It's a whole new Army

 In several news reports, congressional testimony and just plain word on the street, the Army is overstrength and it has to bring down the numbers.

 The plan is to use retirements, separations and tightly control reenlistment. What does that mean?

 Gone are the days of reenlisting two years out,
Gone are the huge bonuses,
Gone with a lot of the perks and extras

 Yes ladies and gentlemen, it's a whole new Army and times are a changin'. 

While I am no reup expert, here are the basics (and as with anything, there are a few exception s the rule)

-Any Soldier who has a fiscal year 2012 (FY12), which runs through 30 SEPT 2012, has until 31 JAN to reenlist or their window closes.

-Soldiers with a FY13 ETS, (1 OCT 2012 - 30 SEPT 2013), cant start reenlisting until 1 MAR 2012 and have until 30 SEPT 2012 to make a decisions.

* PLEASE NOTE: Any Soldier that gets within 90 days of their ETS date automatically has their window close, regardless of anything else. (Believe it takes a GO to get you  a waiver after that).

 For Soldiers who are wanting to reclassify, this new tighter reup windows make the task even tougher. Not only must you be in that short window, but also in an overstrength MOS (as listed in the latest In and Out Calls MILPER MSG) and the MOS you want to reclass into has to be listed in the same MILPER. If your hoping for a BONUS to reclass into your new MOS, you will have to check the latest BEAR MILPER MSG, but don't hold out a lot of hope for that. Unless you're willing/able to go Airborne or into Special Forces type careers, then there probably won't be a bonus.

 So to recap, the Army is overstrength and tightening the reenlistment options and opportunities is one of the COAs the Army is using to help bring down its end strength.

This may affect your efforts to reclassify to a new MOS.

If you are on the fence about whether to stay in the Army or not, then you now have a smaller window to make a decision and act.

These new rules are subject to change at any time, and there are a few exceptions to policy. Go see your retention NCO for specifics.

Good luck,

SFC Beach