Sergeant Major of the Army Wants Soldiers to Consider Getting Out of Uniform for 3 Years Command Sgt. Maj. Michael A. Grinston speaks to soldiers of a Basic Leaders Course class at the Staff Sgt. John W. Kreckle NCO Academy, May 23, 2018, at Ft. Campbell. (U.S. Army/ Sgt. Steven Lopez) 2 Jun 2021 The Army's top enlisted leader wants soldiers to consider taking a break. The Career Intermission Program allows officers, warrant officers and noncommissioned officers on active duty or in a full-time role in the reserve components to take up to a three-year break from the military. The catch is that, for every one month a soldier is gone, they owe the Army two months.