Information and Paperwork

I'm trying to give some insight into my path to applying to the Army as a Direct Commission officer.  I am currently waiting to hear the results of the 71A (Microbiologist) selection board....  While waiting I've tried to find any possible information that would give me an idea of the process I am currently going through; how many people are selected, how long the wait it to hear results, and what happens after that?????  I have had a lot of questions, and some answers, but nothing specific to 71A (I found a lot of blogs from MD students along with HSHP/Nurses/Dentists.... but Microbiologist and Biochemist (71B) none (I group these two together because they have many things in common including the BOLC training and research projects.)  So where should I start????


How about from the beginning, making the decision that I want to join the Army.... This started with looking online, the lab I did my PhD in did a lot of work with DoD and DoE, exposing me to another side of research that ended up  fulfilling both my love or research and my desire to see the direct applicability of what I find and its benefit to the world.  After reaching out to an AMEDD recruiter (Army medical branch has their own recruiters, going into a general recruiting office will not get you the information you want).  I also found out that most AMEDD recruiters know little about what 71A's do... but they are willing to get the information and even got me in touch with someone currently serving in this position.

After several e-mails back and forth learning and deciding I want to do this the real work began..... and by that I mean paperwork.  When I say paperwork it's not a 10-20 page application on "who are you" and "what is your job history"  it was a 50+ page application including every place I've lived in the past 10 years, every job I've had, and a reference for each (no using the same reference twice).... I don't know about everyone else, but being in college for 10+ years I have lived in many different places.  Often multiple places in a year (summer address, school address, home for Christmas break....ect.)  a hint for this: it may not be complete, but pulling your credit reports list all addresses they have for you (definitely jogged my memory... some places I am VERY glad were only summer housing).

For jobs going back 10 years I requested my records from the Social Security office, if cost a little bit of money, but 10 years of employment, and all those odd jobs, I hardly could keep track.   With this being said START YOUR APPLICATION EARLY!!!!!!   I don't mean a month or two before the selection board (usually meets in late October)  I mean 4-5 months early.  Just getting the information from the Social Security office took about a month.  Then there is tracking down the references (I had well over 30) full names, current addresses, phone numbers, e-mails.... it takes some time.   

(Another side note on top of the 50+ page application 3-5 professional references need to be written and sent on your behalf, along with writing up a "Statement of Purpose"  this was limited to one page, being concise is the key)



Once all this is filled out and sent to your recruiter the wait begins!