8 years ago yesterday (28-MAR) I joined the USAR

[Snoopy47]

I joined on a 6/2 contract back in 2011 and could have been DONE.

Not IRR done.

DONE...DONE

oh how time flies.

[Supersapper]

Hey Snoopy,

I just got into the USAR with the 79 TSC at Los Al. The Guard FINALLY got the transfer right, but only after I had to involve NGB to fix the incredible foul up.

One of these days we have got to sit down together.

Sapper

[Snoopy47]

Very big congrats to that.

You'll have to tell me if the grass is greener or not.

[anthonyca]

Wow, I remember following your thread about trying to get in. If I remember correctly, you were up against the age limit.

[Snoopy47]

Wow, I remember following your thread about trying to get in. If I remember correctly, you were up against the age limit.

Yea, I was 38 back then, the limit was 42, and I was tying to commission.

This being around March-2011

Then the USAR lowered the commissioning age back down to 30, bumping me out of contention for officer. HOWEVER, the enlistment window was still 42, but going to be LOWERED to 35 at the beginning of April-2011.

So I basically had a week to shat or get off the pot.

In that time, got to SGT, had a deployment, made officer, got a second MOS, now Company Commander. Around 90% with my GI Bill vesting, so just about any other long term orders, or mobilization will fully vest it. Plan to use it in retirement and take full time basket weaving classes at the local community college so I can get that BAH with the GI bill.

I'm here in SPITE of the system.

************
Ah.................. Good times...............

Took a lot of internet flak back then, took even more flak as a 38 year old SPC.

STILL!!!!!! take a lot of flack as a 46 year old 1LT, but.............. not from any CSM's or below, hahahahahahhahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

[Supersapper]

Very big congrats to that.

You'll have to tell me if the grass is greener or not.

I'm still trying to unscrew the mess the Guard made with it. I'm with the 79th TSC, and they are technically non-deployable for a while, since they are still standing up.

[BillyGoatCrawler]

Yeah I remember when you were trying to join. Time does fly.

10 years ago I was in some **** hole valley in Afghanistan. We got in a lot of contact, but Easter in particular was a heavy one I was involved in. I think about it every Easter, but this one marks 10 years... crazy.

[Bobby Ricigliano]

My time in the Army Reserve was about as good as I could have hoped it would be. I was in a good unit with good people. There was a 5K signing bonus. I deployed once to OCONUS for about a year, but not to any hostile fire zone. I would have gone anywhere, but that is just how the cookie crumbles. We had GREAT AT every year: Korea 2x, Germany, and Thailand for Cobra Gold.

By the time I hit 6 years, my civilian career was in full swing and I decided to bounce. I never got called during my IRR but I expected to, and would have if called. Overall it was a pretty great experience.

[rero360]

Coming up on 19 years in the Guard here, current contract puts me to 25 years, but I'm staying in longer. Currently an Infantry 1SG, although seeing how I spent most of my NCO career as a 13F, I'll probably move back to artillery when I pick up SGM in a few years. I'm toying with the idea of spending a few years as a SGM then dropping an artillery warrant packet and then stay in that route until they kick me out at 60, which would be a total of 43 years in. The only thing potentially keeping me from going warrant is the perm waiver I have for crohns, I'm hoping that if/when I start looking serious into that path that it won't be an unsolvable issue.

[Snoopy47]

Coming up on 19 years in the Guard here, current contract puts me to 25 years, but I'm staying in longer. Currently an Infantry 1SG, although seeing how I spent most of my NCO career as a 13F, I'll probably move back to artillery when I pick up SGM in a few years. I'm toying with the idea of spending a few years as a SGM then dropping an artillery warrant packet and then stay in that route until they kick me out at 60, which would be a total of 43 years in. The only thing potentially keeping me from going warrant is the perm waiver I have for crohns, I'm hoping that if/when I start looking serious into that path that it won't be an unsolvable issue.

Can you go Warrant? Or did you join when right out of high school. Also, I thought they might not let you go WO if you made it to E8.

[rero360]

[Snoopy47]

Snoopy47: I spoke with a CW4 who heads the WO recruitment program the other week

Ha.......... I'm certainly not an expert. I do remember getting the impression that the WO Branches each had their own criteria. If I went MI Warrant I'd would have needed an entire additional year on Mission or second deployment.

The USAR would of course let me run any entire QM Company with 160 soldiers and $50M in equipment without a clue though.

Funny how that works.