USAFR / C-AirNG?

[showerbabies]

Hello. Anyone in the USAFR or Air Guard?

I'm a navy reservist, and thinking about jumping ship (get it?) ...

[Snoopy47]

They Army will always take you.

I had a prior Sailor transfer into my unit while I was in command. He was effectively given the choice by the Navy to either change MOS or get out. He didn't want to change his MOS, and landed a position in the USAR (my unit) while being able to keep his MOS.

He regretted his decision soooooo much. He hated it sooooooo much. Basically, our operational tempo was insane and it was making civilian life hell. There wasn't a thing I could do for him. As far as the Army was concerned he belonged to the USAR 100%. He was never getting back without finishing his USAR obligation. I pushed my end of the request process up, but it was entirely moot. The Commanding General is not going to let him go back to the Navy.

That all said.................. We as reservists regardless of MOS effectively do the exact same thing every weekend drill as all other reservists. Sit around listening/doing training briefs, and keeping our medical readiness up to date. MOS wise very little is specific to the MOS.

Be careful before you leave something you know, especially if you can manage it with your civilian obligations. No matter what happens during drill weekends the priority is being able to find a balance between your civilian and military conflicts.

Yea, you might get some cool MOS, and a cool Honeymoon period of training for said MOS, but once that is done you're back to being a drilling reservist sitting in on HR briefs and keeping your dental appointments up to date, and turning in your flu shot documentation. If the new unit happens to conflict with your civilian schedule, welp, that's your problem.

[Che762x39]

Hello. Anyone in the USAFR or Air Guard?

I'm a navy reservist, and thinking about jumping ship (get it?) ...

HaHa

The downside to the Guard is anybody who got HYT on active or reserves go there to eventually get a retirement check.

[Supersapper]

Snoopy has the right idea. I would add a few things:

1. There is a difference between Guard and Reserves. The Guard is a state entity and typically the farthest you ever have to go to get anything done is the state capitol. With the Reserves, your next higher headquarters could be on the other end of the country, making an in person visit to ensure things are done right next to impossible.

2. You don't mention your rank or "rate" (Navy version of MOS), but if you're higher up on the rank (either officer or enlisted), then Reserves will have more options for you. If you're lower ranking, then the Guard has more options.

3. OPTEMPO in both of them is insane at the moment because of all of the world stuff going on. At least active duty, it's your full time job. In the Reserves or Guard, you have to balance that with a civilian employer. This is hard right now because everyone is waaayyyyyyy down on numbers, so the workload is higher.

I've been in for 22+ years, 17 in the Guard and the last 5 in the Reserves. Been a mess the entire time.

My only disagreement with Snoopy: Yes, the Army will take you but I would absolutely NOT go that route. The Army can't figure it's head from a hole in the ground. For example: The Army, went to a new system called IPPS-A for all personnel actions. The moment that system went online, it was like awakening Skynet -- screwed everything up. For example...my retirement point statement, which was correct prior to IPPS-A, now says that in 2 years, I gained 2700 retirement points and that I have almost 41 years service credit toward retirement. I'm only 53, so the math isn't hard. There's no one that will talk with me and it will take almost 9 months to correct but ONLY if I get them all of the information for my entire career.

[coryhenry]

For what its worth Supersapper, I just went through the same process with IPPS-A to try and get my retirement orders. I had to file a complaint with USARC IG to get it resolved. I will say in all my years it was the first time using IG and they actually solved the problem in less than a month.

[Snoopy47]

Right now........ my retirement points mess up seems straight forward. They break out an additional line the moment IPPS-A took effect (and it initially made it look like I had a non-good year with two six months periods of points with one of them at 48 points and the other at 60 points). So one has to pay attention to the "TIME PERIOD" of said points, and then COMBINE the two partial years into a single year for a good year.

Let's not forget QTC (can't seem to get them to schedule an appointment for me, they required ME to decide which tests I needed, and then someone with medical credentials would then APPROVE said tests, dude........ I just want to get green with PHA set up the appointment and I will go to it), and just on 1-June one has to get their mil mail via an Army Virtual Desk Top. I speculate the vast majority of Jr soldiers in the Reserves are without Mil Mail access now, and the next few BA's will be focusing on getting everyone back on-line with communications.

I also speculate USAR readiness numbers are going to crash purely as a function of QTC not getting folks through the system, IPPS-A actions going to hell, and now only the most proactive soldiers will have connectivity with the active soldiers with ARNET connectivity.

It's why I know I will succeed above my peers. I'll be among the minority that pushes through the BS to get my data correct. Mainly, because I'm not in a command position anymore and I only have to look after my own personal data. I'm not accountable for 100 other PFC's readiness numbers gone all to hell.

[Supersapper]

Right now........ my retirement points mess up seems straight forward. They break out an additional line the moment IPPS-A took effect (and it initially made it look like I had a non-good year with two six months periods of points with one of them at 48 points and the other at 60 points). So one has to pay attention to the "TIME PERIOD" of said points, and then COMBINE the two partial years into a single year for a good year.

Let's not forget QTC (can't seem to get them to schedule an appointment for me, they required ME to decide which tests I needed, and then someone with medical credentials would then APPROVE said tests, dude........ I just want to get green with PHA set up the appointment and I will go to it), and just on 1-June one has to get their mil mail via an Army Virtual Desk Top. I speculate the vast majority of Jr soldiers in the Reserves are without Mil Mail access now, and the next few BA's will be focusing on getting everyone back on-line with communications.

I also speculate USAR readiness numbers are going to crash purely as a function of QTC not getting folks through the system, IPPS-A actions going to hell, and now only the most proactive soldiers will have connectivity with the active soldiers with ARNET connectivity.

It's why I know I will succeed above my peers. I'll be among the minority that pushes through the BS to get my data correct. Mainly, because I'm not in a command position anymore and I only have to look after my own personal data. I'm not accountable for 100 other PFC's readiness numbers gone all to hell.

Ahhhh....QTC. Another gem of a decision. Be really nice if the Reserves and Guard would just send people to an active duty treatment facility to have the items and tests done. Then it's all in their official military records and all the Soldier has to do is make sure the unit PA has permission to view. Since DOD MTFs all use the same system, an army guy could go to a navy facility and do it without an issue.

QTC is also responsible for me having to do an SRP twice. The system did not have my previous one in it, despite being several months prior. I even handed them the documents and they still made me do it again.

Agreed on the looking out for self. At this point this is key. I was placed on the FY24 recommended command list and I immediately removed my name from it. They put me on the FY25 command list and I removed my name from that as well. I will not do a fragmented, weekend warrior battalion command for exactly the reason you cite (with mods for a BN CDR):

I'm not accountable for 500 other PFC's (and others) readiness numbers gone all to hell.