Have a question about joining reserves

[DefensorFortis]

Hey guys, I am hoping you guys can help me help a friend of mine.

My friend of mine is interested in joining one of the Reserves.

She has a full time job and is wondering if there are any options to not going to basic combat training. She cannot exactly take several weeks off from work because she has a pretty important job she cannot leave all the time.

Thanks for any help in advance.

[acf6]

Well I went into the Navy reserves and because I was in a certain profession I didn't have to go to a full basic. I went threw what was called APG,advanced pay grade, School. I still had to do all the books and training for my rate. I went in at E-3. I don't think any other reserve elment does this. It depends on what she does for a living. The school was 2 weeks long but was run like a basic just shorter. I have been out for 3 yrs so I don't know if they even do this anymore.

[MickDonalds]

Hey guys, I am hoping you guys can help me help a friend of mine.

My friend of mine is interested in joining one of the Reserves.

She has a full time job and is wondering if there are any options to not going to basic combat training. She cannot exactly take several weeks off from work because she has a pretty important job she cannot leave all the time.

Thanks for any help in advance.

I don't mean to sound like an asshole, but if her job is so much important than "Paying her dues" by completing Basic Combat Training, tell her we (The US ARMY) don't need her. Soldiering involves humility and enduring hardship, sacrifice and struggle in order to become what we are. A person not willing to sacrifice to endure Basic Training is the same type of person that says "Oh I don't have to deploy, I didn't sign up for that. I wanted college money" when Mobilization Orders for A'stan come down the chain of command.

[cavscout79]

I might be a little gentler in my response, but Mick has got a point. If you join the reserves you WILL have to go to basic training and AIT. You WILL have to go to schools and field excercies. You WILL deploy. This whole one weekend a month and two weeks a year Bull is finished. On the other hand you should tell her that she will be getting paid and that her boss can not fire her for enlisting. She needs to make up her mind about whether or not she is cool with the whole package.

[DefensorFortis]

Thanks to everyone for the info. My friend, Linda, has been going through tough financial times and needs some extra money on the side. (She's got a masters degree and people still aren't interested in taking her on). She works for State government in administrative and is a pretty high grade, but it's not enough.

I was surprised how open and serious she was about the whole idea of going Reserve. But I told her that she WILL have to go to basic and advance/techincal even with reserve, so I've got the same idea you guys have. So I'll pass the word on.

Thanks

[MickDonalds]

Thanks to everyone for the info. My friend, Linda, has been going through tough financial times and needs some extra money on the side. (She's got a masters degree and people still aren't interested in taking her on). She works for State government in administrative and is a pretty high grade, but it's not enough.

I was surprised how open and serious she was about the whole idea of going Reserve. But I told her that she WILL have to go to basic and advance/techincal even with reserve, so I've got the same idea you guys have. So I'll pass the word on.

Thanks
She works for the government and isn't "making enough money"???

I find that seriously hard to believe. Ask her what kind of luxury expenses she has. I'm an NCO, supporting my family as a sole provider and I'm putting my wife through college right now. I'm not broke, but I'm doing fine.
Also, we (again, I speak for the US ARMY as a whole) don't want people that just want some easy money. That's why we have an overfull end-strength right now as is: a bunch of people joined because they were desperate and needed money, not because they believe in our causes.

[theshoebox]

What type of degree does she have?

[DefensorFortis]

^At Mick... Linda is not money smart and she is on the verge of banktruptcy and has a list of money problems that stretches the imagination. But I definately agree that she's doing this for the wrong reasons and won't be a productive soldier. But I don't know if she'll go the distance with the reserve idea.

^At theshoebox... she has a masters in sociology.

[MickDonalds]

^At Mick... Linda is not money smart and she is on the verge of banktruptcy and has a list of money problems that stretches the imagination. But I definately agree that she's doing this for the wrong reasons and won't be a productive soldier. But I don't know if she'll go the distance with the reserve idea.

^At theshoebox... she has a masters in sociology.

I don't think she's thought this through. Money is easy to manage. Grasping at a straw called the US ARMY to solve some money woes is not the answer.

[nastyleg]

I don't think she's thought this through. Money is easy to manage. Grasping at a straw called the US ARMY to solve some money woes is not the answer.

with that being said as an NCO as well, going on my 4th tour my wives second, it is not easy at all. I have seen too much heartache. Money is easier made in the private sector. She may have to ommit certain things when appling to get another job. If bancruptcy is the worst thing she has going on in her life then she is doing 90% better then the rest of the world.