Captains, promotable first lieutenants and certain other officers of the Army Competitive Category have until March 18 to apply for the Voluntary Transfer Incentive Program, and possible reclassification to another career branch or functional area.
The third-quarter fiscal 2016 VTIP panel is slated to meet April 25-29 at the Human Resources Command. The results are tentatively scheduled for release in late May.
Manning requirements for the branches and functional areas of the Army Competitive Category are periodically updated by the Human Resources Command and reflected in officer "in/out" calls, which show, by year group, which specialties are open and closed to transfer.
The calls are available online as are the manning percentages. at HTTPS://WWW.HRC.ARMY.MIL/OFFICER/OFFICERS%20VOLUNTARY%20TRANSFER%20INCENTIVE%20PROGRAM%20VTIP.
Officers must use an Army-issued Common Access Card or Army Knowledge Online username and password to access the calls.
The VTIP program is not available to commissioned officers of the special branches and warrant officers. National Guard and Army Reserve officers also are not eligible, except that Active Guard and Reserve (USAR) members may submit a branch transfer request if they are within six months of completing their initial three-year AGR tour.
Army Competitive Category officers who have been recalled to active duty, or who transferred to the Army from another service, are eligible for VTIP if they have served at least 12 months in their current branch or functional area since being recalled or assigned to the Army.
Here are the rank-specific eligibility requirements:
• Must be a first lieutenant promotable, captain or captain promotable as of March 18. Officers may submit a request to transfer out of or into a basic branch or functional area.
• Majors with fewer than 14 years of active federal commissioned service as of March 18 may request transfer into a branch or functional area in which they previously served.
• First lieutenants and captains enrolled in the branch detail program may request to remain in their detailed branch, provided they are in promotable status (on a selection list for captain or major) and within 12 months of their branch detail expiration date.
Officers who are approved for a branch or functional area transfer will incur active-duty service obligations for a permanent change-of-station move, and any training activities related to their reclassification.
Officers who want to be considered by the April VTIP panel should submit a DA Form 4187 (request for personnel action) to the Human Resources Command in accordance with the procedures described in MilPer Message 16-039, dated Feb.3.
