Opinions on joining reserves out of Active Duty Army?

Question

I am being by a "Reserve Componet Counseler" that if i join the US Army Reservers, they will give me 24 months stablization. And they are also making a deal that says for my 41 months left on my 8 year contract if i agree to serve 20 in the reserves they will forget the other 21 and discharge me completely early. When i asked if it would be put into the contract i was told yes. He is going to draw up the contract and im going to have it looked at. But i am curious of opinions or anyone else who has had this choice before them. My other option is the new Individual Warrior thing which apparently has a 70% deployment rate. Please post your thoughts. I am not trying to avoid service **** i've done two iraq tours. Just curious how things work for others so i can do whats best for my family. Thanks

Answer 1

I was active duty Navy, and then went to the Navy Reserves after 6 years active. It was a hard transition to make. I had no obligations in my contract to do reserve time, so after a year I transferred back to the inactive reserves.

I had nothing to do that was related to my training on drill weekends, and the thing that really pushed over the top for me was the 2 weeks active time. Being a reservist, even though we was active before (it was a unit of mostly E-4's to E-6's former active duty), we was treated like crap by the active duty people. Maybe I was just lucky, but we never did that on the ship I was on when I was active.

Answer 2

Personally I would not do a TPU Reserve unit - I did that when I got off of active, and then reenlisted in to one (I still do not know I did that). Huge mistake - reserve units area bit of a joke. The only good thing about it was that there were quite a few prior service in the unit. Unless you feel like another holiday in Iraq I wouldn't do the IW either - like you said, 70% chance.

I would roll the dice and go IRR. I have already done a deployment, and I think the odds are about the same either way of going again. At least I don't have to be reminded of it every month.

As for a guarantee in your contract. I would be suspicious at the get go! No one can guarantee something like that - they will only discharge you into the IRR after 20 months. Just experience speaking here. Sounds like a good recruiter trick to me.

Answer 3

When I ETS'd out of the active I went to the reserves so that I could finish my degree. I regret the decision. The reserves were a joke compared to the active. Every drill I dreaded. Perhaps it was just my unit but I think that most of the reserve units that I observed were fairly sloppy and well unmilitary in their bearing. That's just my opinion.

Answer 4

All enlistment contracts have a clause "for the good of the service" or "as required by national security" or some other vague language. This is the government's we can send you where we want when we want clause. If you or you unit are needed, they can tell you to go.

Answer 5

nicely attempting to get your degree jointly as on lively duty would be way harder than switching from the reserves/shield to lively. it is not perplexing to swap to lively duty from a reserve component. it particularly is in simple terms inquiring for it and getting authorized rather.it would take a jiffy although. for college the national shield seems to be like the terrific. There are extra national shield posts which ability a extra helpful threat of finding one closer on your college and a shorter return and forth. So the terrific course to take could be to pass to college jointly as in the national shield suited after extreme college, then switching to lively duty after commencement and going to OCS. good success