Requirements for OSVET Enlistment
For the purposes of Navy enlistment, what exactly is an Other Service Veteran (OSVET)? According to OPNAVINST 1100.4C, "OSVETs are applicants whose last tour of active duty or active duty for training (AD/ACDUTRA) was in a branch of service other than the U.S. Navy, have been discharged or released more than 24 hours, and who completed a minimum of 12 consecutive weeks of AD/ACDUTRA. Applicants discharged from another branch of service with less than 12 consecutive weeks of AD/ACDUTRA are considered Non-Prior Service (NPS) for classification purposes."
- If you were discharged from another branch of service without having graduated boot camp, you will not be considered an OSVET and will be required to attend Navy recruit training (boot camp), regardless of how much active duty time you may have accumulated. Completion of basic training only without having twelve consecutive weeks of active duty also does not constitute being an OSVET; if you did not complete at least twelve consecutive weeks of active duty, you cannot process as an OSVET.
An OSVET must meet the basic eligibility requirements for general enlistment to include passing the physical to the accession standards.
An OSVET must qualify for a rating or program that is critically undermanned. The qualification is based on ASVAB line scores that are less than two years old.
An OSVET's prior service must be properly documented on an original or certified copy of the Department of Defense Form 214 (DD Form 214) copy 4. The applicant must meet the Reenlistment Code (RE) eligibility requirements. Many RE codes do require a waiver, and some are outright ineligible for consideration.
OSVETs discharged in paygrades E-1 through E-3 cannot have more than five years broken service; those discharged in paygrades E-4 through E-6 cannot have more than six years broken service.
Applicants who were discharged in pay grades E-1 through E-4 must have six or fewer years of prior service.
For E-5 and above, all prior active military service will be used to compute the HYT limit. Also, all enlistments must be a minimum of four years; so, for E-5 and above, the maximum time of prior service cannot exceed the following based on current Navy High Year Tenure limits.
Those discharged in pay grade E-5 must have 12 or fewer years, and if discharged in pay grade E-6, 18 years of prior service is the maximum. Navy High Year Tenure (HYT) limits do not apply for E-4 and below OSVETs unless the OSVET has served in the Navy previously.
OSVETs must be able to complete 20 years of military service for retirement by age 60. No waivers will be considered.
OSVETs separated with severance pay, whether voluntary or involuntary, are eligible for reenlistment and will have their severance pay recouped from future retirement monies.
OSVETs are not required to attend Navy recruit training but are required to complete a Naval Orientation Course at Recruit Training Command (RTC) Great Lakes. Up to 60 days may be required to complete the RTC processing. Average processing time is 30 days for stateside (CONUS) orders and 45 days for overseas (OUTCONUS) orders.
If you are on the Temporary Disability Retirement List (TDRL) attempting to enlist in the Navy, refer to this TDRL page for the extra steps you may have to follow.
Final Thoughts
These are the very basics for enlisting into the Navy as an OSVET, but keep in mind, the process can be cumbersome, and the Navy MUST also have an opening for one with prior service -- these openings are limited, so have patience. See your local Navy recruiter for greater details about the program requirements, availability, and how those may affect you specifically.
I certainly did not cover every detail in this article, so it is imperative that you contact your local recruiter; don't only rely of what I wrote!
If you have any questions after reading the article, either contact your local recruiter, or you can ask me directly.
Page written and maintained by NCCM Thomas Goering, USN (Retired).
