US Army-Baylor DPT (Prior Service)

[JMatt5]

Hey all,

I'm new here to this forum (kind of), I've been constantly searching and reading previous threads trying to get as much as information about this program as possible. But, I can't seem to find all the answers, so hopefully some of you all may be able to help me out!

Well to start, I'm interested in applying for the US Army-Baylor DPT program. I'm currently serving as an Active Duty Officer (Captain) with 4 years of commissioned service. I understand most of the pre-reqs, but unfortunately I do not have volunteer hours. Being active duty in a leadership position makes it extremely difficult to get volunteer hours in, as when I'm working - so are they, and when I'm off - so are they. Luckily, my boss is allowing me to take a hour or 2 out of my day to volunteer, which I'm slowly gaining hours.

I'm currently in touch with a recruiter and she explained to me that even if I'm a CPT, if I get accepted into the program, I will get demoted back to 1LT ! I thought that was ridiculous. I still don't understand why. Are there any Prior Service Officers who have went this route? Were any of you able to retain your rank as a CPT? I can't imagine being a Lieutenant for 7-8 years when you've worked so hard to make CPT just to get demoted and have to re-do the process.

Please let me have your best advice! Thank you in advance!

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[adbalboni]

Hey all,

I'm new here to this forum (kind of), I've been constantly searching and reading previous threads trying to get as much as information about this program as possible. But, I can't seem to find all the answers, so hopefully some of you all may be able to help me out!

Well to start, I'm interested in applying for the US Army-Baylor DPT program. I'm currently serving as an Active Duty Officer (Captain) with 4 years of commissioned service. I understand most of the pre-reqs, but unfortunately I do not have volunteer hours. Being active duty in a leadership position makes it extremely difficult to get volunteer hours in, as when I'm working - so are they, and when I'm off - so are they. Luckily, my boss is allowing me to take a hour or 2 out of my day to volunteer, which I'm slowly gaining hours.

I'm currently in touch with a recruiter and she explained to me that even if I'm a CPT, if I get accepted into the program, I will get demoted back to 1LT ! I thought that was ridiculous. I still don't understand why. Are there any Prior Service Officers who have went this route? Were any of you able to retain your rank as a CPT? I can't imagine being a Lieutenant for 7-8 years when you've worked so hard to make CPT just to get demoted and have to re-do the process.

Please let me have your best advice!

I applied this route in 2013 after I first pinned on Capt... I got denied.Applying civilian now but if you have questions DM me

 

[scrawnyguy]

Hey all,

I'm new here to this forum (kind of), I've been constantly searching and reading previous threads trying to get as much as information about this program as possible. But, I can't seem to find all the answers, so hopefully some of you all may be able to help me out!

Well to start, I'm interested in applying for the US Army-Baylor DPT program. I'm currently serving as an Active Duty Officer (Captain) with 4 years of commissioned service. I understand most of the pre-reqs, but unfortunately I do not have volunteer hours. Being active duty in a leadership position makes it extremely difficult to get volunteer hours in, as when I'm working - so are they, and when I'm off - so are they. Luckily, my boss is allowing me to take a hour or 2 out of my day to volunteer, which I'm slowly gaining hours.

I'm currently in touch with a recruiter and she explained to me that even if I'm a CPT, if I get accepted into the program, I will get demoted back to 1LT ! I thought that was ridiculous. I still don't understand why. Are there any Prior Service Officers who have went this route? Were any of you able to retain your rank as a CPT? I can't imagine being a Lieutenant for 7-8 years when you've worked so hard to make CPT just to get demoted and have to re-do the process.

Please let me have your best advice!

You'll lose some rank, but not all of it. There's a formula they use to figure out how far back you'll fall which I think amounts to about 1/2 time. There might be a bit more that goes into it but I think that's the gist of it. So if you have 6 years commissioned service you'd be bumped back to a 1LT with 3 years FCS. We had a few prior service Army O's, but only 1 CPT. She got bumped back to 1LT, but she'll be back to CPT before we graduate. She was a pretty junior CPT though. If you are closer to the 8+ yr mark you might not get bumped all the way to 1LT. The Air Force O's have it made. They don't lost any rank. We have a senior AF O-3 who will probably make O-4 around the time we graduate. If you have any specific questions for one of the prior officers let me know and I can put you in touch with someone.

 

[JMatt5]

I applied this route in 2013 after I first pinned on Capt... I got denied.Applying civilian now but if you have questions DM me

Thank you! I will most likely have questions about the process, so I'll let you know.

 

[JMatt5]

You'll lose some rank, but not all of it. There's a formula they use to figure out how far back you'll fall which I think amounts to about 1/2 time. There might be a bit more that goes into it but I think that's the gist of it. So if you have 6 years commissioned service you'd be bumped back to a 1LT with 3 years FCS. We had a few prior service Army O's, but only 1 CPT. She got bumped back to 1LT, but she'll be back to CPT before we graduate. She was a pretty junior CPT though. If you are closer to the 8+ yr mark you might not get bumped all the way to 1LT. The Air Force O's have it made. They don't lost any rank. We have a senior AF O-3 who will probably make O-4 around the time we graduate. If you have any specific questions for one of the prior officers let me know and I can put you in touch with someone.

Oh wow. Yea I'll definitely be one of the junior O's. The rank structure is still confusing to me, I just don't understand why they do it. What's wrong with keeping rank? Haha, it's like they just don't want to pay you 😉 I do understand that there is a limit - you can only have 7 years of commissioned service or less to be eligible to apply. Once you hit 7 years 1 day, you are consider ineligible and there are no waivers (at least for the Army).

That is awesome! I would definitely love to get in touch with the prior O's, especially the junior CPT since I'd most likely be in the same situation. Thanks so much, I greatly appreciate your help! I've noticed your name on other threads, hope school is going well for you.

 

[800001]

Definitely not unheard of, bro. I explored a pipeline for lat moving as a Marine officer to a SEAL contract, and part of the deal is a reduction in grade by one step following your IST. From what I understand talking to the team guys (and I assume the same principle holds true for the Baylor program,) the idea is to retain you as a company grade while you are in an operational billet for NSW, or PT in your case. Just like you probably won't be an operational team leader as an O4/senior O3, they can't have you working as a practicing PT right out of school as an O4/senior O3. It's kind of a raw deal for anyone with railroad tracks, but I understand their reasoning.

Good luck buddy.

 

[scrawnyguy]

Definitely not unheard of, bro. I explored a pipeline for lat moving as a Marine officer to a SEAL contract, and part of the deal is a reduction in grade by one step following your IST. From what I understand talking to the team guys (and I assume the same principle holds true for the Baylor program,) the idea is to retain you as a company grade while you are in an operational billet for NSW, or PT in your case. Just like you probably won't be an operational team leader as an O4/senior O3, they can't have you working as a practicing PT right out of school as an O4/senior O3. It's kind of a raw deal for anyone with railroad tracks, but I understand their reasoning.

Good luck buddy.

I think you're right on the money. A lot of clinic chief spots are slotted at O-4. If they didn't do any type of reduction some folks could potentially end up going straight from school to chief. It seems like there are other ways to keep that from happening, but from what I hear that's part of their reasoning. All of our Navy folks are noobs but I think they also bust people down if they are prior O's. The AF does their own thing and lets people keep their rank.

 

[scrawnyguy]

Oh wow. Yea I'll definitely be one of the junior O's. The rank structure is still confusing to me, I just don't understand why they do it. What's wrong with keeping rank? Haha, it's like they just don't want to pay you 😉 I do understand that there is a limit - you can only have 7 years of commissioned service or less to be eligible to apply. Once you hit 7 years 1 day, you are consider ineligible and there are no waivers (at least for the Army).

That is awesome! I would definitely love to get in touch with the prior O's, especially the junior CPT since I'd most likely be in the same situation. Thanks so much, I greatly appreciate your help! I've noticed your name on other threads, hope school is going well for you.

School is going pretty well. It's a little overwhelming at times, but I'm hanging in there. Shoot me a PM with your email and I'll make the introduction.

 

[JMatt5]

Thanks guys! Definitely great help.

Another question, I have an odd situation. Back in my undergrad, I took Physics I and the lab separately. I got a C in the lecture, but an A in the lab. Both classes were done in person. Now, I'm trying to retake the class to attempt for a better grade - but the school that is local to me here, only offers an online course available to me, in which the class is combined (lecture and lab together). If I take this online course and get an A (my goal), can I still use the "A" I received for the lab "in-person"? I see that Baylor does not allow "online" labs for the pre reqs, so I don't want to be disqualified for it if they must use the class that is combined with the lab.

Sorry if it sounds like a silly question, maybe I'm overthinking it!

 

[tcpt]

Hey all,

I'm new here to this forum (kind of), I've been constantly searching and reading previous threads trying to get as much as information about this program as possible. But, I can't seem to find all the answers, so hopefully some of you all may be able to help me out!

Well to start, I'm interested in applying for the US Army-Baylor DPT program. I'm currently serving as an Active Duty Officer (Captain) with 4 years of commissioned service. I understand most of the pre-reqs, but unfortunately I do not have volunteer hours. Being active duty in a leadership position makes it extremely difficult to get volunteer hours in, as when I'm working - so are they, and when I'm off - so are they. Luckily, my boss is allowing me to take a hour or 2 out of my day to volunteer, which I'm slowly gaining hours.

I'm currently in touch with a recruiter and she explained to me that even if I'm a CPT, if I get accepted into the program, I will get demoted back to 1LT ! I thought that was ridiculous. I still don't understand why. Are there any Prior Service Officers who have went this route? Were any of you able to retain your rank as a CPT? I can't imagine being a Lieutenant for 7-8 years when you've worked so hard to make CPT just to get demoted and have to re-do the process.

Please let me have your best advice! Thank you in advance!

Good question. AR 614-100 covers "Officer Assignment Policies, Details and Transfers" particularly, para 4-2 "Voluntary Branch Transfers" which states
"Both the ACC and special branch must approve all
transfers. Transfers into an AMEDD branch may require a constructive credit (grade) determination. Should such
determination be required, action will be processed by USAREC."

The awarding of constructive credit is governed by DODI 600. 13 Accession and Retention Policies, Programs, and Incentives for Military Health Professions Officers (HPOs). Specifically, pg 10 which states that prior commissioned service will be credited "One-half day of credit for each day of active commissioned service" for a prospective health profession officer who needs to have their entry grade and rank awarded once they are accepted into a track which leads to them becoming an Army Medical Specialist Corps Officer. http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/corres/pdf/600013p.pdf

So, this is not a DPT program policy, it is a DOD policy. Let me know if you have questions but please check out those regulations on branch transfers for commissioned officers. Each year we bring in officers from various branches, most recently EN, IN, SF, MS, AR, AG, and so forth.
Hope this helps.

 

[FitBUX]

Hey all,

I'm new here to this forum (kind of), I've been constantly searching and reading previous threads trying to get as much as information about this program as possible. But, I can't seem to find all the answers, so hopefully some of you all may be able to help me out!

Well to start, I'm interested in applying for the US Army-Baylor DPT program. I'm currently serving as an Active Duty Officer (Captain) with 4 years of commissioned service. I understand most of the pre-reqs, but unfortunately I do not have volunteer hours. Being active duty in a leadership position makes it extremely difficult to get volunteer hours in, as when I'm working - so are they, and when I'm off - so are they. Luckily, my boss is allowing me to take a hour or 2 out of my day to volunteer, which I'm slowly gaining hours.

I'm currently in touch with a recruiter and she explained to me that even if I'm a CPT, if I get accepted into the program, I will get demoted back to 1LT ! I thought that was ridiculous. I still don't understand why. Are there any Prior Service Officers who have went this route? Were any of you able to retain your rank as a CPT? I can't imagine being a Lieutenant for 7-8 years when you've worked so hard to make CPT just to get demoted and have to re-do the process.

Please let me have your best advice! Thank you in advance!

Baylor just announced a new civilian 2 year program that is very cost efficient. That may be an alternative route to look into as well...