Army launches 'Operation Blue to Green'
Army News Service
By Courtney Hickson
WASHINGTON (Army News Service July 21, 2004) - Separating Sailors and Airmen may soon be able to "go Army" with a new recruitment program.
Under "Operation Blue to Green," officially approved July 19, the Army will provide the opportunity for members of the Navy and Air Force to transfer into the Army and retain their rank.
The Navy is planning a force reduction of 8,000 in FY-05, and Air Force, 22,000, in the near future to better shape each services' manning structure for current and future operations, according to officials. Airmen and Sailors electing to transfer to the active Army may be afforded the opportunity to leave their current service early in order to meet Army training requirements.
"(The Air Force doesn't) want to leave any career field with an insufficient inventory as a result of force shaping and accession reduction efforts," said Col. Mike Hayden, chief of Air Force Military Policy. "We don't want to create problems in the future similar to the one we are seeing now as a result of downsizing of the early 1990s. We want to ensure we have the right number of Airmen, with the right skills, at the right time."
And it and the Navy want to offer those who are separating the opportunity to continue to serve on active duty with their current job skills in the Army via Blue to Green.
The Air Force currently has about 20,000 more Airmen than its authorized endstrength. The Navy, while not overstrength, is shaping a smaller workforce. Both are primarily using voluntary separations and retirements from overmanned specialties to reduce their endstrengths.
It is important to note that those Airmen and Sailors who opt to enter the Blue to Green program must qualify for an honorable discharge, officials said.
"Recruiting quality people and retaining exceptional Soldiers is essential in having a well-balanced force," said Charles Tench, policy and systems integrator for Enlisted Accessions, G1. "This pool of talent Operation Blue to Green will provide will greatly enhance our efforts to sustain a campaign-capable joint and expeditionary Army."
The Army staff has been working on the program since February. Blue to Green is designed to give Sailors and Airmen who are impacted by the force shaping an opportunity to continue serving in the military. Marines and members of the Coast Guard are eligible also, but must complete their current duty obligations.
"Even if (the Army) was not growing, this program is a smart thing to do," said Lt. Col. Roy Steed from the Army's Recruiting Policy Branch, G1.
The primary targeted group is service members from grades E1-E4. They will keep their same rank if they transfer over to the Army. E-5s will have their eligibility determined by Human Resources Command.
For officers in other services who transfer to the Army, their prior-service time will count against their military service obligation, said Chief Warrant Officer Al Eggerton, a force integrator with G1.
"We are trying to not step on the toes of any other services," Eggerton said. "We are taking advantage of a shift in the DoD and trying to hang on to [these officers] in the DoD family."
The Army is looking for officers across the board. The higher the officer grade, the fewer the positions available. Officials also encourage warrant officers to apply.
Operation Blue to Green would allow Airmen and Sailors to coordinate enlisting in the Army and schedule their training date before they leave their respective service. Steed said the desired goal for the future would be to create a seamless transition that would allow for leave and pay to roll over when they join the Army.
Prior to the new program other service members had to exit their service and then enlist in the Army. Brig. Gen. Sean Byrne, director of military personnel policy G-1, said the Army is working so there will be no break in service and Montgomery G.I. Bill.
Already 240 Sailors and Airmen have gone to www.goarmy.com where they have clicked on the Operation Blue to Green link, answered the questionnaire and indicated intent to transfer.
Prior to Operation Blue to Green when Sailors and Airmen enlisted in the Army, they had to go to the Army's nine-week basic training. If they enlist through Operation Blue to Green, these service members will only attend a four-week Warrior Transition Course where they are taught basic combat skills.
"Senior leaders recognized these individuals are not basic trainees and don't want to treat them as such," Steed said.
Training and Doctrine Command created a list of basic skills these new Soldiers will need to have. These skills will be taught by instructors, not drill sergeants and the new Soldiers will be treated as non-commissioned officers. After the WTC, if the service member has a skill that can convert to an Army MOS they will be assigned to a unit; if not they will go to Advanced Individual Training.
WTC will be a four-week course in basic combat skills training. In this course, they will go through Air Force/Navy to Army Orientation (organization, rank, uniform wear, career progression), Army Values, Physical Training (to include confidence and obstacle courses and foot marches), drill and ceremony / manual of arms, basic map reading/land navigation course, combatives, rifle bayonet training, basic rifle marksmanship, a range of other weapons (M249, M203, AT4, M18 Claymore), hand grenades, individual tactical training, urban operations and a 72-hour field training exercise.
"They need to learn the basics of how the Army is structured, it is not a return to basic training for them, they have gone through one with their own services," Bryne said.
The initial WTC is scheduled for September at Fort Knox, Ky.
Officers will not be going to WTC, but some may need to attend an Officer Basic Course depending on their grade and experience, officials said.
As an incentive to draw Sailors and Airmen to enlist in the Army, bonuses are being offered to those who have skills that convert to an Army military occupational specialty. The bonuses offered are Selective Reenlistment and Broken Service Selective Reenlistment. There are 120 Air Force specialty codes that will transfer into 37 Army MOSs and the Navy has 112 ratings that will transfer into 42 Army MOSs according to Col. Norvel Dillard, chief of the recruiting and retention division, G-1 Additionally, he said the Army is looking into seeing if other skills will transfer.
Bryne said the Navy and Air Force do not have the combat arms specialties the Army does and some Sailors and Airmen would want to come to the Army and have a different MOS.
If service members choose a combat arms MOS, they will attend a full one- station unit training -- they will go through a combination nine-week basic training and AIT.
In order to qualify for Operation Blue to Green, the Sailor or Airman must be eligible for re-enlistment, be physically fit, meet Army height and weight standards and have an approved DD Form 368.
"What we are trying to do is take the lead within the Department of Defense on manning and maintaining manpower within the military," Steed said.
The Army's recruiting goal for FY05 is 80,000 new Soldiers. Of that number, the Army hopes to recruit about 7,300 prior service troops.
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