[Sinister]

I am assuming you are a 90-series MOS now and not an 18D.

The RC-to-AC route is the Army map. It takes a while and some patience (even if the Soldier has a letter for a unit pin-point assignment). The last Soldier I got transferred from RC-to-AC took almost a year, but some of that was because he wouldn't take a grade reduction to come back in, and he waffled about going to BNCOC. He eventually followed the Army's advice, but pissed away a great opportunity. When you think you're smarter than the Army the Army may ask you to prove it and make you a squad leader to serve in your MOS in combat.

To re-enter the Active Army after de-mobilization you will have to enlist back in the Active Army as a prior-service enlisted man (since as an IRR you will be a civilian again), and there may be no guarantee you're coming back in specifically for 18D (it all depends on Recruiting Command's / USASOC's 18D mission that day/week/month/year). MEPS and the Army will do a grade determination to see what rank you will return as.

I don't think as a prior service you qualify for 18X, although you could ask for a waiver (depending on how patient you are). That means you have to be assigned somewhere, and in the post-9/11 Army that means a unit in OIF/OEF rotation or a fixed post (hospital or clinic).

That said, reenlisting for Bragg is probably not bad advice (you could end up in the Division, MEDDAC or a clinic, Womack, or any of the other troop units on post), which would allow you to put in an SFAS volunteer packet.