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I'll be seeing you guys this summer. My NCO submitted an application on Monday, and I got a confirmation email the same day, and today I got word that I have a spot reserved.
What program? What state?
ASR has a very different lifestyle from MDSSP from traditional drilling Guard. Can't answer your question without knowing what you're signing up for and where.
So is the 30 Jun - 26 Jul OBLC really full? How do you know when you have a reserved spot? My NCO supposedly sent a request in for me about a month ago, but I still haven't heard anything via AKO, personal email, or otherwise.
Well, typically a drill involves working Sat and Sunday. I am a PA ASR student at LECOM Erie, we drill in Fort indiantown Gap, PA which is 5 or so hours away. We leave on Friday night (school will let you leave early) and drill Saturday until 4 or 5 and Sunday morning. They let us go early for travel purposes. Different units have different schedules, so if you are considering Mississippi, contact your ASR recruiter or shoot me an email at [email protected] and I will get you in touch with the right folks to answer any questions. Hope this helps. BTW, if you live close to your drill base, you can show up Sat. AM and go home for the evening and come back Sun. morning.Well, as of right now, I will likely be in the MDSSP program, unless ASR opens up before I sign the dotted line. I am most likely going to end up in PA as I have been accepted to LECOM Seton Hill, but am currently on the waitlist at University of Mississippi SOM, where I will attend should I be accepted.
So is the 30 Jun - 26 Jul OBLC really full? How do you know when you have a reserved spot? My NCO supposedly sent a request in for me about a month ago, but I still haven't heard anything via AKO, personal email, or otherwise.
Agreed. You should get something via AKO saying that your request for enrollment was submitted within a week or so.That class was only open for enrollment a couple of weeks ago. So tell your NCO to submit your application again.
First up: ANG is Air National Guard. ARNG = Army National Guard.I talked to my ANG recruiter today about ASR, and I was told a few things that really don't add up with what I've read in this thread.
I don't know where he's getting 430 from, as I've only been involved in the process two years. The last two years we hit the max of 200 each time. If we only did 30 the first year, that might be right, but I don't think it's accurate.First of all he said that 430 of 600 slots have been filled
No, I don't think so. The military is desperate for doctors. They will take pretty much anyone who meets standards. True for FAP, HPSP, HSCP, ASR, etc. If and when ASR comes back, they'll be taking folks who are in the queue. AOA won't cut for much.so it is really competitive for those last 170 slots.
Ask for a memo he's gotten on that in writing. That's just scuttlebutt.I told him that I had read that ASR was suspended and he said, "yes that was true, but it should open back up for those 170 prev. mentioned spots next Dec. or Jan. and the 170 chosen will be based off a merit based first come/first served basis."
Yes and no. You do have to be a commissioned ARNG to be eligible for ASR, but most folks swear in to join ASR. Anyone swearing in without knowing if ASR is coming back is taking a risk.Later he said that only commissioned ANG members were eligible for ASR. I said, "so I have to sign up and be commissioned first before I can appy to ASR?" And he said yes.
Sure. Because those programs exist. ASR, right now, does not. Any state that will take your application is going to file it away and start dialing phone numbers when it gets renewed. Till then...He also spent the next 30 min trying to sell me on STRAP/MDSSP.
Sounds like a bad recruiter. There are good ones and bad ones and plenty of both. Best of luck with your decision.Anyone have any knowledge of this? I feel like I wasted an hour with a used car salesman.
wow, 40+ pages of information on the program! I am intimidated to read through it all...so I just want to ask a quick question as I don't feel it would be too common of a scenario:
is it possible to be in the national guard in Pennsylvania, but complete my training in California?
I am planning on being in California this summer, and would like to complete my training for the Guard while out there. My school is in Pennsylvania and I am advancing into my second year. Thanks for any help on this issue.
PS: do they give any type of consideration to married couples who join together AND attend the same med school?
I had no idea that the ASR was on hold right now.
Agreed. And I'd recommend using the "Search this thread" feature and look for MDSSP. There was a lot of talk about it over the past few months as folks explored other possibilities. We went into great detail about the oblgiation and payback, which can be a bit tricky with MDSSP and STRAP.If you're truly interested I'd suggest going back and reading the first few pages and the last few, there's a lot of information in here including several discussions of the MDSSP.
I've spent 4 months in Fort Sam Houston in the dead of the summer when I went through the combat medic school and it's HOT
Which is worse -- July or August?
I've been working on my application since August and its somewhat complicated by a history of asthma. I haven't been on anything for it since I was about 17 (I'm 25 now). So I got my medical records and my paperwork to my recruiter in August or September. She rarely responds to emails or phone calls and says that my file is really long and and they say the parts she sends them aren't suficcient and that she needs to send more of the file. Anyway, I figure I've given it just about enough time. Can I switch rectuiters? She's the recruiter for my region, can I use a rectuiter from another region? I already missed out on last year's open ASR spots and I assume that means I've missed out for good, but I would still like to serve my country. What would you guys recommend?
Yeah, you could try, but keep in mind you're applying for a program that isn't actually taking applicants anymore, so the recruiters aren't exactly incented to move heaven and earth for your file.I'm pretty sure if someone has already been working on your file that another recruiter won't just pick you up from scratch and start. You could if you want contact another recruiter and explain your situation and they might be able to look into it for you. That's what I would do.
I am also enrolled into the summer June 30 - July 26 OBLC. I received an email the other day saying there's only 10 slots left. Today I got saying I have a slot, and I checked ATRRS and it does say I have a reserved slot. You can check here: https://www.atrrs.army.mil/selfdevctr/login/loginSDC.aspx?nexturl=student/TrainingRecord.aspx , and login using your CAC/AKO. It should say this up top if you are in:
FY SCH CRS Phase CLS Reservation Status![]()
2010 081 6-8-C20B (RC) 2 104 R - VALID RESERVATION
So what's the count, who from here is going for sure? Any other prior enlisted?
I've spent 4 months in Fort Sam Houston in the dead of the summer when I went through the combat medic school and it's HOT...especially when we head to the field at Camp Bullis...although when I was there last the big tents in the field had AC in them so its cool when you sleep. The PX on base is like a big walmart it's great. There's also a big clothing and sales if anyone needs uniforms. The food is pretty good at the dining hall... Let me know if you guys have any questions.
No. That's absolutely wrong. If you want ASR and only ASR and sign a contract before you have ASR, you screwed up. Some people join the Guard without accepting a student program to make a little money and wait for ASR.
If you signed up under MDSSP, you were ineligible for ASR. If the program is brought back, that rule is likely to remain. The rule is in a memo which has been posted several times in this thread...
If we want to sign up without accepting a student program, we can accept a student program like ASR or MDSSP at any point in the future?
MDSSP can be accepted just about anytime you have time in school left.
I haven't seen any ASR sources that draw the line for that situation as clearly as it's drawn for MDSSP.
http://www.dmna.state.ny.us/arng/ocs/forms/DG_ASR_program.pdf
Section 9 clearly excludes MDSSP participants. The wording under eligibility (section 5) isn't as clear cut in what the definition of "newly accessed" is. I believe it's possible, but I wouldn't feel confident telling you it's a sure thing especially if ASR doesn't return quickly.
My general attitude is to withhold your signature until you have a deal that satisfies you. Once you sign, all you can really do is ask nicely...
Agreed. And keep in mind that if the National Guard has ZERO incentive to take someone out of MDSSP and put them in ASR. This will not change.Yea, I saw the newly accessed part... hm. Bit of a gray area.
ASR, MDSSP, STRAP and other programs pay you money for your commitment. This gets declared as income. That income increases your estimated family contribution (EFC), but a higher EFC does not affect how much you can take out in loans, it only affects how much of your loan is subsidized vs. unsubsidized.Does it count as "salary" like the ASR program did, so it affects only your expected family contribution but doesn't eat into your loan eligibility?
That is only true for a small number of schools, who are, in my opinion, kinda being $hitty about the whole thing. Any school can control what your total cost of attendance is. Schools that adjust the TCA for HPSP students could do the same for ASR folks if they wanted to, but very, very few schools do. Most students on HPSP can take out additional funds up to a total of the living expenses portion of their TCA, though most of it would be unsubsidized.Or is it like the HPSP, in that it counts as "financial aid" toward your cost of attendance package at a school and thus decreases the amount of loans from other sources you are eligible for?
I know this is the ASR thread, but I have a quick question about MDSSP. I remember reading some where on these forums that you are exempt from mobilization during residency, but do they require you to drill every month (during residency that is)? Or do you get put on the flexi-training where you can drill roughly once every 3? Or do I have that completely wrong?
Agree with this ^^^.In my unit, the residents do flex-training and show up whenever they can. You may want to check with your state, it sounds like there is a lot of variability state-to-state.
Can anyone confirm that those making it to OBLC this summer don't have to complete the Phase 1 Distance Learning module?
Many.Has any ASR out there done any kind of recruiting activities? Like, staffed an info booth or a table?
Depends. At things that have a lot of booths, I usually wore ACUs. If there's anything that has a lot of Guard recruiters already in uniform, I'll sometimes wear business attire.What did you wear?
I wouldn't worry about that. Anyone who gets freaked out by the site of the uniform is not a good recruit for the Guard. I think business-fying the experience is detrimental, personally.I don't think a full-on ACU is going to be good bait at my school,
Totally agree with you there.and a polo shirt with khakis always looks a little like I'm trying to sell insurance.
Oh god, don't do that. For one thing, the ACU pants are part of the ACU uniform. If you're talking about mixing those pants with a camo scrub top, it's not regulation.I was thinking about ACU scrub top with ACU pants.
Anyone who gets freaked out by the site of the uniform is not a good recruit for the Guard.
Good point. I just figure if they couldn't get past the uniform to hear the message, they probably wouldn't end up signing even if I was wearing my Best Buy polo shirt.I don't mean I think it freaks them out -- just trying to cast the net as widely as possible. I want prospectives to think, "Oh! Healthcare professional! Maybe there's something there for me." As opposed to, "Yeah, I saw The Hurt Locker. I don't want to go to Iraq."
Hmmm... In the Guard, from regs I've read, they're out of uniform. And at a certain point, if they're fine wearing non-scrub bottoms (wearing them home every night), they would probably be fine with non-scrub tops.Some nurses on duty wear the scrub top with ACU pants. On them it looks good. (But so do Class A's and B's.)