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Army reserve signal corp officer *25A) to active duty and IT Civilian jobs. Advice from Signal Corp Officers?

I am a prior service NCO E-5 (11b) that will complete ROTC summer 2011 with a degree not in the IT field (International Affairs) . I have been selected for army reserve service as a Signal Officer (25A) and am currently trying to figure out what my options are to transfer to Active Duty if it is possible at all. I would like to transfer to active duty but I am not sure if it is possible or how long it would take to commission into the reserves and then transfer to active duty as a 2LT or 1LT. If it is not possible right away I would like to know what civilian jobs I would qualify for after completing the initial army signal core officer basic course training. Would I even be able to find a civilian job in the IT field with the initial training that a signal core officer would receive? Are there some sort of certifications or additional schooling/certifications I could complete to get a civilian job in this field? Would deploying as a signal officer help with transferring to active duty as an LT? If I am unable to transfer to active duty after a deployment would it look better on a resume to have a tour in Iraq or Afghanistan as a Signal Core Officer on a resume and provide addition on the job training or civilian IT training to become qualified to work in the IT field as a civilian? Are there civilian certification programs that the Army reserves provides to Signal Corp Officers because of deployments or after deployments that would help me to find a job in the IT field on the civilian side if transferring to active duty is not possible? I am trying to figure out what my next step should be to better my options. I really would like to return to active duty but if not possible then the next best thing would be to serve to the army reserves and find a civilian job in the IT field or equivalent that I would be able to obtain from the signal core.

Public Comments

1. First of all, it is Signal CORPS (with an 's'). You can apply for a review to change your component and branch, but you need to do it NOW, and it will probably not favorably looked upon. The Army has selected you to be Signal and a reservist for a reason, usually due to your grades and OML standing. You might be able to apply for the Branch Detail program now, so that you will be a Lieutenant in some suck-branch, and go to whatever you really want to do as a Captain. While you are in Fort Gordon in OBC (or whatever the h*ll they call it now), you can apply for component transfer to the active side. Success in that is like anything else - Needs of the Army. Ask your ROTC cadre for the DA Pam that describes what each branch does - i think it is in the 600-series, but I've forgotten. It has a lot of information, to include equivalent civilian jobs. Remember that OBC will train you how to be a new Lieutenant and teach you enough to be conversant with signal theory, Army Signal doctrine, and how to lead your platoon or manage your staff section. There are opportunities to learn some advanced signal / IT stuff, but that is not the focus, and there are far more folks out there with a whole lot more in depth IT knowledge. Signal OBC does NOT teach you to be any sort of "IT guy". There are always opportunities to received advanced training and certifications from the Army, either Reserve units or Active. However, your unit will have to pay for it. Deployments always look better. When you are OBC, try to get a "WIAS", or individual augmentee assignment, to head out as soon as you graduate OBC. Good luck!