Miltary Reserve

[Shooter04]

As the title reads, when i graduate from college I've decided I'd like to join a reserve branch of the military...problem is I'm not sure which one . I chose the reserve for two reasons...

1. I want to give back to this country but don't want to be a career soldier. I'd like to stay home and have a civilian job.

2. It may or may not be much, but the reservists benefits would really help a kid like me out.

I'd also like to help as much as i can. I was a swimmer in high school (All-American ) so i was thinking Coast Guard reserve is where i could do the most good...possibly National Guard reserve. I'm not interested in being shipped off out of country to go kill people...that's why i figured Army/Marine reserve wouldn't be a good idea. Any thoughts from any reserve soldiers here would be a great idea. In fact, any thoughts on joining reserve vs full time would be great as well.

Thanks,
Hunter

[07OUTLAW]

I'm active, and know very little about the reserve side of things.

However, you mentioned USCG, if you need any further info there, PM me............. I know some folks

I don't know how a reserve AST (rescue swimmer) would work out. There is alot of training to keep up on, I don't think you'd be able to keep up with the one weekend one month deal

Anyway, let me know if you have any more USCG, AST specific questions

[Shooter04]

Originally Posted by 07OUTLAW

I'm active, and know very little about the reserve side of things.

However, you mentioned USCG, if you need any further info there, PM me............. I know some folks

I don't know how a reserve AST (rescue swimmer) would work out. There is alot of training to keep up on, I don't think you'd be able to keep up with the one weekend one month deal

Anyway, let me know if you have any more USCG, AST specific questions

Rescue swimmer in the USCG would be a dream come true...but I've looked into it and yes, you have to be full time . That's definitely where i could do the most good though. My priority after college is being a swim coach so that comes first. What do you think of the Coast Guard/National guard? To be honest, i know practically nothing about them

[07OUTLAW]

As a part time gig it would be OK, but I don't think you'd get that much out of it. I guess it depends on what you're lloking to get from it, but for me, the reserves wouldn't cut it. You just can't focus any time on it, therefore you are basiclly useless at "work".

I'm not trying to discourage you at all. I'm not trying to get you to go active either. I'm just stating how I feel...



And this is all based on USCG reserve, I know VERY little about Nat. Guard, were you looking at air guard, army guard?

[Rockstar Edition]

well Im active as well and don't know a whole lot about the reserve side, however the benefits that I see in this economy are OUTWEIGHED, FAR OUTWEIGHED by being a reservist.

you have full health care, a GUARANTEED roof over your head, GUARANTEED food on your table, GUARANTEED paycheck( so long as you stay out of trouble ). and to be honest with you, deploying( going overseas ) isn't ALWAYS about killing people. I am currently overseas working with the locals in training and such and we do NO life threatening missions, however there are those jobs. this is my second deployment and both were not life threatening in any way. it's really something to think about.....and plus, the extra money while you're deployed ( IS ALOT OF FUN............WAIT TIL YOU SEE MY TRUCK WHEN IT GETS DONE IN A FEW DAYS............AND IT WAS ALL DONE IN "FREE" MODS!!!) there is alot of money to be made however, don't go into this job or any job ONLY looking at the monetary benefits. it's great to see young kids talk about going into the military, and it really annoys me that I watch some of these guys in the military that are so excited to get out, and in this economy jobs are so hard to find. )

good luck and best choices.

Chad

[D3VST8R96GT]

I have been both active and resv army.....

I will tell you i hated the army resv, to get anything done (pay issues schools etc) took forever cause only a few people actually worked fulltime (AGR)

Benefits wise active army is the better option

But as a personal note don't join the army if u like swimming like I do join the navy the last 2 army post I hve been at the pool was closed for some reason or another. BTW we don't go over and "kill people". I kinda take offense to that for instance I'm a medic and I'm a paralegal for the army no where in either job descriptions does it say I kill people, quite the contrary...... But I am prepared to defend myself

[Shooter04]

Originally Posted by D3VST8R96GT

I have been both active and resv army.....

I will tell you i hated the army resv, to get anything done (pay issues schools etc) took forever cause only a few people actually worked fulltime (AGR)

Benefits wise active army is the better option

But as a personal note don't join the army if u like swimming like I do join the navy the last 2 army post I have been at the pool was closed for some reason or another. BTW we don't go over and "kill people". I kinda take offense to that for instance I'm a medic and I'm a paralegal for the army no where in either job descriptions does it say I kill people, quite the contrary...... But I am prepared to defend myself

I apologize for my remark. Re-reading it i definitely could have worded it better. Sorry brother

It's nice to hear opinions from active members who aren't trying to get me to go full time. Anytime i bring it up with my idiot friends all they say is "Reserve? That's for panzies!" or "Be a SEAL, Ranger, Marine Recon anything but Reserve, that's just stupid". Dang closed minded rednecks . Anyways, i wouldn't be joining only for the money, i truly do want to give back. I'm a certified EMT Basic as of a week ago () and plan on becoming volunteer over the summer. I won't be graduating for some time though...depending on how far i take my education it could be 3 more years or it could be 7-10. Is there any use for a paramedic in the Coast Guard Reserve? (might be a dumb question, i dunno).

D3VST8R96GT:

What was it like being Army Reserve? Training, pay, benefits, can you still work a civilian job, were you shipped out of your area for anytime...etc. Any use for a paramedic in the Army Reserve? Pretty much any and all info would be greatly appreciated

-Hunter

[taskforcefreddy]

Since you are working on your degree, I recommend becomming an officer. Much higher pay which leads to a larger retirement down the road. I was shocked when I saw the monthly reservist/guard pay chart. I was an NCO and am now a Commissioned Officer and although I really liked being a squad leader, being a company commander is even better and the benefits of being an officer make it even more worth while.

I understand that you're not in it for the money and neither am I but if you have the option available, you might as well use it. Tell us more about yourself, age, education, etc. Sounds like Med Service Corps might be for you. Good friend of mine was in 3rd Ranger Bat and went MSC when he became an officer.

And BTW, depending on your situation, if your a cadet going through training while in the reserve/NG, you can't deploy.

[Shooter04]

Originally Posted by taskforcefreddy

Since you are working on your degree, I recommend becomming an officer. Much higher pay which leads to a larger retirement down the road. I was shocked when I saw the monthly reservist/guard pay chart. I was an NCO and am now a Commissioned Officer and although I really liked being a squad leader, being a company commander is even better and the benefits of being an officer make it even more worth while.

I understand that you're not in it for the money and neither am I but if you have the option available, you might as well use it. Tell us more about yourself, age, education, etc. Sounds like Med Service Corps might be for you. Good friend of mine was in 3rd Ranger Bat and went MSC when he became an officer.

How do you become an officer? You mean like the ROTC on campus? Can officers be reserve as well?

And I'm 18, in college studying Post-Gilded Age American History. I plan on taking my degree up the the Ph.D level...possibly an Ed.D in place. Ed.D would make more sense in my future field of work i presume. I recently became an EMT basic as stated before and plan on volunteering over the summer at the station back home. I'm not good at much...except swimming lol. That's why i figured coast guard would be great. But I do take a liking to the emergency medical services.

I'm 6'4", I can hit 160 lbs in wet clothes after eating on a good day, mile time in the mid 7 minute area and have absloutely no muscle mass . My teammates call me stick

[taskforcefreddy]

^^ Yes. That's exactly how you go about doing it. If you're a full time student and elect to partake in Mil Science, when you graduate, you will receive your commission as a Second Lieutenant. You will also receive a monthly stipend for being a cadet (more money) and may qualify for a reserve officer scholarship. You can elect to either stay in the guard/reserve or go on active duty however you need to make your mind up on that sometime during your junior yearof school. If you go to Basic Training one summer and then AIT the next, you will be able to receive a State Sponsored GI Bill with Kicker and then tuition reimbursement benefits to help pay for school. As a fresh/sophomore, if you contract ROTC and pledge to become an officer when you graduate and enlist in the state's National Guard, you will be part of the SMP program (Simultaneous Membership Program). This means you receive both state and federal tuition assistance and stipends totalling up to $800-$900 plus tuition reimbursement at the end of the semesters.