One of the best-kept secrets in the Army is a program called the Career Intermission Program (CIP). Tell me if any of these sounds like you —
- You’re getting a little late in your Army career to just up and walk away
- You have personal or professional goals that aren’t feasible while you serve
- You have education goals that will help you progress in your Army career but can’t manage a full course load while serving
Sound familiar? These are just a few opportunities that make the Career Intermission Program worth looking into!
Career InterMISSION Program
The CIP gives eligible Officers, Warrant Officers, and Enlisted Soldiers the opportunity of a break in service of up to three (3) years to pursue other goals or opportunities.
Essentially, the Army wants to create another avenue to retain quality Soldiers. By giving you the opportunity to pursue other passions or goals, the Army keeps the money invested in your training and skills.
There’s a cost, however. For each month you’re in the program, you incur two months of active duty service obligation (ADSO) for Officers and Service Remaining Requirement (SRR) for Enlisted.
The Army Talent Management team interviewed MAJ Jed Hudson, who at the time served as the action officer for the CIP, and a SFC who participated in the CIP pilot program from 2017 to 2019. Their podcast episode is below and will be a nice companion to learn more about the program while you read ahead.
Now, let’s weigh the pros and cons of the CIP program, tell you if you’re eligible, and get you started on the process if the program is right for you.
Benefits of the CIP
Without a doubt, the greatest benefit of the Career Intermission Program is the freedom to follow your own path. Life throws us all many curveballs, so if the timing is right, this may be your solution.
General benefits of the CIP include:
- 2/30ths of your base pay, monthly (without any special or incentives pay)
- Healthcare Coverage under Tricare
- Travel and Transportation Allowance from your current duty station to your designated CIP location
- Commissary and PX access
In the next few sections, we’ll talk about benefits as they specifically apply to a few reasons you may apply for the program.
Pursuing your Education
For me, I’ve struggled with consistency in accomplishing education goals while I’ve served. Beyond general education requirements, my interests would be best served in a physical classroom setting rather than online. With a normal duty schedule, that hasn’t been a feasible option.
I also use the burden of leadership as an excuse for not pushing my education further. Being a leader demands a lot of your time, especially when you have a troublesome Soldier who may require some ‘extra’ time — if you catch my drift.
The Career Intermission Program allows you to commit full-time to your education goals. You aren’t limited to the regional, brick-and-mortar schools that work with your local education center. You can prioritize the right school to set you up for success.
Also, if you complete your degree, you may even be eligible to transition to the Officer ranks through OCS after you return to Active Duty.
Starting a Family
Having children is a major life event. Starting a family in the Army can be great and terrible at the same time. While the steady pay and healthcare are excellent, the often long hours and deployment can keep you away from precious memories.
When my second son was born, I was a Detachment Sergeant responsible for over 80 people. My days were routinely 12 hours long and the work never seemed to end when I got home. It took a toll on my family, so I can definitely understand getting away from it all to start a family.
Taking a break in service through the Career Intermission Program would give you the opportunity to make those memories a priority. While you’d lose some of the stability of steady pay, you may benefit from relocating to be near family. Having the added help of grandmas, grandpas, aunts, and uncles could be a lifesaver.
And, thanks to Tricare, you won’t be sacrificing your healthcare either.
Pursuing a Passion
Not everyone lives and breathes Army 24/7. I’m certainly not that guy. While I’ve enjoyed much of my career, I have other pursuits I’d like to chase. If you’re past halfway to retirement, you may not want to walk away with no pension for these pursuits.
One of my interests has always been going into business. If you’re like me in this regard and have an idea, but not the time — this may be your launchpad. Prepare yourself, pull the trigger, and get things started. While you’d still have to return to Active Duty after the program, you may get to a point where it’s manageable from afar, especially depending on the type of business.
No matter what your passion, you can potentially pursue it during your time away on the Career Intermission Program.
Taking Care of Family
Whether you’re married, have children, or not, sometimes you find yourself in a tough family situation. As elders in your family get older, they may require more attention or support.
The CIP can act as a sort of compassionate time away from service to be there for your loved ones in need.
While I hope none of you ever have to deal with this, it’s important to know that this program is available to you.
Downsides of the Career Intermission Program
Alright, now that we’ve opened your mind to some of the possibilities, let’s make sure you aren’t going into the CIP blindfolded.
Once you’ve started the program, you’re in an Inactive Ready Reserve (IRR) status. This means you’re subject to recall to Active Duty in a contingency situation. You may also be involuntarily recalled for failure to maintain contact with your CIP manager.
Also, while in your IRR status you may need to complete inactive duty training to maintain military proficiency, as directed by the Army. While this is likely not much, it’s something to consider.
If you’re pursuing your education, you are no longer eligible for Tuition Assistance while on the CIP. You’ll need to fund your education using the Montgomery GI Bill, Post 9/11 GI Bill, or other means of payment.
Also, you’ll need to find a new life insurance option. You won’t be eligible for your traditional Servicemember’s Group Life Insurance (SGLI).
While you’re in the CIP, getting out of the daily routine of Army life may make returning to it difficult. I feel like if I had a three-year break, I’d have a hell of a hard time going back to it.
While it isn’t an explicit downside of the program, I imagine having a significant break in service could impact promotion potential. For evaluation purposes, that time will go as unrated time. Again, this isn’t set in stone or articulated in writing, but board members for senior promotions will certainly take notice.
Lastly, consider if you’re going to school or starting a business, you likely aren’t beholden to a boss the same way are in the Army now. That would make for a possibly rude awakening having to follow orders again after calling the shots for a few years.
Are you Eligible?
So, are you even eligible for the program?
The Career Intermission Program is available to all competitive Regular Army Officers, Warrant Officers, and NCOs in the grades of Sergeant through Master Sergeant. For Active Guard and Reserve personnel, the same applies except it is available for all Enlisted who have completed their three-year term of active duty.
Below are some circumstances that will make you ineligible.
- Officers serving in Joint Duty Assignment List (JDAL) positions
- Being approved for a separation date or having over 17 years of service
- Having an incomplete obligation for transfer of the Post 9/11 GI Bill
- Failing selection for promotion
- Being flagged or denied continued service
- Having a recorded disciplinary action within two years of applying
- Being on a promotion list, executing a PCS, or being centrally selected for a school
- Aviators serving their ADSO
Is the CIP worth it?
Whether the pros outweigh the cons is gonna depend on your specific case. The opportunity is unlike any other in the Army, however.
Your individual experience will likely depend heavily on the success you find as a civilian during that time. If taking a knee to start a family goes as planned and you’re able to provide for your family without Uncle Sam’s daily dollar, you may love it. If you end up just adding financial struggles to the process of starting a family, you’re gonna have a bad time. The same applies to your education, business, or whatever passion you focus on during your sabbatical.
From my perspective, a break in service could be rejuvenating or could drive you further from your desire to serve. The inherent obligation following your break could be daunting. If you’re nearing the end of your career, you might find it as the added incentive to see it through to the finish.
One of the greatest problems I’ve seen in the Army is how so many great programs are just outside of the average Soldiers awareness. Whether it’s ACS programs offering any number of support programs or something like the CIP, unless we educate our Soldiers on what’s available, they’re going to miss out.
So, if you’re planning to make a permanent decision about your career based on a current, temporary struggle, consider this as an alternative. Take a break, spend time with your family, focus on your education, or pursue your passion. Then, come back for a bit more service and race towards the finish line.
Don’t forget, if this is the right path for you, the Transition Assistance Program is there for you even on your temporary separation from service.
