Army's 'Blue to Green' Program Hits Milestone

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

Jan. 24, 2007 – The Army's "Blue to Green" program, designed to allow airmen, sailors and Marines affected by force shaping to move to the Army, recently hit a milestone, a Defense Department official said here today. "Just in the past couple of weeks we've had our 1,000th transfer," Bill Carr, acting deputy undersecretary of defense for military personnel policy, said in an interview.

An effect of the Air Force and Navy downsizing is fewer opportunities for airmen, sailors and Marines to continue in their career fields, he said. The Army's Blue to Green interservice transfer program, open to officers and enlisted personnel, affords an alternative to leaving military service.

"That would be to serve as an officer or noncommissioned officer in the U.S. Army," Carr said. "I think the ones that are considering Blue to Green are the ones who are interested in trying another career and the challenges associated with it."

Army 2nd Lt. Michael B. Moore, a recent transfer, is a good example, Carr said. The former airman was an air battle manager trainee before trading his blue uniform for green. When Moore transferred to the Army, he chose to go into the infantry.

But that wasn't enough of a challenge for the newly minted soldier who has been assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division, at Fort Bragg, N.C., Carr said.

"(He) not only went over as an Army officer in the infantry, but also participated in the airborne and ranger training," he said. "He's really taking the full exposure and doing very well at it."

Carr said the program is good not only for the military, which retains experienced servicemembers through the Blue to Green program, but also for the servicemembers. It provides them a chance to look into options within the military before they consider the private sector, he said.

"For Blue to Green, the ideal future would be that anyone who was considering leaving the service would first look to Blue to Green as they're looking at other options and consider what it has to offer," Carr said. "And it has a lot to offer."

More information, including guidelines and benefits of the Blue to Green program, can be found on the Army's Web site.

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