Advice for a future soldier

[HCM]

Federal LE and Reserve military service go really well together, from what I've seen.

My wife is a USAR MP, and also a CBP officer. Since her employer runs off tax dollars instead of having to turn a profit, they don't mind her being away on military orders, plus she continues to accumulate time in grade towards promotion & step increases on the GS side while on active duty tours.

I think TGS already mentioned that you can also "buy back" your military time so it counts towards Fed retirement, which a very good deal.

Lots of Reservists do endure significant travel to get to the units they want to be in. It's not ideal, but people seem to be willing to tolerate it, in exchange for being able to do their preferred jobs. Sometimes units will work with folks to make things less painful, like doing more drill days less often, or allowing you to occasionally work from a local unit instead, although if you're in a leadership position then doing the right thing usually means being there with your subordinates. The USAR also has a program to reimburse some of the travel expenses, but I have no clue if that applies to the National Guard. The Guard has the Aviation brigades, so that's where I think you'll want to be.

That may be true of CBP but in others being down a man (or more) is an issue. CBP has lots of bodies and they are not working long term cases so they are somewhat interchangeable.

Being gone all the time can hurt your career and career opportunities. Do not be surprised if you (or your COC) get asked whether you were ordered deployed or you volunteered.

People do it, including long distance travel but I see those same people coming into the office after local drill days and conversely spending non drill weekends doing admin work for their reserve or guard position.

[Le Français]

It's pretty normal. Even in this job there a bunch of reservists, including guys with the 19th or 20th SFG. One of the guys at my office is on leave for over a year for MOS school because of a reclass, and one of my buddies on the east coast is a reservist with the Navy at a unit in Hawaii. Others Ive met are reservists with units 4+hours away.

Not uncommon. Stupid, in my mind, as life is meant to be enjoyed instead of being run ragged all the time...but to each their own. Not sure about warrant officer pilots, but everyone I know with a leadership role in the reserves (SNCO and officers) committ a ridiculously disproportionate amount of time to it beyond the stated 1 weekend/month, 2 weeks/year.

IMA seems to be a much better deal overall.

That's all way in the future, though. Just know that the option is there, and you wouldn't be the first person trying to mix reserves with an 1811 or 2501 job.

Thanks a lot for this. How does IMA work?

You're right that it's far in the future, with a lot of hurdles to clear first.

[Dave J]

How does IMA work?

IMA = Individual Mobilization Augmentee. Basically, your unit will schedule you to work certain days they need you, up to your max drill days per year. The IMA positions I am most familiar with involved supporting training exercises or were schoolhouse instructors, so the workload wasn't evenly spread throughout the year.

What's most common, and what people think of when someone says "reserves," is TPU, or Troop Program Units. This is your "one weekend a month, two weeks a year" assembling together with the rest of your unit for weekend drills and Annual Training.

Positions are coded either as TPU or IMA, so you can't pick and chose once you accept a slot. It just depends on the position. I have no idea if IMA positions are common in the Aviation community. Some IMA positions support Active Component units.

The third flavor of reserve jobs is AGR, or Active Guard & Reserve, who are reservists who work full time...most units have a small number of AGRs to keep things in order in between drills (for example, a company's Training NCO and Supply Sergeant might be AGR positions.) AGR is a separate program, and people who are accepted into the AGR program normally stay AGR, for at least several years.

[Le Français]

Well, due to a few factors (mostly a substantial impending increase in service obligation for aviation officers), I'm out of the AD process, and I'm pursuing the same position in a NG aviation unit. Most of the great advice here should still apply!

[Treecop]

May want to quit coffee, that was the hardest thing about Basic for me, we still snuck the mre coffee shots and snagged the occasional cup on KP. Of course, they probably have a latte stations in food court cafeteria by now!
Good luck, don't get hurt.


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[Cory]

The third flavor of reserve jobs is AGR, or Active Guard & Reserve, who are reservists who work full time...most units have a small number of AGRs to keep things in order in between drills (for example, a company's Training NCO and Supply Sergeant might be AGR positions.) AGR is a separate program, and people who are accepted into the AGR program normally stay AGR, for at least several years.

In addition you can be placed on ADOS orders. Active Duty Operational Support. The orders can be for a lot of different roles. I was on ADOS orders for a position in Military Forces Honor Guard, and as a PreMobilization Training Assistance Element instructor. The positions are as varied as you can imagine. They are usually for 1 fiscal year at the longest, but many times landing one ADOS job nets you connections to have the same job the next year, or a different one.

Advice for basic:
-Get in shape now. Nobody will count morning PT push ups, but skimping is failing yourself. Everyone knows who can't run. Everyone.
-It isn't designed for you to win. When you first get there you are wrong. There is no solution, so just play the game and put in your time.
-Be "hooah" during training. It's a retarded saying but basically you need to be the most motivated person there. Blending doesn't work. Ask me how I know. Commit yourself to being the best you can at it. Regardless of if it's BRM, PT, CLS, DNC, or memorizing acronyms.
-Pay attention to the people with the most experience, your instructors. They chose to be in a place where they can teach you the things that you need to know. The care enough about the Army and it's recruits and new privates to want to teach them. They didn't get picked because they're sadistic they got picked because they can make you what the Army needs. Trust them, and listen.
-Save your money. You don't need that thing that you think you need.
-Keep your pecker in your pocket. Nobody met there true love in basic, ait, or any other school. I've seen so many guys marry the first whiskey tango female they met in training. It didn't go well for any of them financially, emotionally, or with regards to their career. It earmarks you as a dumbass to your superiors.
-Go to church. At least during basic. Not religious? You should be. And even if you aren't it's a nice break when the headgame gets to you. But if you haven't been going since day 1 and suddenly want to go when you are getting rode hard for a mistake... it will make things worse when the sermon is over. So go to church from week one just so you can have a break later if you need one. You may never need one.
-KEEP A COPY. IF IT IS PAPER AND IS IN ANY WAY, SHAPE, FORM, RELATED TO YOU KEEP A COPY OF IT.
-Don't go to medical unless your hurt.
-Don't be a tough guy if your hurt - go to medical.

Career wise?
-KEEP A COPY. IF IT IS PAPER AND IS IN ANY WAY, SHAPE, FORM, RELATED TO YOU KEEP A COPY OF IT. If it is in your favor the Army will lose the paperwork. If isn't in your favor they will lose the paperwork, then it will pop up prior to promotion or other favorable action. But it didn't go away.
-You'll see good leaders and bad. Be a good one.
-Be friends with the paper pusher. Be friends with the operations NCO. Be friends with the supply NCO. Be friends with the mechanic. Be friends with the cook.
-Your wants in life may chance. That isn't a bad thing, just consider how you may feel after the change.
-NG units aren't all bad. But don't think you can bounce to whatever unit you want in whatever location you want. If you are too good of a soldier your CO won't sign off on you going anywhere. If you choose an AR/NG unit you may run into this type of thing.
-Your recruiter lied. Your in it now, so deal with it.
-Careful who you poo-poo.
-The task you need to get done right now is the most important one. Until it isn't.
-The most important thing in your world is not the most important thing in the world. Wrap your head around this as early as you can.
-Take the photo.
-Sometimes the best soldier is a fat one. Sometimes the worst gets a 300 PT score. Don't discount knowledge because it came from a fat guy with two bad knees who does the walk during a PT test. Sometimes he has more experience on the crew serve then anyone else, and reads from TMs, FMs, and the Ranger handbook before bed and every time he poops. At the same time, recognize that the Army doesn't care what he knows because he is fat.
-Experiences vary. Identical circumstances, different results. The Army is always consistent. The Army is never consistent. Two people may say 180* opposite things and both be right. Or wrong.
-The GI Bill is great. Look into alternatives like REAP if you can. Sometimes they are better for your situation, and can not be used once you begin using your GI Bill. Using the VA for school is a two edged sword. By that I mean they "over paid" me benefits, then made me repay them more then I ever got in return. Then claimed I owed an additional amount in the high 4 digit. It took months and months to get them to admit I didn't owe the money. In the meantime they destroyed my credit. Then I had to fight for another 6 months to get them to remove "unpaid government loan" from my credit score. Keep a record of every time you speak to them on the phone. Take notes, names, dates, times, who you spoke to, what department, what they said, and everything else. Then call a 2nd time and see if the information you get matches. Then call a third time. If you need to revisit the issue months later do the same thing. I may never finish my 4 year degree because of how difficult it was to deal with the VA.

That's about all I got. I'm a nobody though, so if someone with more experience says other wise I would believe them. I did 1 contract in the National Guard, 1 deployment, and got out as an E5 after 6 years. My experience is a drop in the ocean, and some guys here know a LOT more.

-Cory

[schüler]

Being older you'll likely end up with more or all responsibility. It helps if you already know regulations and rote memory stuff (have general orders been reduced to just a few?) to help keep you and your knuckleheads out of as much trouble as possible. And refresh or establish knowledge of march/drill beforehand, especially if you were born with two left feet. Wouldn't let any of that knowledge slip out in front of DSs tho.