ADOS and ADSW Program for Army National Guard Soldiers
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If you are currently serving in the Army National Guard or Army Reserves, you should consider the ADSW Program. This stands for Active Duty Special Work. In the past, it has also been referred to as ADOS, which is Active Duty Operational Support. In either case, this program is reserved for traditional one weekend a month soldiers who want to serve on temporary Active Duty, normally with their unit. There are also assignments at the National Guard Bureau and other major commands.
About the ADSW Program
The ADSW Program is designed to fill staffing shortages on a temporary basis. In most cases, these are temporary jobs for temporary projects. From what I’ve seen, most soldiers serve on ADSW on a temporary basis (one year or less). However, I have met a few folks who were on ADSW Orders for more than 10+ years straight. It really depends upon the position, who you know and your job performance.
I personally spent about 18 months in the ADSW Program. I enjoyed the experience, working several different jobs. What I liked most about the program is that I had the same benefits as the AGR folks, but wasn’t locked into a duty position or long-term contract. And when it came to promotion time, I wasn’t limited to the controlled grade positions each state has to deal with (for AGR folks in ARNG).
ADSW Orders
When you enter the ADSW Program, you get ADSW Orders. In most cases, the orders are one month to twelve months, depending upon the job position, time of year, and available budget. I’ve never personally seen orders for more than 12 consecutive months. I’ve been told that ADSW Orders only go out 12 months and are renewed each year, if the funds are available.
In order to receive your ADSW Orders, you must get counseled by your parent unit and your boss. Your new position can’t interfere with your one weekend a month position. In addition, you must have a current height/weight and APFT. There is a formal packet to fill out. Once the packet is complete, you can normally get a copy of your ADSW Orders from your parent unit.
ADSW Opportunities
Depending upon the available budget, the training cycle, and positions available, there are normally lots of different ADSW Opportunities. Speaking from personal experience, I’ve found that most of these positions are typically reserved for higher echelon staffs and units. Normally, the positions are for Senior NCOs and Officers. I’m not saying lower ranking can’t get an ADSW Job at the unit level; it just isn’t all that common. When I had ADSW Orders, I normally worked at the G-Staff level or at the state level (ARNG). Once again, that is just my experience. However, during my time in Company Command we sometimes had positions at the unit level for E-5 and below soldiers.
The best thing you can to learn more about the different ADSW Opportunities is to sit down with your Unit Readiness NCO or S1. You can also visit the GKO website, the NGB website, or your state’s website. In most cases, the positions are posted on those websites.
ADSW Pay
When you participate in the ADSW Program, the ADSW Pay is the same as your Active Duty counterpart. In most cases, if your orders are longer than 30 days, you are also entitled to receive your Basic Housing Allowance (BAH) and food allowance (BAS). You can refer to an Active Duty pay chart to calculate your exact pay, or you can visit the DFAS or MYPAY website to learn more.
Final Thoughts
The ADSW or ADOS Program is an exciting program for the traditional one weekend a month soldiers. If you are looking to serve on Active Duty on a temporary basis, I can’t think of a better program out there. You get the same benefits as an AGR or Active Duty Soldier. In most cases, the position lasts 12 months or less, but in some rare cases, you might be able to stay in the program for 3, 5 or even 10 years. Just contact your local Readiness NCO or S1 to learn more about the program and see if there are any ADSW Opportunities in your state.
On a side note, if you’ve ever served in the ADOS or ADSW Program, please share your experiences with the rest of our community by leaving a comment to this post.
While on ADSW orders to you have to go to drill? Can some one send me the regulation reference on this please?
Don’t know the regulation right off the top of my head, but I know for a fact you have to go to drill weekend every month, just like the AGR do. When you sign your contract to go ADSW, part of the contract says that your responsibilities to your one weekend a month unit take priority over ADSW responsibilities. And if your ADSW interferes with your one weekend a month responsibilities, you can be removed from the ADSW Program. Just food for thought.
Chuck
The ADSW program does sound like an excellent opportunity. I know it as ADOS, but I guess the acronyms are always changing!
Anyway, I know someone who’s looking for an ADSW job and I think this is a great post for him to read. I’m sure he’ll be meeting with his Unit Readiness NCO pretty soon, and we’ll see what happens after that!
The ADSW program is a great opportunity, Andrew.
For someone who cannot find a job, or someone who wants temporary work, it’s one of the best deals around.
This appears to be a wonderful option for those who may be struggling otherwise as well. Providing both stability and experience you may not otherwise receive is a benefit not easily overlooked. As an active soldier full time, I always found it interesting to see the perspective of the AGR soldiers I worked with however briefly, and to see how their views differed from those I heard every day.
The ADOS program is a great way to get experience, especially for someone who has never been on Active Duty before. I spent a lot of time on ADOS and learned a lot of helpful things that helped me advance my career. Plus, the pay and benefits were great.
Chuck
I spent a few months on ADSW orders as an E-4. The position was technically recruiting support, and I did do a good bit of work with the recruiter, but I also did some tasks for the unit like assisting with the preparations for the Army Communities of Excellence inspection. It’s a great way to get to know people outside your home unit that you might not meet very often otherwise. For years Louisiana had ADSW positions to assist with drug interdiction, and for a long time the funding was reliably renewed every year, but after 9/11 those faded away in the face of other priorities.
ADOS is a great program. I spent a couple years on ADOS during my time in ARNG. I learned a lot in those assignments and networked with the full time AGR Staff. If you are good at what you do, you can easily get ADOS assignments. It’s a great way to meet new people, learn new skills, and advance your career.