Deserving Airmen can get a commission Published Jan. 28, 2013 By Sandra Pishner 446th Airlift Wing Public Affairs MCCHORD FIELD, Wash. -- By its nature, the Air Force Reserve officer corps is mostly grown through accessions from the active-duty Air Force. But for a few deserving enlisted Reservists, there is opportunity to step into a commission. The Deserving Airman Commissioning program for Reserve enlisted Airmen is governed by AFI 36-2005. How many Airmen can get a commission through the program is reliant on position vacancies, and of course the number of Airmen who can meet the eligibility rules. Officer vacancies can be hard to come by, but currently, the 446th Maintenance Group is advertising two officer vacancies. And deserving Airmen don't have to search for vacancies only in their units; they can search units throughout the command. "The biggest thing is that there is a vacant position," said Master Sgt. Natasha Kienow, chief of career development for the 446th Force Support Squadron. "They don't come open often, which makes the (DAC) program that much more competitive. Although, if you're looking at a medical career field, you'll find a few more options." "The member can usually get the package together fairly quickly," said Kienow. "We go through package submissions and make sure everything is in there, and then we send it to ARPC (Air Reserve Personnel Center)." So what goes in a package? Packages include your last five enlisted performance reports, commissioning physical, current resume, official college transcripts, and letters of recommendation, as well as applicable Air Force and Defense Department forms. But, before you start building a commissioning request, Airmen should ensure they meet the basic eligibility criteria, such as age. Reserve Airmen looking for a commission must be at least 18, and under 35 years of age by the time they are commissioned, be a United States citizen, and have a bachelor's degree or higher, along with a few other details. All the eligibility criteria can be found in the AFI. If you meet all the eligibility criteria, it's time to start looking for a vacancy. No sense in putting a package together if there's no job. "If you're looking to get commissioned, use your chain of command for possible opportunities," Kienow advises. According to Kienow, if location is not a showstopper, Reservists can also go online to search for vacancies in units throughout the command in the Reserve Management Vacancy System on the Air Force Personnel Center website. "You'll need to do that through the Air Force Portal with your CAC. And, look for the RMVS on the AFPC Secure Applications link, not the Air Force Reserve Personnel Center site," said Kienow. For more information on the Deserving Airman Commissioning program, call the 446th FSS Career Development section at 253-982-9088.