Army National Guard's new Med student program details.

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I am now Dr. amindwalker! :D Today is my last day of active duty. :(
It has been great! ASR-1 departing.
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Dr Funk said:
How do I find out if I have a control number for ASR?
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Ask. If they don't send you a form with your control number on it, you don't have one.

I don't see how you could have a control number for the ASR program, as it no longer officially exists.
Dr Funk said:
I was commissioned and started drilling in Feb, and my recruiter says I am the first on "the list" for my state. She says she does not know where I am on the "national list." Is there a way to view this via AKO?
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To my knowledge, there is no "national list." There's no official word on the ASR program coming back. The slots vacated by departing ASR have not yet been refilled.

If your state is making a list for the ASR program coming back, that's more than many are doing, so you're in good shape. If ASR does come back, I wouldn't sweat it, as I can't imagine that there are more than a handful of people who have actually joined in hopes of taking ASR. Just keep on your recruiter to make sure you're top of mind. Post back if you get anything in writing. Best of luck with things and hope the Guard is treating you well...
 
amindwalker said:
I am now Dr. amindwalker! :D Today is my last day of active duty. :(
It has been great! ASR-1 departing.
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Congrats, Dr. amindwalker. Hope O-3 treats you kindly... Let us know how it goes...
 
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Congratulations Dr. Amindwalker! Thanks for all your help and information - keep it up!
 
Is it possible to sign up for ASR if I still have time obligation on my contract?

I am E4, will graduate bachelors in 2 years, with one year left on contract.

Can I just go straight into the ASR?

-Matt
 
msotiroglou said:
Is it possible to sign up for ASR if I still have time obligation on my contract?

I am E4, will graduate bachelors in 2 years, with one year left on contract.

Can I just go straight into the ASR?

-Matt
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Provided that the ASR program even comes back, you would have to be commissioned and apply to get in the program.

I may be mistaken, but I believe that if you were to be commissioned with a contract, the new contract would supersede your enlistment contract. I would contact your retention officer to find out (in writing) what the rules are to be sure.
 
notdeadyet said:
To my knowledge, there is no "national list." There's no official word on the ASR program coming back. The slots vacated by departing ASR have not yet been refilled.
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The regional ASR coordinator that we have been working with informed us last month that there is a wait list for new spots. He did go on to say that it isn't a merit list (you're not ranked according to your merit) it's FIFO (the sooner you get on the list the higher up you are).
 
So unfortunately they're not taking on new students or recycling existing spots this fiscal year.

Guess we'll find out more in October.
 
deleted, starting new thread so as no to hijack..
 
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TacMed said:
So unfortunately they're not taking on new students or recycling existing spots this fiscal year.

Guess we'll find out more in October.
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Yeah. I was ready to sign up for 4 years of MDSSP as I'm be an M1 in August. After thinking it through and discussing things with my recruiter, I'm going to get comissioned in active drill status and wait a year to see what programs bubble to the surface in the next 12 months or so.

I think this is probably the best advice for anyone in a similar situation who isn't starving for financial aid.
 
EMH,

Great job writing this long explanation! I don't agree with everything you said, but I think you are mostly right! Thanks for putting the time into this.

I am an M4, and I have been in the National Guard's ASR program for almost 3 years. It's been great, and I have ZERO regrets. Many people are nay-sayers, but differences of opinion occur everywhere you go. The Guard is no exception.

If anyone wants to ask me about my experience with ASR and medical school. Please feel free to PM me. I have 5 years active duty prior to med school, so I can give a little insight on how the active duty military works -- but I currently prefer the Guard!

Take care
 
Otis601 said:
EMH,

Great job writing this long explanation! I don't agree with everything you said, but I think you are mostly right! Thanks for putting the time into this.

I am an M4, and I have been in the National Guard's ASR program for almost 3 years. It's been great, and I have ZERO regrets. Many people are nay-sayers, but differences of opinion occur everywhere you go. The Guard is no exception.

If anyone wants to ask me about my experience with ASR and medical school. Please feel free to PM me. I have 5 years active duty prior to med school, so I can give a little insight on how the active duty military works -- but I currently prefer the Guard!

Take care
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Thanks, I wrote all that at the time I was still applying. I went back and updated a few things that were not correct but I never imagined this thread would have the longevity it has. Maybe I should re-write it once I finish this last 3rd year block.
 
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EMH said:
I went back and updated a few things that were not correct but I never imagined this thread would have the longevity it has. Maybe I should re-write it once I finish this last 3rd year block.
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Personally, I'd hold off. If ASR doesn't come back, it's moot. If it does, we might want to see what it looks like.
 
Does anyone know if MDSSP reduces the amount of financial aid and government loans we are able to take out?
 
Everyone is entitled to the same amount of loans. It's whatever your medical school sets as the upper limit of what a student could need.

MDSSP (or ASR or a job or...) does not reduce the amount of loan you are eligible for, but would reduce the amount of subsidized loan. You'd still be able to take out the same max loan amount, but more would be unsubsidized, less subsidized.
 
MDSSP could reduce the amount of loans you can take out. According to my FA office they said that a military stipend is considered as a type of scholarship or FA since it is money paid BECAUSE you are in school. It is not a wage. As such MDSSP and HPSP stipends are counted against your loan eligibility. Drill pay on the other hand is not counted against FA awards as it is pay you earn (technically) apart from being in school. The only other program that MAY not counted as FA is the Navy's HSCP program as you are an active duty E-6 on school orders. But again you would not be an active duty E-6 if you were not in medical school, so it is in a kind of a gray area. But most FA admins are not very experienced with the HSCP so at this time it flies under the radar.

Now some schools have not corrected their policies on this and as such are allowing students to take the stipend plus borrow max loan amounts. But this is wrong and the feds are cracking down on this practice. Best thing to do is check with your school before you start counting on being able to borrow.
 
2000 Man said:
Now some schools have not corrected their policies on this and as such are allowing students to take the stipend plus borrow max loan amounts. But this is wrong and the feds are cracking down on this practice. Best thing to do is check with your school before you start counting on being able to borrow.
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This is kind of an interesting question to me. Does the stipend the the HPSP get sent through the school or directly to the student? If it goes to the student then how does the school know what amount of stipend you receive. I was under the impression was that if it was considered financial aid then it must be sent through the financial aid office.
 
With HPSP (and the rest) the stipend goes to the student. But with HPSP they are also paying your tuition so there is FA office involvement (and they are well aware of the in's and out's of HPSP). With the other programs you have a situation (someone correct me if I am wrong) where your FA office is not directly connected to your pay situation but you will end up reporting it on your FAFSA. So any "stipend" falls into this category.

I went over this again and again with my FA admin, saying the stipend is taxed and as such is not so much a grant but a "wage". They stated many times over that your stipend is contigent upon your being enrolled in school and as such is considered a academic "grant/scholarship" and would be subtracted from FA package loan amounts. They understood that many schools are still not viewing it this way but that the federal regulation concerning it was clear and that such schools were in violation of the reg. Bottom line was that the money did not have to be funneled through the school to be considered FA.

All of this money is coming from the same place, the federal government. Whether it's a governemnt loan or a military stipend, and before you start getting your MDSS?ASR/HPSP money they will verify your status with your registrars office. So if your stipend max's out your award and then they allow you to get loan money above and beyond this award limit, it is considered double dipping and Uncle Sam does not like that.
 
As 2000 Man has pointed out, checking with your individual Financial Aid office regarding MDSSP is a good idea. I know folks at two schools who have not had their total loan amount. Schools have a lot of flexibility in determining how much loan they will authorize individual students, so it sounds like it bears looking into.
2000 Man said:
According to my FA office they said that a military stipend is considered as a type of scholarship or FA since it is money paid BECAUSE you are in school. It is not a wage.
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They are wrong. You pay income and all taxes on MDSSP, which by definition and law makes it a wage. Whether being a medical student is a requirement or not should not matter. I received payments to work on a trauma study that also required I be a medical student. This did not affect my loan amount either. Wages for financial aid affect EFC (expected family contribution) but not total loan amount.
2000 Man said:
Now some schools have not corrected their policies on this and as such are allowing students to take the stipend plus borrow max loan amounts. But this is wrong and the feds are cracking down on this practice.
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Can you clarify this? I'm curious what feds are cracking down on what policy? Wages do not affect total loan amount. That's published federal financial aid policy. MDSSP monies are wages, as can be evidenced by anyone's W-2s. If MDSSP was an actual stipend paid out to the medical student without being taxed, it would affect financial aid amounts. Unless there's some laws out there I don't know about (which I'd be very curious to read), MDSSP should not affect total financial aid amount, only the amount of FA that is subsidized. Like any other wage.
2000 Man said:
Best thing to do is check with your school before you start counting on being able to borrow.
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Good advice. If they get freaked out over MDSSP being called a "stipend" be sure they understand it's actually a wage and is taxed as such. Contact your state NG education officer and ask how other MDSSP students in your state have handled it.
 
Anyone have an AMEDD recruiter contact in NC? I have a potential....
 
Hey guys, I found this thread about a week ago and it's been incredibly helpful!

I'm starting classes at USC in August and would really like to get the ball rolling on my ANG application. I'm still not sure what program though, so can someone recommend (or provide contact information for) an AMEDD recruiter in California.

Please and thank you !
 
Nicky Neutron said:
I'm starting classes at USC in August and would really like to get the ball rolling on my ANG application. I'm still not sure what program though, so can someone recommend (or provide contact information for) an AMEDD recruiter in California.
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PM sent.
 
Is there still funding for the ASR program...I heard that the program is no longer going to exist due to funding shortages...
 
Meghan1 said:
Is there still funding for the ASR program...I heard that the program is no longer going to exist due to funding shortages...
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You are correct. Folks are hoping that it gets more funding for next year and they start it up again. Stay tuned, no word yet...
 
OBLC Questions:

Can you pack in normal luggage or do I need a duffel bag?

I would assume I should pack a set or two of civilian clothes?

Anyone know a good place to get a pre-shaven/shaped beret or should I just do it myself?

Any recommendations on some extra's that are bonus to have? I know earlier in the thread there was talk of some specific socks and boot inserts.

Any other recommendations?
 
DeadCactus said:
OBLC Questions:

Can you pack in normal luggage or do I need a duffel bag?

I would assume I should pack a set or two of civilian clothes?

Anyone know a good place to get a pre-shaven/shaped beret or should I just do it myself?

Any recommendations on some extra's that are bonus to have? I know earlier in the thread there was talk of some specific socks and boot inserts.

Any other recommendations?
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bring a duffel if you have one. if not, you'll probably need one for "the field." there's a good army surplus store near post. dont pay full price at the px.

bring some civies. there will probably be time to go off post and play.

berets suck. there's no easy way.

i've always used standard army OD green socks. they work pretty well for me. inserts are always better to have and not need than...well you know.
 
In addition to the Q's above about OBLC I have some.

How many sets of ACU's will we need?

Do we need the Dress Blue's?

If we do need a duffel, and pack everthing in it (including civies), do we leave our personal belongings and civies back at Fort Sam when we head into the field?
 
DrRoast said:
In addition to the Q's above about OBLC I have some.

How many sets of ACU's will we need?

Do we need the Dress Blue's?

If we do need a duffel, and pack everthing in it (including civies), do we leave our personal belongings and civies back at Fort Sam when we head into the field?
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probably 4-6 pairs of acu's would be plenty. you could get by with just a couple but when we go to the field you may trash a pair or two.

i dont think dress blues are on the packing list. you can bring them if you want but they're probably gonna sit in your wall locker on post. and they're pretty expensive so i wouldnt worry about running out to get some.

put your military stuff in a duffel and bring another bag for your civy stuff- which you will leave on post when we go to the field.

did you get the welcome letter with the packing list? kinda outlines what to bring and what not to bring. if you dont have it, i can email it to you. pm me.
 
are long-sleeved PT uniforms and a jacket really needed for summer OBLC? my common sense says no but it's on the packing list
 
whosmk said:
are long-sleeved PT uniforms and a jacket really needed for summer OBLC? my common sense says no but it's on the packing list
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common sense has no place in the army. jk!

if you have it and you have space for it, bring it. otherwise, dont rush out to buy it. worst case is that you stuff it in your wall locker and forget about it.
 
Who handles them and what information do I need to bring with me? Name, SSN, Blood Type, and Religion? I need to figure out what my blood type is...
 
iatros said:
bring a duffel if you have one. if not, you'll probably need one for "the field." there's a good army surplus store near post. dont pay full price at the px.
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Does the duffel has to be all black or camo?
 
AlphaPower said:
Are they gonna be issued at OBLC? Anyone bringing sleeping bags or are they provided?
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Personally, the only things beyond the mandatory stuff on the packing list that I plan to bring are a camelback, a multi-tool, and a flashlight...

Edit: Oh and maybe a backpack if I can get the damn logo off one of mine.
 
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I'm trying to catch up on the q's folks have been asking. I was in the "Last Hard Class", i.e. the one you are all gonna be compared to. ;)

1. Do not buy a duffel. You will be issued one. You will also be issued a sleeping bag. Granted, you CAN buy anything you will be issued and can use that instead. But I like to save my money.
2. I brought my winter PT's, because it's the Army. I was glad I did. Of course, May is a lot different than July. YMMV.
3. No-Rinse body wash, a small bucket, and an already brown or dark washrag >>> babywipes. Use the space to pack sunscreen instead.
4. You don't need dogtags.
5. For the love of Christ find someone who knows what the **** a beret is supposed to look like and how to wear one before you get to FSH. Yes, cut all the backing from the inside except what is sewn down. Google is your friend here. While you're at it, ask someone how to salute, and practice it.
6. Bring more civvies than two sets. There isn't much time to play, but you never know when you'll get vomit or spill a drink on a set down on the Riverwalk. You also may be staying off-post, so take that into consideration.
7. I would and did show up with 2 pair of BROKEN IN boots.
8. You can buy blues if you want, and can do so on FSH, but you neither need them or have the opportunity to wear them.
9. If you can find ACU's without the IR tags or used, i.e. cheaper, take 2-3 pairs of those. I took 4 sets. Never wore one, used 2 in the field, 1 for garrison. I'll say it again, if you can avoid taking brand-new $80ish ACUs to the field, do so.
10. I didn't use a drop of bug spray. Other folks got ate the **** alive. I must taste like ****.
11. You'll still get issued and be expected to keep 2 full canteens, but a camelback is money. Again, I was there in May and often drank both canteens and my camelback. It would suck to go in July. Oh wait...:smuggrin: Some folks have an aversion to sharing canteens with everyone who has ever been through BOLC; I personally was so thirsty I didn't care, but if you are a germ person, buy two and use those instead.
12. People who sign up for combatives get less time to eat chow, less time for hygiene, and get covered in tire dust. Unless you WANT to do them AND can get 70% on a DAPFT, you'll do regular group PT.
13. Practice shaving with your elbows tucked to your sides, cold water dripping from your faucet, and using the shiny side of aluminum foil as a mirror with a friend throwing things at you to simulate bugs. You'll see.
14. If you have a pack with a logo, just find some matching 100mph tape and cover it. Like the SWAG pack they give us? NG logo is no go IF WORN. Cover it with ACU/OD tape and you're golden. You can hand carry it as it is though. 670-1 has regs on backpacks, messenger bags, etc. If the logo is the same color, you'll be fine there.

That's about all I can think of right now.

"For some of you, this will be the hardest thing you've ever done. For others, it might be the easiest."
 
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Mr. Freeze said:
I was in the "Last Hard Class", i.e. the one you are all gonna be compared to. ;)
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Could you elaborate?

And second: are electric razors a good idea or bad.
 
I went 23 Apr. They were filling our heads with all this best class ever stuff. I personally think it was all true, but we'll see if they tell you same things.

You'll have electricity in the tents to charge stuff.
 
DeadCactus said:
When do we take the APFT? Sadly, I'm not as prepared as I hoped to be. Wondering if I have a week or two of PT to make a few more gains...
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In my state we are required to pass the APFT within 30 days of going to school. They won't even let us go if we don't pass, and I was cutting it close.
 
DeadCactus said:
When do we take the APFT? Sadly, I'm not as prepared as I hoped to be. Wondering if I have a week or two of PT to make a few more gains...
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You need to have a record APFT on file that was passed within the 6 months prior to attending OBLC in order to pass. If you haven't taken one, someone in your command should be contacting you to come do one prior to leaving.
 
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