Another ANG Timeline

Another member applying for an ANG commission sent me their timeline.  Here it is:

Here is what my timeline looks like (commissioning, non-rated, 17S – Cyber Warfare Ops).

• November 2016 – Position for guard unit posted
• December 2016 – Took AFOQT/submitted application to unit
• January 2017 – Received notification of selection for board interview
• February 2017 – Sat for board interview
• Late March 2017 – Received notification of selection for officer candidacy
• September 2017 – Officer physical at MEPS, officially signed enlistment paperwork to join guard unit
• November 2017 – Officer package gets unit and state approval
• December 2017 – Officer package is routed to and received by National Guard Bureau (NGB) in DC
• Late July 2018 – Recruiter informed me that officer package at NGB has received Functional Area Manager (FAM) approval, and is currently awaiting A1 sign off at NGB (final approval).  Once this is completed, I will be allowed to select TFOT dates.  (As I understand it, the FAM sign off is a recent addition to the process, with the intent of better identifying qualified candidates who meet the educational requirements before they are submitted to A1 for final approval).
• 4 September 2018 – TFOT dates 19-01, 19-02, and 19-03, are filled.  Still no final approval, hoping to get everything taken care of before 19-04 fills up.
• Based on the experience several colleagues of mine have had that were both prior service, also filling 17S positions, I’m under the impression that prior service is either given some priority, or does not require as much scrutiny.  One individual (prior Marines) received A1 sign off in late July after being in process for slightly less time than I had, and will be attending 19-02.  Another individual (prior AF) has their application submitted to NGB in May 2018, and received A1 approval in mid-August 2018 and will be attending 19-04.
• To the best of my understanding (and I have this on good authority), there are about four people who work in the A1 office at NGB, and they are responsible for reviewing and approving all officer candidate selects for the entire US and territories.  Knowing that, I have sympathy for the position they’re in and their ability to turn around applications in a timely manner.
• On the other hand, I have heard of A1 holding applications for extended periods of time due to a simple misunderstanding of what the educational requirements included, and whether or not a candidate was qualified
• All this being said, I was warned when I joined my unit that the review process at NBG could take between 6 and 9 months, and I am only on the tail end of that.