John Gallagher ⋅ Columbus, OH U.S. Army, Specialist ⋅ 5 years served

Hey, I did this and got out last April.
You need a contract or direct job offer including a salary/ per hour offer. You will write a letter explaining what you want including what regulation allows you to do that, why you qualify. You need to go to a cap or financial counselor showing you will be able to make enough money to support your family with that new budget. A copy of your ERB, and I think that's most of it. You send it up through s1. It's about normally a 3-4 week process.

J Leo ⋅ Fairfax, VA U.S. Navy, Lieutenant ⋅ 23 years served

Securing an early release is ultimately at the discretion of your Chain of Command. You may have approval (DA-4187 obviously required) all the way through Brigade level... but still may be denied at the Post level. By releasing you early, your Command is basically informing DA that your position isn't needed, and accept vacancy of your POS/billet to your actual EOS date. Contact your branch at DA to get manning level for your MOS and rank, and inform them of your intentions. If manning is overstaffed, include this in your letter/memo requesting your early release. There are several "reasons" for an early release request, and a job offer letter is one of them. Another (I noticed by your ETS month) is for education. An acceptance letter to an education program is sometimes the best way. You start with your memo/letter, 4187, and supporting documents. Make copies for your CoC and for yourself. Submit the original to S1 via your Company's Clerk (of course after signatures from Sqd, Plt, 1SG, and CO). After that, it is out of your hands. Your Company Clerk may be able to get follow on information/progress. Btw, as crazy as it may seem, Commands have harder time releasing good Soldiers. I have done this years ago; it was very difficult to do (then) at the Post you are serving. If you want more details, pm/email me. Good luck!

Brandi Perrigo ⋅ Albuquerque, NM ⋅ 19 years experience

Hi Maria, I remember a gentlemen that got out on a "hardship" separation because his business was making more money than being an E5 in the military. There are many separations that you can do that still give you an honorable discharge and still allow you to come back when you want. You have only invested 4 years in the service, so leaving now for a career choice that is promising is very smart in my book. The benefits that I have outside the military are way better than when I was in the military. Some people find that hard to believe until I tell them, and they are shocked. I would suggest going to your "seasoned" admin troops to find out what kind of separation you can do. Best wishes!!!

Doug Hill ⋅ Kearneysville, WV PC Construction ⋅ 20 years experience

Maria,

I would only advise you to use caution. It would appear that you have an acceptance letter linked to a government contract. Having done this type of work, I can tell you that the contract (and your employment) will probably be linked to funding appropriated by federal agencies outside of the contract. It will have nothing to do with your hard work and dedication to duty. For example, I worked for one of 176 contracting companies (not individuals, but companies) cut overnight with an email because Congress didn't authorize funding. I hope this is not the case with you. I don't want you to find out he hard way that the civilian world lacks the stability of the military service. Once burned twice shy.