prior service - interest in Guard - older physician

[Polkarma]

I am prior service- 2 years enlisted and 6 years active as a Navy physician. 49 years old now and got out almost 15 years ago as I was a busy mom and a military spouse (spouse is still active duty). Thinking of joining Army National Guard primarily to just serve again and kids are almost all out of the house now. Retirement plans solid with or without a military pension for me so don’t necessarily need to complete 20 years and health benefits not needed as spouse active duty and retirement eligible already. I left the military as an 0-4 but was in zone for O-5 - do you know if prior service or prior experience can lead to starting in the Guard as an O-5? Would love to come in at that rank. The 25k bonus for three years- is this a one time thing or is renewable every 3 years? (I’m sure this can change anytime).

We will likely do another military move in 2-3 years - how is changing Guard units to another state? Is there always a position available?

I fully understand the time and commitment and deployment possibilities of being in the Guard and have no problem with these.

Anyone Guard physicians who can tell me about their Guard experiences would be great. Thanks so much!

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[DeadCactus]

Changing states as a physician shouldn't be too difficult to rely on. There seems to be a pretty large demand particularly in the Army Guard. It's likely that you would be able to come in as an O5 as you do get credit for experience as a physician even without being prior service and you have the additional military experience.

I believe the bonus is renewable every 3 years as long as they keep the program going.

The experience is variable depending on your state and unir. The experience seems even more variable with local and state leadership than AD is. Expect a typical drill to be relatively boring administrative work doing things like PHA's, overseeing the hearing conservation program, overseeing training, computer based training, etc no matter where you go. Annual training, deployments, and military schools offer the chance to go do more fun things with the specific unt you're in playing a large role in determining what you do during that time.

 

[Polkarma]

Thank you so much! Appreciate the information

 

[USCguy]

A large part of your job will be dependent on your unit’s mission. I’m in a medical detachment which only does PHAs for the entire state throughout the year. We have abbreviated ATs of 4-5 days where we go to range, etc. the rest of the AT days are tacked onto IDT weekends so that instead of 2 days, it’s 4-5 some months. We typically do 800-1200 PHAs per month.

The other medical unit in our state is an ASMC and I don’t think they ever do PHAs. Some of the other docs i know are battalion or brigade surgeons for engineer or infantry units and they mostly oversee medics and do administrative stuff. Their training schedule is more of a typical guard unit where they have sat/sun drill where they don’t do much and then a long AT every other year at NTC or something like that.

Otherwise, we have had some short mob/deployment stuff that has been volunteer based. Vincenza, Italy for 3 weeks; Camp Lemmonier, Djibouti for 2 weeks...stuff like that

 

[Armyhealth]

We will take you in the Army Reserves if you want to go that route, I had a 48 YO OMFS, a 50 YO Ophthalmologist and 60 YO pediatrician join last year. As long as your healthy and we can find a spot for you we would be glad to have you!

 

[Polkarma]

I’m healthy, no med problems at all, only thing I’ve ever had done was PRK in 2001 but I know the standards for that as far as getting in as I work at MEPS part time and meet the pre and post surgical refractive requirements. In good shape still, think i could get a 300 APFT looking at the female 47-51 scoring.

I’m family medicine- I saw an Army memorandum dated 9/2002- it allows one year credit toward reserve retirement for each year of HPSP that you serve a good year in the SELRES if you serve in a critical wartime specialty. I had 4 years of HPSP- do you know if I decide to do 4 years in the Army Reserves now- would I really be credited 4 years toward a reserve retirement? Sounds like the policy allows you to have it count for the 20 years needed toward a reserve retirement.

Thank you!

We will take you in the Army Reserves if you want to go that route, I had a 48 YO OMFS, a 50 YO Ophthalmologist and 60 YO pediatrician join last year. As long as your healthy and we can find a spot for you we would be glad to have you!

 

[USArmyHPSP]

I had 4 years of HPSP- do you know if I decide to do 4 years in the Army Reserves now- would I really be credited 4 years toward a reserve retirement? Sounds like the policy allows you to have it count for the 20 years needed toward a reserve retirement.

The way that this has been awarded in the past was that if you retired at 20 (from the Sel Res) you could get your 50 points/year for HPSP. Meaning that you retire at 20 with 24. You could not retire at 16 with 20...

They have changed the wording in Title 10, para 2126, and while I'm still researching the change with the Retirement Branch, I'm afraid this is going to have to be looked at by someone in a much higher pay grade.

 

[Armyhealth]

I’m healthy, no med problems at all, only thing I’ve ever had done was PRK in 2001 but I know the standards for that as far as getting in as I work at MEPS part time and meet the pre and post surgical refractive requirements. In good shape still, think i could get a 300 APFT looking at the female 47-51 scoring.

I’m family medicine- I saw an Army memorandum dated 9/2002- it allows one year credit toward reserve retirement for each year of HPSP that you serve a good year in the SELRES if you serve in a critical wartime specialty. I had 4 years of HPSP- do you know if I decide to do 4 years in the Army Reserves now- would I really be credited 4 years toward a reserve retirement? Sounds like the policy allows you to have it count for the 20 years needed toward a reserve retirement.

Thank you!

@USArmyHPSP is saying it how I understand it also. That is one I don't have a lot of info on. Either way if you need help applying let me know, I would be glad to get you started!

 

[Polkarma]

Sounds like it’s being done by the Navy and Air Force already for those physicians who are in “critical”specialities in the SELRES (Navy med corps winter newsletter discussed it). The HPSP years do count for a good year in the reserves only towards retirement, for each year you serve in the reserves. Sounds like only 3 of the 4 HPSP years are being granted as med students start in August but graduate in June so the last year of new school isn’t given credit.

This would be a great recruiting tool to get more physicians who leave active duty to join the reserves.

 

[Polkarma]

I posted the Assistant Sec of Defense memorandum and the Army memorandum about the HPSP credit toward a reserve retirement (counting toward the 20 good years.

 

[MTGas2B]

The 2 for 1 is real. Just requested my 4th year of credit.

Navy


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[Polkarma]

That’s great to hear! I have heard that getting the 2 for 1 for the 4th HPSP year isn’t always given as med school may start in August but end in June with graduation (although it’s a full academic year). Seems like the policy says it’s for each academic year, so not sure why it wouldn’t be given for the 4th year.

I have heard that some Navy Reserve docs drill without pay and for points only as you have to compete for billets. Is this for O-5 and above? If I come back in again as an O-4 are there paid billets usually? Thank you!

 

[MTGas2B]

Depends on specialty. Some are more competitive than others for paid billets. O4s can stay in paid status as long as they are seeking a billet (by applying to the system every quarter). O5/O6s go to non pay status if they don’t get a billet. Senior officer billets are filled once a year.


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[NG_SpecialBranchRecruiter]

I am prior service- 2 years enlisted and 6 years active as a Navy physician. 49 years old now and got out almost 15 years ago as I was a busy mom and a military spouse (spouse is still active duty). Thinking of joining Army National Guard primarily to just serve again and kids are almost all out of the house now. Retirement plans solid with or without a military pension for me so don’t necessarily need to complete 20 years and health benefits not needed as spouse active duty and retirement eligible already. I left the military as an 0-4 but was in zone for O-5 - do you know if prior service or prior experience can lead to starting in the Guard as an O-5? Would love to come in at that rank. The 25k bonus for three years- is this a one time thing or is renewable every 3 years? (I’m sure this can change anytime).

We will likely do another military move in 2-3 years - how is changing Guard units to another state? Is there always a position available?

I fully understand the time and commitment and deployment possibilities of being in the Guard and have no problem with these.

Anyone Guard physicians who can tell me about their Guard experiences would be great. Thanks so much!

To get an accurate answer regarding your rank, you need to speak with a special branch recruiter within your state. With your training experience and previous rank, it is possible to come in as an O-5.
$25k/year accession bonus is a three year agreement. After that obligation period is served, you will be eligible for the $25k/year retention bonus which carries a 2 year commitment.
If you need to move, you can do an Inter-State Transfer. This is common and happens often. There are almost always positions for physicians. However, vacant slots are difficult to come by as you go up in rank.

 

[Polkarma]

To get an accurate answer regarding your rank, you need to speak with a special branch recruiter within your state. With your training experience and previous rank, it is possible to come in as an O-5.
$25k/year accession bonus is a three year agreement. After that obligation period is served, you will be eligible for the $25k/year retention bonus which carries a 2 year commitment.
If you need to move, you can do an Inter-State Transfer. This is common and happens often. There are almost always positions for physicians. However, vacant slots are difficult to come by as you go up in rank.

I have heard from a physician in Hawaii that she does not get a retention bonus as they are not available for physicians in Hawaii (even for those qualifying for 62B). Is the retention bonus state dependent? (We have a high chance to move to Hawaii in 3 years). I am trying to decide if someone like me who has to move every few years as a military spouse would be better to join the ARNG or the Army Reserves - I would like to join the one that would have a more likely available billet and retention bonus availability for a family medicine physician. Thanks so much again.