Army Second Fellowship

[DD214_DOC]

Pretty broad question, but how does this actually work? I am already subspecialty trained and coming up to about 18 months until my ADSO. I'm considering going back for a one-year fellowship in another field of interest, but I have no clue how this actually works in the military system. I assume I have to apply the same year as my ADSO? How do I actually apply?

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[Gastrapathy]

Same as before. Can apply earlier but adds to obligation. 2 years for the 1 year. Don't expect to be chosen if you surprise them.

 

[DD214_DOC]

Same as before. Can apply earlier but adds to obligation. 2 years for the 1 year. Don't expect to be chosen if you surprise them.

Would the year of fellowship count as one of the two years?

I’m not certain what I’ll do yet, but this is one of the rare instances in which the training in the military is actually way better than what can be found in the civilian world.

 

[Perrotfish]

Would the year of fellowship count as one of the two years?

I’m not certain what I’ll do yet, but this is one of the rare instances in which the training in the military is actually way better than what can be found in the civilian world.

Wilderness medicine?

 

[Gastrapathy]

Would the year of fellowship count as one of the two years?

I’m not certain what I’ll do yet, but this is one of the rare instances in which the training in the military is actually way better than what can be found in the civilian world.

Nope. 2 year minimum obligation for GME.

 

[DD214_DOC]

Wilderness medicine?

Nope. If I said what it was, I would lose my anonymity -- although that has probably already happened.

 

[DD214_DOC]

Nope. 2 year minimum obligation for GME.

Bummer, but possibly still worth it given the training. I could at least get the multiyear special pay or whatever it's now called for the 3 years served after my ADSO, correct?

 

[Perrotfish]

Bummer, but possibly still worth it given the training. I could at least get the multiyear special pay or whatever it's now called for the 3 years served after my ADSO, correct?

My understanding is that you don't get the retention pay if you have a GME obligation. The people who start drawing retention pay right after fellowship will just go without that pay at the end of their obligation/career instead

Others can correct me if I am mistaken.

 

[Gastrapathy]

So, with all the pay changes, I'm not sure how it works now. It used to be that you could time fellowship to allow for bonuses without added obligation but I don't know now.

 

[DD214_DOC]

My understanding is that you don't get the retention pay if you have a GME obligation. The people who start drawing retention pay right after fellowship will just go without that pay at the end of their obligation/career instead

Others can correct me if I am mistaken.

I see. That may change things then, to miss out on retention pay the entire time I’m in.

 

[Mace1370]

I have no first hand experience of this, but it was my understanding that the loophole was still in place for retention bonuses and fellowships.

 

[militaryPHYS]

Pretty sure the loophole closed once the new pay system kicked in. And the loophole is specifically signing a multi-year retention with obligation still unserved. That being said, if you waited till ADSO was up, signed a 4 year retention bonus, then got accepted to second fellowship quickly after, you should be able to serve them concurrently. But if you apply right now and get the second fellowship it will extend your ADSO and therefore make you ineligible to sign a MYRB. I'm just spit balling here, but this may be the only way to now maximize serving concurrent obligations since they changed the law.

 

[DD214_DOC]

Pretty sure the loophole closed once the new pay system kicked in. And the loophole is specifically signing a multi-year retention with obligation still unserved. That being said, if you waited till ADSO was up, signed a 4 year retention bonus, then got accepted to second fellowship quickly after, you should be able to serve them concurrently. But if you apply right now and get the second fellowship it will extend your ADSO and therefore make you ineligible to sign a MYRB. I'm just spit balling here, but this may be the only way to now maximize serving concurrent obligations since they changed the law.

I see. So in my case, I would apply the year prior to completing my ADSO but would not start until my ADSO was completed.

 

[militaryPHYS]

I see. So in my case, I would apply the year prior to completing my ADSO but would not start until my ADSO was completed.

I'm saying that I think the only way to do it (it being a loophole for concurrent service payback) is to wait until your obligation is paid back, sign a multi-year retention bonus, then get accepted for a second fellowship. Again, no experience with this now, but this is my assumption

 

[Gastrapathy]

It used to be that the fellowship had to start 1 day after the obligation ended. We even let someone start a week late to make that happen. Something changed but maybe it was just the renegotiation after fellowship part.

 

[DD214_DOC]

Thanks for the info. After careful thought, even though I'd enjoy the program, I will probably not do it. Even were I to be able to get the retention bonus, it still comes no where close to what I could be making as a civilian. I'd be losing over $100k every year, plus the additional burden and stress on my family.