my phone calls, and apparently no record of me ever applying. I just chalked it up to a broken bureaucracy (an opinion not altered much in the intervening years....) and went on my way. Until I got a cell phone call late on a Tuesday afternoon in August of 99, when the caller said "This is CDR so-and-so, if you want your comission you have to come in and get sworn in by COB tomorrow." So presto, 24 hours later I was an ensign, and 3 weeks later began drilling.

What has changed in the intervening years is unclear to me, but IGM so I'm good... :icon_tong

 

[OnTopTime]

As OTT mentioned above, not necessarily "as always". A datapoint: I originally went through the whole DIRCOM application process in late 97 / early 98. The paperwork went in, and then I heard nothing for months and months. My recruiter had moved on, so there was no one to take my phone calls, and apparently no record of me ever applying. I just chalked it up to a broken bureaucracy (an opinion not altered much in the intervening years....) and went on my way. Until I got a cell phone call late on a Tuesday afternoon in August of 99, when the caller said "This is CDR so-and-so, if you want your comission you have to come in and get sworn in by COB tomorrow." So presto, 24 hours later I was an ensign, and 3 weeks later began drilling.

What has changed in the intervening years is unclear to me, but IGM so I'm good... :icon_tong

FlyinSpy-
Where was your recruiter who "moved on"? When I was doing reserve officer recruiting during the time period that you mention, I "inherited" a whole bunch of new territory (and a boat load of f'd up DCO packages and other problems) from a colleague who left the program, with minimal passdown to me. I was having a lot of "fun" until we hired a new guy to take over that territory.

 

[andyh]

FlyinSpy, that sounds very similar to my current situation. I heard from my recruiter in Sept to let me know I had been selected. It was then over a month before he sent me the medical forms to fill out and I haven't heard anything since, despite the constant voice mails and emails. I wonder if like in your situation, my recruiter has moved on.

 

[priorAF]

Ok, let’s backup here a second. The last few posts on “scrolling” seem to be more of what my recruiters are telling me, my LCDR and NC1. However, I just thought my situation might be different because I’m prior service. Here’s what I’ve been told. I will be sworn-in immediately after selection. Then it’s off to get my medical at MEPS. Now, both of my recruiters have told me the same thing, that I’m sworn-in and then MEPS and I will be discharged if I fail MEPS. Now, as I understand it from both of my recruiters, drilling starts right away, but I think it’s after passing the physical. Neither of my recruiters EVER mentioned anything about any “scrolling” or how “scrolling” is going to delay anything or everything. Finally, as I understand it, the “scrolling” and ComDocs are only nice things to have that can be framed, but they do not delay anything because I’ll already be sworn-in, serving, and drilling. Oh, I forgot, any security clearance will more than likely finish during schooling and training, thus it does not delay being sworn-in.

On a side note, none of this may actually happen to me, even though I’ve been waiting since May 2009 for my January Supply Board because neither of my recruiters, or myself, are able to get any of my prior military service records from St. Louis! Is anybody else here having the same problem? My records have been requested no less than four times since May 2009 and Customer Service at Military Records just informed me yesterday when I called that my request will not be processed until at least February 2010! Now, this obviously is past the January Supply Board, thus my packet will now be incomplete and more than likely rejected or tabled! :icon_rage Does anybody here have any insight on my packet being dead-in-the-water because of the lack of prior military records, or what I can try to do to get my records? I did give my recruiters my DD-214.

 

[OnTopTime]

Ok, let’s backup here a second. The last few posts on “scrolling” seem to be more of what my recruiters are telling me, my LCDR and NC1. However, I just thought my situation might be different because I’m prior service. Here’s what I’ve been told. I will be sworn-in immediately after selection. Then it’s off to get my medical at MEPS. Now, both of my recruiters have told me the same thing, that I’m sworn-in and then MEPS and I will be discharged if I fail MEPS. Now, as I understand it from both of my recruiters, drilling starts right away, but I think it’s after passing the physical. Neither of my recruiters EVER mentioned anything about any “scrolling” or how “scrolling” is going to delay anything or everything. Finally, as I understand it, the “scrolling” and ComDocs are only nice things to have that can be framed, but they do not delay anything because I’ll already be sworn-in, serving, and drilling. Oh, I forgot, any security clearance will more than likely finish during schooling and training, thus it does not delay being sworn-in.

On a side note, none of this may actually happen to me, even though I’ve been waiting since May 2009 for my January Supply Board because neither of my recruiters, or myself, are able to get any of my prior military service records from St. Louis! Is anybody else here having the same problem? My records have been requested no less than four times since May 2009 and Customer Service at Military Records just informed me yesterday when I called that my request will not be processed until at least February 2010! Now, this obviously is past the January Supply Board, thus my packet will now be incomplete and more than likely rejected or tabled! :icon_rage Does anybody here have any insight on my packet being dead-in-the-water because of the lack of prior military records, or what I can try to do to get my records? I did give my recruiters my DD-214.

Wow, it sounds like either you've been getting some really bad information, or you're completely not understanding what you're being told.

First of all, COMDOCS are not "only nice things to have" that "do not delay anything." Here's the simple truth: no COMDOCS, no commissioning. Second of all, I find it very hard to believe that a recruiter is telling you that your MEPS officer physical can be completed after you get commissioned, and that if you are then found NPQ for whatever program you were selected for you will simply be discharged. That's completely f'd up, or a nicer way of saying it would be that's putting the cart before the horse. Third, from my experience as a reserve officer recruiter (admittedly, more than seven years ago), as a prior service applicant, your application will not be complete without your full prior service record. A DD-214 only will not cut it. The board wants to see evals and other important documents. If St. Louis is ignoring requests to produce your record, then the issue needs to be pushed up the CoC. When I was recruiting, I made numerous requests to St. Louis for prior service records, to the point that my contact there recognized my voice when I called and we chatted about our kids. He was always very accommodating and could tell me on the phone whether or not he had the record I was looking for. If he had it, it was on my desk within a week. Either things have changed drastically there, or the request is not being made to the right office.

 

[priorAF]

Wow, it sounds like either you've been getting some really bad information, or you're completely not understanding what you're being told.

First of all, COMDOCS are not "only nice things to have" that "do not delay anything." Here's the simple truth: no COMDOCS, no commissioning. Second of all, I find it very hard to believe that a recruiter is telling you that your MEPS officer physical can be completed after you get commissioned, and that if you are then found NPQ for whatever program you were selected for you will simply be discharged. That's completely f'd up, or a nicer way of saying it would be that's putting the cart before the horse. Third, from my experience as a reserve officer recruiter (admittedly, more than seven years ago), as a prior service applicant, your application will not be complete without your full prior service record. A DD-214 only will not cut it. The board wants to see evals and other important documents. If St. Louis is ignoring requests to produce your record, then the issue needs to be pushed up the CoC. When I was recruiting, I made numerous requests to St. Louis for prior service records, to the point that my contact there recognized my voice when I called and we chatted about our kids. He was always very accommodating and could tell me on the phone whether or not he had the record I was looking for. If he had it, it was on my desk within a week. Either things have changed drastically there, or the request is not being made to the right office.

Wow, thanks for the quick response. First, my post is exactly what I was told by my recruiters because I questioned it too. I know, it sounds odd, but I did question it and it was affirmed by both of my recruiters at two separate times. Now, this obviously begs the question, what’s correct? While I do not dispute the information on this web-site, I do not understand why both a LCDR and an NC1 would be so wrong and mislead.

Second, I do not know what CoC is, but I will pass it on to my recruiter. As a matter of fact, I’m going to call and email because it seems I might have been given some bad advice and I really think they should have taken care of this military records thing months ago so it didn’t become a problem like it is now! I thought they had my records and that my packet was completely done. Now I’m mad! I’ve been doing this since May 2009 and my packet is dead! I’ll check on CoC. THANKS!

 

[xxxCharliexxx]

What is this Scrolling Process?

I emailed my recruiter (LDCR) yesterday about this since I was now curious.

My exact question was:

"What is the scrolling process? Someone asked me and I told them what I had heard...which was that our names go before Congress for approval. I was told this was untrue and that it's the medical and security along with our packages being approved. But I thought the scroll could 'return' before you finish your medical and security."

She emailed me back saying:

"The scroll can come out at any time, but
usually after everything has been completed.

Yes, the scroll list does have to be approved by
congress. The medical and security clearance are
all part of the commissioning process, if you do not meet those,
you don't commission."

I am a non-prior 1635 select. I really don't care who is right, in my case, it really doesn't matter who approves it, as long as it gets approved.

 

[OnTopTime]

I do not know what CoC is, but I will pass it on to my recruiter.

CoC = chain of command.

 

[OnTopTime]

I emailed my recruiter (LDCR) yesterday about this since I was now curious.

My exact question was:

"What is the scrolling process? Someone asked me and I told them what I had heard...which was that our names go before Congress for approval. I was told this was untrue and that it's the medical and security along with our packages being approved. But I thought the scroll could 'return' before you finish your medical and security."

She emailed me back saying:

"The scroll can come out at any time, but
usually after everything has been completed.

Yes, the scroll list does have to be approved by
congress. The medical and security clearance are
all part of the commissioning process, if you do not meet those,
you don't commission."

I am a non-prior 1635 select. I really don't care who is right, in my case, it really doesn't matter who approves it, as long as it gets approved.

I'm throwing the BS flag on your recruiter. First of all, WTF is a "scroll" or a "scroll list"? Second, I can't imagine that things have changed so much since I did reserve officer recruiting that all DCO appointments now get approved by congress, which would be in direct contradiction to the statutes that I cited in my post above. But, I've been wrong before, so maybe things have changed that much.

 

[cargodog]

It seems to me like there's about 1,000 applicants with probably 200 recruiters out there who ALL have different information. You would think this would be in some kind of DCO recruiters manual or something - its not that complicated! All I know, is that I'm waiting for someone to sign a piece of paper that says make cargodog an ENS. I'm with Charlie, at this point it doesn't matter who, just sign it!

 

[xxxCharliexxx]

...at this point it doesn't matter who, just sign it!

amen!

 

[Harpuaphish]

Not trying to add fuel to the fire, but I posed a similar question regarding MEPS to my recruiter a few days ago and this is the reponse I got:

"Yes, your final select is dependent on your physical qualification. It is also dependent on the SecDef's signature, and that document hasn't come back yet. FYI, it's called a "scroll," and it's the list of names, SSNs, and ranks for all officer candidates. He authorizes every commission into the DoD."

No mention of Congress from the recuiter, but like it was mentioned by someone before I don't care who signs it so long as some one does.

John

 

[FlyinSpy]

FlyinSpy-
Where was your recruiter who "moved on"? When I was doing reserve officer recruiting during the time period that you mention, I "inherited" a whole bunch of new territory (and a boat load of f'd up DCO packages and other problems) from a colleague who left the program, with minimal passdown to me. I was having a lot of "fun" until we hired a new guy to take over that territory.

This was at NAF Washington. I got the impression that DIRCOM actions were pretty low on the "to do" list, and that I wasn't alone in having trouble in that timeframe. Glad it all worked out in the end, though - I'm still having fun! :icon_tong

 

[OnTopTime]

This was at NAF Washington. I got the impression that DIRCOM actions were pretty low on the "to do" list, and that I wasn't alone in having trouble in that timeframe. Glad it all worked out in the end, though - I'm still having fun! :icon_tong

FlyinSpy-
I just sent you a PM- I think. Please let me know if you didn't get it.

 

[OnTopTime]

Not trying to add fuel to the fire, but I posed a similar question regarding MEPS to my recruiter a few days ago and this is the reponse I got:

"Yes, your final select is dependent on your physical qualification. It is also dependent on the SecDef's signature, and that document hasn't come back yet. FYI, it's called a "scroll," and it's the list of names, SSNs, and ranks for all officer candidates. He authorizes every commission into the DoD."

No mention of Congress from the recuiter, but like it was mentioned by someone before I don't care who signs it so long as some one does.

John

Thank you, Harpuaphish. Today I talked to the guy who is now doing the recruiting job that I used to do, and he confirmed what you posted above. The "scroll" is an internal DoD thing that apparently does go to OSD for approval. Fortunately, I never had to deal with this back in the day, because what I was told is that the "scrolling process" can mean an additional three to six month wait, as comdocs will not be issued until OSD signs off on the names. So, no congressional involvement.