California National Guard

[riserdive]

There are a couple of other categories that involve exemptions or requirements to attend Basic:

- Prior service 18X and 37X candidates are required to attend the entire One Station Unit Training (BCT + AIT) program because it is part of that defined SOF accession 'pipeline'.

- While BCT is required for OCS folks, the limited few that are eligible for Direct Commission (Cyber, JAG, Medical, Chaplain) attend the DCC course, not BCT.

These are outliers, not normal enlistment/commission categories.

[AregularGuy]

Originally Posted by Levi123

I'm ETS'ing next year and thinking of doing reserves as PSYOP or Civil affairs, I checked on ACT and they have an Airborne SQI unit in San Diego and Riverside. I want something that is deployable and holds my interest.

Judging by the posts here, I'm guessing the answer is no, but has anyone seen a Reserve Soldier in Grad School? Plan is to go for Physical Therapy

Originally Posted by tomk556

Honestly, do grad school first and have it done. Focus on that and get the most out of your program and the 9-11 benefits. Stay in shape and then go back in if you decide to. With a masters in physical therapy maybe that’s a direct commission in the medical corps? The guard at least is not very compatible with going to school, especially if you have a demanding program and need to do in-person labs. You might get your yearly training calendar and then find a way to tailor your school to it. And then it’ll change. And then it’ll change again. And another time. No joke, my unit is on its fourth major calendar change and that’s before all the cancellations for the rona’. The worst is that most of the time you’ll give up and put your unit ahead of school. And then you’ll be sitting somewhere doing nothing, when you dropped a class to be there. I did school before I went in. School is worth doing right and getting as much out of it as you can.

Physical therapist and reservist here. Although I commissioned well after earning my degrees. You will not be able to function in PT school while in the reserves. Acceptance into PT school is very competitive. Expect to have a GPA of 3.5 or better (3.7-4.0 more likely) in pre-requisites/undergrad when applying. Once you start you program classes you will need to stay with your cohort. Class sizes are usually small, less than 30 students. Your absence will be noticed. They will ask you about your willingness and ability to attend and finish the program since if you are not there your classmates will suffer without the body to practice with.

Classes are offered in a structure fashion. It's not like undergrad classes where you decide to take chemistry at 1600 so you can work in the morning.. You will be on the program's schedule. You will not be able to miss labs and classes, let alone several weeks in a row for AT.

There are no bonuses or signing incentives for PT's. Although there is a school loan repayment. You could also apply to the Army Baylor program, go active duty, become a 2LT and get paid while in school. Get a top notch education then serve active for 8 years.

Military PT's are all required to be DPT's now, although most if not all entry level programs offer the DPT now. The board that reviews PT packets for direct commission meet once per year. Be sure to have all of your ducks in a row or you will wait on the sidelines if you miss a board.

Any questions about PT in general or reserve PT feel free to ask.

[Vinnie Boombatz]

Timely thread as I have been considering joining the Army or Naval Reserves (but think I'm too old for the Naval Reserves).

I'm 44 years old, Registered Nurse for 14 years with both adult and pediatric critical care experience and some CCT experience (rotor wing, fixed wing and ground). I make very good money as an RN in the Bay Area, but bored in my current job, feel like I'm spinning why wheels and not really challenged. Always regretted not enlisting in the military when I was younger. I have no debt currently aside from rent. Student laans are paid off, car is paid off, don't have any revolving debt.

After reading through this thread I'm not really sure if it's a good idea anymore. Definitely welcome any advice, pros/cons, or just flat out tell me I'm nuts to be considering this at my age.

[Snoopy47]

Originally Posted by Vinnie Boombatz

After reading through this thread I'm not really sure if it's a good idea anymore. Definitely welcome any advice, pros/cons, or just flat out tell me I'm nuts to be considering this at my age.

I think if anyone at your age has a chance it's down the path of Medical.

Don't get sucked into the BLING of the uniform, and the Patriotism of serving.

I literally spent half my day (today April-22) doing annual on-line training.
1) Cyber awareness
2) Insider threat awareness
3) personal emotional assessment
4) Equal Opportunity training
5) Anti Terrorism
etc.....

All this so I can go to my 2 week annual training which will probably be canceled anyway.

The first year or so you are going to be tied up going through all your training. Then if you find yourself in an RFX unit you might think it's great you are getting spun up to do something, but then again, you might not do anything, and you just spend a year or so being all spun up to go nowhere. All of which will impact your civilian life/career.

You can be in a world of hurt in the reserves if your civilian situation is not flexible for the reserves. It's exactly why it's not a good idea to be in school while in the reserves.

[Vinnie Boombatz]

Originally Posted by Snoopy47

I think if anyone at your age has a chance it's down the path of Medical.

Don't get sucked into the BLING of the uniform, and the Patriotism of serving.

I literally spent half my day (today April-22) doing annual on-line training.
1) Cyber awareness
2) Insider threat awareness
3) personal emotional assessment
4) Equal Opportunity training
5) Anti Terrorism
etc.....

All this so I can go to my 2 week annual training which will probably be canceled anyway.

The first year or so you are going to be tied up going through all your training. Then if you find yourself in an RFX unit you might think it's great you are getting spun up to do something, but then again, you might not do anything, and you just spend a year or so being all spun up to go nowhere. All of which will impact your civilian life/career.

You can be in a world of hurt in the reserves if your civilian situation is not flexible for the reserves. It's exactly why it's not a good idea to be in school while in the reserves.

My employer has not beed very flexible in the past when I have asked for leave to go on medical missions to Iraq and even recently asked if I could have a few weeks off to go work in New York. They wouldn't give me time off to go to NYC, but our census here is ridiculously low and I'm getting cancelled or having Horus cut a lot recently. It's all very frustrating and just feel like I could should be doing more and not really fulfilled career-wise.

[Snoopy47]

Originally Posted by Vinnie Boombatz

It's all very frustrating and just feel like I could should be doing more and not really fulfilled career-wise.

Well, when I made the jump I was 38. It was a new an exciting thing for that first year, and then I managed to get full time orders for a while, and then commissioned after my deployment.

I've been back in finance on and off but for the most part just put it all behind me now.

I think at the very least if you make the jump that will be the last you will have with your current employer. Getting through training and your MOS training is just going to burn up all your time for an entire year. At that time, other options will present themselves to you, and certainly the Army is going to want to put you to work as soon as you are ready.

But THEN, if you are a reservist anyway, there are limits the Army is willing to use you. They don't want to use you so much they have to pay you a housing allowance (basically what Active duty guys use), and then by god, they don't want to give you so many points a year you can make a modest pension out of it.

In fact, I forget the exact limit (I think it is 3 years) you can be on mobilization orders consecutively. Then they make you take a year off. So the system has BUILT IN lack of employment stability.

*********

What I'm saying is, in the beginning it's all new and exciting, and in a few years you'll find out the systematic BS every career in a large industry or employer has.

The only difference is you wear your resume on your chest, and you have to follow more rules.

Civilians thank us for our service out of their ignorance of our reality.

[Milsurp1]

If you want to join the military, go active duty as a nurse. If you want to talk to someone who is in the system PM me.

[AurorA56$$]

Just call a recruiter and ask. A lot of the people on here are giving there opinion depending on their experiences. Where it’s good, bad or what ever. You are the one that needs to make a choice for yourself.

[Vinnie Boombatz]

Originally Posted by AurorA56$$

Just call a recruiter and ask. A lot of the people on here are giving there opinion depending on their experiences. Where it’s good, bad or what ever. You are the one that needs to make a choice for yourself.

Of course I'm the one who needs to decide for myself. But it doesn't hurt to ask for others' opinions based on their experience. And I'm sure a recruiter is going to tell me whatever I want to hear.

[AregularGuy]

As a nurse there are many opportunities and bonuses available depending on the type of nursing you are skilled at. Nurses tend to promote quickly. Many hospital slots are nurse-only. Some specialties have huge bonuses/year. There is also MOBCOP/ Tour of duty where you can look for deployment opportunities if you don't like sitting around with your unit. Nurses are in demand.

[Levi123]

I'd recommend joining as a nurse, I think it's one of the best jobs in the Army besides a PA, and they get big bonuses yearly

Hey thanks for the information. It's true you will get both sides of the story. Just did a 12 hour shift in BDE ops with a PT/former W1 with 160th, who ETS'd at like 11 years, did PT school in the reserves, and commissioned this year direct.

That being said I have a 3.35 at SNHU so im low speed. I gotta do one thing at a time. So I will likely ETS, go to grad school, if not PT then something else, then come back in the reserves because I know I want to still do more with my Army career. Thanks for the advice

[tomk556]

Originally Posted by Vinnie Boombatz

Timely thread as I have been considering joining the Army or Naval Reserves (but think I'm too old for the Naval Reserves).

I'm 44 years old, Registered Nurse for 14 years with both adult and pediatric critical care experience and some CCT experience (rotor wing, fixed wing and ground). I make very good money as an RN in the Bay Area, but bored in my current job, feel like I'm spinning why wheels and not really challenged. Always regretted not enlisting in the military when I was younger. I have no debt currently aside from rent. Student laans are paid off, car is paid off, don't have any revolving debt.

After reading through this thread I'm not really sure if it's a good idea anymore. Definitely welcome any advice, pros/cons, or just flat out tell me I'm nuts to be considering this at my age.

So everyone has their experiences in the military but one thing that I’ve encountered often is this: if someone has always wanted to go in, they often find it to be a “rewarding” experience. This is weird. Even if a person gets dealt a terrible hand and has an awful experience, often enough those people who were happy to ETS would still say they’re glad they did it, even if it sucked the whole time. For you, if you’ve always wanted to, why not? If you go into the medical
Corps as an officer you’re experience won’t be awful, for sure, and you have little to lose.

Unfortunately you’ll probably find that what you do in the Guard or reserves won’t be very interesting medically, and that can wear on you, but you never know.

[Levi123]

Originally Posted by tomk556

So everyone has their experiences in the military but one thing that I’ve encountered often is this: if someone has always wanted to go in, they often find it to be a “rewarding” experience. This is weird. Even if a person gets dealt a terrible hand and has an awful experience, often enough those people who were happy to ETS would still say they’re glad they did it, even if it sucked the whole time. For you, if you’ve always wanted to, why not? If you go into the medical
Corps as an officer you’re experience won’t be awful, for sure, and you have little to lose.

Unfortunately you’ll probably find that what you do in the Guard or reserves won’t be very interesting medically, and that can wear on you, but you never know.

This was my experience. My only regret is not joining sooner. It has been a very rewarding experience. I still remember standing in line in the DFAC in basic, with my tray held tight to my chest, head straight, sneaking a look around with my eyeballs and just being so grateful to have finally joined and really just soaking it in. I absolutley don't regret joining.

[Snoopy47]

Originally Posted by Levi123

My only regret is not joining sooner.

Agreed..........

I was in basic at 38yo and my experience was mostly just watching young folk flounder and grow and have this life altering experience that was going to be a foundational part of their lives.

I was there to check the box. I knew every bluff the Drill SGT's threw at us. I knew everything was a game, but for everyone else it was real.

Then I realized there was so much in my life prior to joining that I would have benefited from learning its all BS (the entirety of the Army is just jumping through hoops), and you don't have to worry about everything being perfect. I didn't figure that out until I was in my late 20s and would have benefited greatly 10 years sooner.

I also trusted people much longer in life and would have benefited knowing much sooner people's priority is their own agenda over pretty much everything else.

*****
We were given THREE blank rounds to carry in our magazines. If we lost one we were done for. A battle buddy lost one, and he was FREAKING OUT.

Then I remembered, while there were only three platoons, there were facilities for FOUR. Which meant extra supplies (to include magazines and loose blank rounds). So I pilfered from the unsecured vacant platoon supplies and gave it to my battle.

Problem solved.

He got to learn that lesson at 19. I was still freak'n out into my late 20's.

*******

But as pointed out, we joined, and get to say we did while most others don't.

I tell my Joes that flag in a parade is as much for you as it is the guy that put a bullet between Bin Ladin's head. It will never be for the CEO of Google.

[Mustard]

Glad to hear it was a good choice for y'all. I swore in on April 8, at 35 years of age. I'm looking forward to the new adventure, and hearing that older guys joined and felt it was a rewarding experience is encouraging.

Did any of y'all get extra "love" for being the old guy in the group?

[Snoopy47]

Originally Posted by Mustard

Did any of y'all get extra "love" for being the old guy in the group?

Any extra anything you get in Basic isn't out of love. You'll get singled out for sure, and with the current age limits probably be the oldest in TRADOC if not among the top few in your class.

You will be older than most your Drill SGTs. Probably all the ones you see day to day.

In basic I was put in a leadership position right out of the gate, only of course to be made an example of and have it taken away ASAP so a young person can get the experience.

In AIT I was one of the few in a leadership (squad leader) position to keep his job the entire time, but I think mostly out of reason to keep a constant older person among the mix during company wide student leadership meetings. Also, in AIT you could only be in a class leadership position if you were fitness GREEN, academic GREEN, and discipline GREEN. After the first round of academic/fitness tests the list shrank dramatically. So maybe it wasn't my "age" that caused that.

In AIT found myself in a dorm at the end of the hall by the EXIT as my billeting. The one other guy older than me (by a few months) was at the end of his hall down another corridor.

In AIT the 1SG like to single me out because I was older than him AND have a Master's degree. Him being only HS educated liked his position over me.

*******
Be rest assured, never will the entire company be smoked, and Cadre say, oh, but not you Old Guy, you're one of us.

If you want to be the guy that doesn't get smoked, you need to be the reason why everyone else is getting smoked.

The most frustrating thing you might notice (maybe no one liked me, so who knows) is the young little F-er's wont heed your warnings. You are not a wise older person, you are a POS just like them, and the Cadre generally don't treat you any differently so the little F-er's don't see you any differently. My efforts were in vain, so after a month I just didn't worry about it.

Remember, the kids are all over themselves and the males are out impressing females. It literally is like high school because half of them are just out of from there.

The kids are all homesick but for me, Basic wasn't even the length of one fiscal quarter. I never understood why they hid food, phones, or bartered for candy from the MREs. In fact, if I got Skittles (which I dont like at all) I NEVER bartered. I simply gave it away. First hand got it. I never bartered. If anything I wanted to convey is share among your Battle Buddies without personal greed or hoarding.

**********

I did run one kid into the ground administratively. He was a F-up, and wasn't making it easier for the rest of us. One day he threatened me, and said "I'm going to kick your *** old man." So I threw him under the bus, and the Drill SGT's feast upon him.

I wrote a note to the DS's and slipped it under the door. I effectively said, PVT threatened me with physical violence. But the HOOK to what I wrote was: "If I were to go to sick call (which they could NOT stop me) I would check the box on the in processing form":

I DO NOT FEEL SAFE IN MY ENVIRONMENT

At which, I knew very well the entire administrative process would be taken out of the hands of the Drill SGT's and handled at a level above the company commander.

He ended up getting caught with a phone, faced an Article 15, and decided to quit. So I didn't throw a fellow soldier under the bus that didn't deserve it. He never finished anyway.

[Mustard]

I expected some level of authority, mostly since I'm coming in as an E-4, and to a small amount my age and education (BS/MS). I'm not dying for the responsibility, but figured I'd get stuck w/ it. Therein lies the end of the special treatment I expect.

As long as I am otherwise treated as poorly as the rest of my cadre, I think I'll have a good time

[Snoopy47]

Originally Posted by Mustard

I expected some level of authority.........

........E-4...............

I think I'll have a good time

Just a recommendation not to the use the word "Authority" in reference to yourself while in basic.

[Mustard]

Originally Posted by Snoopy47

Just a recommendation not to the use the word "Authority" in reference to yourself while in basic.

"You know, Drill Sgt, I'm going to be an officer soon so you'll want to listen to me before I pull rank on you...."

R.I.P.

[tomk556]

Originally Posted by Mustard

"You know, Drill Sgt, I'm going to be an officer soon so you'll want to listen to me before I pull rank on you...."

R.I.P.

Nice, congratulations! Hopefully your start isn’t affected too badly by the corona crap. You went in as an 09-S? I did too, and went to basic at 34. Oddly when I went to basic there were four of us in our thirties and then another dozen or so late twenty somethings throughout the company. There were only one or two comments the whole time about the age, otherwise you’re just another recruit. Be PG if you want but that crap sucks. If you’re an 09-S with the Guard it’s kind of a charmed experience because you get to do basic then go home right after while everyone else is off to AIT. If you are doing OCS with the cal guard shoot me a PM, I’ve been down that road.

Otherwise, just enjoy. You’re going to see some of the dumbest and funniest things you’ll ever see in those ten weeks. Be prepared to be disappointed with anything firearm related, of course.

As others said: my great moment was the first night with my company, sitting in bed feeling very grateful for finally having made it happen.

[Mustard]

Don't know what an 09-S is, but my recruiter put me in as an E-4, with the intent to get me into OCS shortly thereafter. Assuming schedules work out, i'll be a butter bar around January/ February of next year

Hoping to get into aviation thereafter (fighting forrest fires from a blackhawk was the final thing that got me motivated), but i'm just stoked i finally got off my *** and did the thing

[riserdive]

Mustard,

MOS 09S is OCS Candidate. It is a temporary MOS placeholder, for people who do not have a MOS yet.

Similarly,09R is a Reserve ROTC 'simultaneous membership' service member.

Even the people contracted for any one of the standard MOSs technically hold 09U (Initial Entry Soldier) until they graduate AIT and are awarded 11B, 13F, 68W, etc..

[jstert]

i spent 25 years in the reserves, nothing exciting, 4 yrs air national guard enlisted, 1yr arng enlisted, 20 yrs usnr officer. best, most productive time was in ang, arng was pits, usnr was blah. i was a student when enlisted and my ang unit was very accommodating. i even got extra drills and active duty to serve as a summer job.

my advice is to enlist in a decent ang/afres unit, leaning to afres to avoid unit politics and extra state duty in the national guard. done right the reserves can be interesting and even fun enough to hang around for 20 good retirement years. getting a small, but inflation indexed & secure, pension plus health insurance at 60yrs old has been very much worth it.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[CheapBloke]

I spent 4 years active 2000-04 as 11C.
I do want to join reserves or nasty gi... err nvm, only reserves., I am 38 now, and I am sure I have until almost end of year to rejoin, but I am out of shape and years of smoking did no help to my health.
Do I have a chance still? Lol.
Re-enlistment code is 01?

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

[Snoopy47]

Originally Posted by S.O.A.R.

I spent 4 years active 2000-04 as 11C.
I do want to join reserves or nasty gi... err nvm, only reserves., I am 38 now, and I am sure I have until almost end of year to rejoin, but I am out of shape and years of smoking did no help to my health.
Do I have a chance still? Lol.
Re-enlistment code is 01?

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

On paper it looks like you are good to go. Your fitness condition is on you. The thing you might be concerned about is getting through a medical at MEPS.

If you can clear MEPS a recruiter will probably be more than happy to work with you.

In regard to your FITNESS, well, the Reserves is not like Active Duty, and what I mean is the time in service CLOCK STARTS!!!!!!!!!!!!! the moment you sign the contract, and NOT your ship date.

That said........... get to a recruiter, clear MEPS ASAP, and sign a contract. Pick a unit and MOS that will push your shipment date as far as you can get, and then use that time to get in shape (for me I had 6 months before I shipped).

I don't know what you have in terms of awards, but if you deployed or have a CAB that would make an interesting mix into the pack of kids you'll be lumped in with.

[Mustard]

So I'm 36, make six figures, swore in to NG in April as an E-4 b/c I wanted something different in my life. Fast forward to now, about a month away from BCT and a few months from OCS, and only now does it really hit me that it'll be like 6 months of leave without pay from my usual 9-to-5, and that doesn't even include AIT.

Oh the things I do to serve my country...

/rant

[AurorA56$$]

That’s great Mustard, it means that your committed to a greater cause. It’s also great because you could network with your younger soldiers and maybe teach them a thing or two about making $$. I commend you.

[Timthetwin]

Anyone have advice for ARNG? I am considering joining. I am state employee with a good agency.

[Supersapper]

Not recommended right now. I was Guard for 17 years, then went reserves. Things were bad last year, but there is a reason people are leaving the CalGuard in DROVES. I still have friends in the Guard and I try to keep up with this.

I would recommend you read the first 20-30 posts of this thread. I'd be happy to answer questions if you need them.

Sapper

[Timthetwin]

Originally Posted by Supersapper

Not recommended right now. I was Guard for 17 years, then went reserves. Things were bad last year, but there is a reason people are leaving the CalGuard in DROVES. I still have friends in the Guard and I try to keep up with this.

I would recommend you read the first 20-30 posts of this thread. I'd be happy to answer questions if you need them.

Sapper

I read all of the previous pages. I get the downsides, but also think there are some aspects I would enjoy. I am thinking about doing OCS. Any input you have would be greatly appreciated. Do you recommend AF Reserve Instead of ANG?

[Supersapper]

Originally Posted by Timthetwin

I read all of the previous pages. I get the downsides, but also think there are some aspects I would enjoy. I am thinking about doing OCS. Any input you have would be greatly appreciated. Do you recommend AF Reserve Instead of ANG?

As a Major in the Reserves, I'm going to say you may want to reconsider OCS. Look, I know officers seem to get a lot of cool things that others don't, but it is not what it's cracked up to be. A lot is expected of you, and the rewards not necessarily there. You become a manager, so many of the really cool schools that teach you some of the great technical schools are not open to you.

Air Force is preferable to Army right now, so either Air Reserves or Air Gaurd is better, but Air Guard is probably the best choice.

What aspects are you seeing that you like? Let's talk about those and make sure you have ALL the information. If you're still good after that, then go for it.

[stormvet]

Originally Posted by Timthetwin

Anyone have advice for ARNG? I am considering joining. I am state employee with a good agency.

I’ll tell you my experience, discharged from the active Army (Armor) got a job with state LE. Was in the reserves (Drill Sgt) and was bored to death, nothing but classroom armory time. Never went to the field or got activated for anything outside of the two week training. Transferred to the NG (MP) and loved it, real soldiering, lots of field time, lots of activations. My civilian job didn’t care, if I had orders I got the time off. I volunteered for all kinds of things, from MJ interdictions to security for military functions. Went to wars and riots and everything in between.

In short it really depends what you want out of it, do you want to soldier or a military job that’s like a civilian job. Figure that out and then pick your MOS accordingly, if getting activated and having your civilian job and life disrupted is not what you want out of it, go reserves not the NG.

[anthonyca]

Originally Posted by DLA

Hmm.. I was really contemplating joining the ANG or Navy reserves.. currently 11 yrs federal LEO. Not sure anymore...

From my time in the reserves, that is a good job for a NG/reserve soldier. Most of the successful long time soldiers were LEO or another type of government job. A few were self employed or free Lance types who.could make thier own schedule and work remotely and were not part of a team at work. Those guys would put in a lot work on thier civilian jobs or business when they had time during AT or other training, meaning they were doing Army stuff, working on civilian work or sleeping, they had crazy work ethics.

I left the reserves mostly for the politically correct BS of them promoting unqualified women and others in a blatant outwardly aggressive move to the left, my civilian job that payed me much more was another reason. It was costing me a lot of money to go to drill and AT when factoring in the pay difference and being away was stunting my growth in my civilian job.

My unit was good about sticking to the yearly schedule which was great. I've hired guardsmen and thier schedules change constantly, often the week of a new MUTA 8 and it really screwed me. As long as I could know thier schedule and if it wouldn't change much, I would make it work but its hard to run a profitable business in the real world when the guy running a project gets pulled away on a whim for some BS sensitivity training.

Would I do it all over again and join the Army Reserve? F yes! Overall it was a great experience and I met some amazing people. It makes me appreciate every second of my freedom I now have. I was thrown out of high-school and had no direction. I wanted to join the Marines but the Army said I could pick my MOS (not necessarily what I actually did, but the training if I didn't fail) with the right ASVAB score, the Marines said needs of the Corps. I enrolled in a self pace continuation school and night school while working every other night not in school and most weekends and I ended up graduating early with honors and shipped off.

My recruiter Sgt Fiame steered me right. He told me if I picked a transferable skill such as HVAC, I could walk into Oracle and work on thier HVAC. We were driving by on 101 when he pointed to the head quarters and said that. HVAC/R popped up and I took it. The Army gave us one chance to get a universal EPA license, we only needed part of the license for Army equipmen. I studied hard on my own and was the only guy in the class to pass the full test. When I went to my job interview, I remember the boss commented that it was great I already had a universal card so I could help with low pressure machines.

Oracle was my account when I was a route mechanic for a civilian company! I have a soft spot for veterans so half my crew are veterans or Guard/reserve. I now have a great life and make in the top 5% of income earners. I owe the Army so I do my part by hiring a lotnof prior service. Some of them have been damaged mentally and physically but we have an understanding that nobody else does.

[AurorA56$$]

The Guard is what you make it. I know lots of people that want to stay in the state, but also want to go on Adventures. So they volunteer for everything; fires, earth quakes, China-virus etc. that’s why j love being in the NG.

[Snoopy47]

Originally Posted by anthonyca

Most of the successful long time soldiers were LEO or another type of government job. A few were self employed or free Lance types who could make thier own schedule and work remotely and were not part of a team at work.

This cannot be emphasized enough. Time and commitments are nothing what are advertised. Those in civilian employment situations where employers are locked into following protection laws for the military AND have the cash flow capacity to comply have a huge career advantage long term.

Time after time I find COL’s and SGM’s are LEO’s, Postal workers, Regulators, etc…..

Now, there are units out there that are straight forward commitments, but they are not easily found, and anyone trying to enter the service is probably not going to land in one.

[rero360]

Originally Posted by Snoopy47

This cannot be emphasized enough. Time and commitments are nothing what are advertised. Those in civilian employment situations where employers are locked into following protection laws for the military AND have the cash flow capacity to comply have a huge career advantage long term.

Time after time I find COL’s and SGM’s are LEO’s, Postal workers, Regulators, etc…..

Now, there are units out there that are straight forward commitments, but they are not easily found, and anyone trying to enter the service is probably not going to land in one.

I agree, although I'm about to be the exception, not being a gov employee on the 9-5 side. I have been in units where the drill schedule was locked in stone, you knew as soon as you got it what it was for the next year and there would be no change at all. My current unit, the complete opposite, I think we're on revision 13 for TY '21, heck, we were at rev 9 back last July for this year.

However, the unit is great for those who want to do stuff, we have like 3-5 ATs a year, this year is Japan, Camp Roberts, a Warfighter in Indiana I think, and possibly one more. The M-Days in non critical roles pretty much get to pick which ones they want to do, and are able to do multiple ones. Plus we have a bunch of guys in on ADOS and other types of orders to assist the AGRs and Fed Techs. I really hope the Japan AT happens, they want to do 15 day quarantine at both ends, so a total of 44 days. I've never done an overseas training mission so I really want to do it, plus I've never been to Japan and I can always use that full BAH.

[Snoopy47]

Originally Posted by rero360

I agree, although I'm about to be the exception, not being a gov employee on the 9-5 side. I have been in units where the drill schedule was locked in stone, you knew as soon as you got it what it was for the next year and there would be no change at all. My current unit, the complete opposite, I think we're on revision 13 for TY '21, heck, we were at rev 9 back last July for this year.

However, the unit is great for those who want to do stuff, we have like 3-5 ATs a year,......

Agree, I am now in cake unit as well. We have two AT's and we pick between them. Our schedule is locked in, we know it in November and that's pretty much that.

While the upside of RFX could be lots of opportunities the down side is an ever changing schedule (I was in command for 2 years and signed 6 different annual schedule changes) and units that want to hang onto soldiers and prevent them from going to said opportunities.

I have observed the WORST situation where schedules change, soldiers have to grovel to their employers, I look like an A-hole for sending out schedule changes with my name at the bottom of it, and worst of all, those soldiers that want to go on ADOS are prohibited from doing so because the General wants to hang onto the RFX soldiers in the event of a mobilization that never actually happens.

I'm tired of the BS of "sorry, you can't go to that Army job and you must stay unemployed because we may or may not give you a job sometime in the future".

In the mean time we are happy to change your Home of Record to the cardboard box under the bridge.

[glassparman]

This thread is old . . . NOW I'm 57 and they STILL don't want me! LOL

Anyone got good experience with DAV? Gotta get my disability rating but I don't have any records.

[rero360]

Originally Posted by glassparman

This thread is old . . . NOW I'm 57 and they STILL don't want me! LOL

Anyone got good experience with DAV? Gotta get my disability rating but I don't have any records.

I used them, sat down with one of their people and we talked about my career up to that point, he asked some questions and basically completed the entire disability application for me, just had me sign it and then he submitted it to the VA for me. I was then sent to see a number of Drs for evaluation and was eventually denied for everything except for TBI and tinnitus, even with supporting documents.

[John H.]

Battle, my younger brother is over 80%. He came back from Round 1 with rash, ringing ear, and jacked up back discs. Couldn't re-up, medical said no, he couldn't wear armor because of pressure on spine. He ended up going to the police academy, and attended law school, LE, and finally to VA-PD. He loves his job very much, and can relate to incoming vets seeking help. He tells me that they keep getting younger.

From my talks with him, his claims were a long process. Remain tenacious. He did mention the importance of using key words in claim, and how it is written. Also, to seek opinions from other doctors.

It there is something specific, send me a PM, and I will ask him.