It’s uncommon for a junior enlisted Soldier to earn a direct commission.
It’s even rarer that this same Soldier would rise immediately from specialist to captain.
And it’s almost unheard of to leap up the promotion ladder without a professional background in law, medicine or chaplaincy.
Army Reserve Capt. Gurtej Bains, a former innovation analyst with the 75th U.S. Army Reserve Innovation Command (75th USARIC), did just that.
In April 2024, Bains completed a four-year journey to become an officer, driven by duty to serve his country and commitment to apply his unique expertise to the Army.
"As a Sikh, I naturally gravitate toward national service, inspired by a proud history of Sikh contributions to military forces around the world," said Bains, who was born and raised in India. “The Army Reserve seemed like the perfect way to fulfill my ambition of joining the armed forces.”
Bains enlisted in the Army Reserve in 2019 at the age of 32. Although he held a master’s in manager-customer intelligence from Texas A&M University, coupled with almost a decade of experience in programming and analytics, the option to become an officer remained closed due to his immigration status.
“I was a Green Card holder,” said Bains. “The only way I could serve in the U.S. Army was to enlist.”
Initially assigned as a medical logistics specialist, Bains’s background in data analytics allowed him to transfer to the 75th USARIC as an innovation analyst for the Atlanta City Team in 2020.
“My experience in the civilian sector generated insights in solving complex business problems,” said Bains “I wanted to join the 75th because it offered opportunities to apply my education and experience to solve the Army’s most challenging problems.”
While at the 75th, Bains served as a data science facilitator for the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center, advancing AI integration within the Army. He also participated in a data mining hackathon representing Team U.S. Army during this multi-agency and multinational event.
“I pursued projects that would assist the Army in leveraging similar capabilities to win future wars, where data and technology will be crucial to our success,” said Bains.
Bains temporarily set aside his civilian career aspirations for a year-long tour to support data projects for the Center for Army Analysis. He briefed three-star generals on recruitment efforts using two decades of Google Trends data to assess public sentiment toward joining the Army.
“My experience working directly with some of the most senior members of the U.S. Army demonstrated why becoming an officer was key to making an even bigger impact,” said Bains.
Because Bains’s background did not align with traditional career paths, earning a direct commission lacked a clear-cut path.
“It appears that only chaplains, doctors and JAG (Judge Advocate General) officers have a well-structured route,” said Bains, who, in his civilian capacity, serves as the head of quantitative research for a multinational home improvement retail corporation. “I found no pathway for data scientists like me to join… I encountered numerous obstacles and nearly gave up.”
After four years of phone calls, email exchanges, and personal meetings with senior leaders across numerous commands, Bains’s persistence paid off. He earned a direct commission and established a platform as an Army Reserve officer for his voice to be heard at higher levels.
“I’m now in position to secure a seat at the table where critical decisions are made,” said Bains.
The commissioning ceremony took place July 28, 2024, at the home of one of Bains’s former 75th USARIC Atlanta City Team colleagues in Atlanta. The event reminded Bains that this achievement would have proved impossible without monumental support from his mentors such as Army Reserve Maj. Gen. Deborah Kotulich, deputy chief of the Army Reserve, and Dr. Steve Stoddard, director of the Center of Army Analysis.
“I am also deeply grateful to the 75th USARIC leadership and the entire Atlanta City Team who kept me motivated throughout this journey,” said Bains. Every member of my City Team – even the ones who were no longer with the 75th – joined my family and me at my commissioning ceremony… It was a humbling experience.”
Bains praised Army Reserve Lt. Col. Muriel Drew, talent management officer for the 75th USARIC, who guided him through the complex process. She acknowledged the challenges and cleared obstacles to help Bains achieve his dream.
"If I am still in the Army and commissioned, it is because of her," Bains said.
Although the 75th USARIC is not the final authority for direct commissions, Drew and her Talent Management team support officer candidates by reviewing their application packets and addressing administrative issues.
“I like to help people, especially Soldiers like Bains who want to better themselves,” said Drew. “If there’s a bump in the road, I try to remove that bump by reaching out to the right people who have the right answers."
Bains is completing the Direct Commission Course alongside dozens of other newly commissioned officers in Fort Moore, Georgia. Upon graduation, he will report to the 350th Civil Affairs Command in Pensacola, Florida, serving as its economic function officer.
“If the Army wants to outpace its adversaries, it needs to draw talent from the Googles or Facebooks of the world,” said Bains. “My dream is to establish a Direct Commissioning pipeline for Data Science, Machine Learning, and AI, so the Army can easily tap into the immense talent available in the tech sector.
It seems Bains’s journey is far from over.
