I think I'm going to go Army reserve.

[Ben S]

For a while now I've had the driving desire to serve my country. I know that if I don't do something no matter how minor it is, I will always regret it. I also feel like I have a debt to pay off. The American military saved my grandparents on my mother's side during WW2. On my father's side, my grandfather was a tech sergeant in the 225th searchlight battalion.

My only problem is that because of family and work obligations I will NOT be able to be shipped out to another country for a year at a time. It just doesn't work like that. I need to be around. So, I want to be in army reserve, and get a job that is "non-depolyable." I am going to be taking the ASVAB in two weeks, at which point my local recruiter will be able to tell me which jobs are available at my local reserve unit, and I'll have a chance to talk to the guys in charge there and see what I can work out. Hopefully they'll have an available MOS in the armory, and I can play with guns!!!! But we'll see. I want to serve the country, so my job is to do whatever they need me to do, so long as it means that I am not going to end up spending a year deployed in Germany, Iraq, Korea, or anywhere other than right here.

Is the recruiter blowing smoke up my ass telling me that I can really serve without worrying about getting shipped out?

[First Shirt]

Is the recruiter blowing smoke up my ass telling me that I can really serve without worrying about getting shipped out?

Short answer: Yes, he is. I've seen just about every AFSC in the Air Force deployed at one point or another. Sometimes off to the sandbox (we had four guys who went to Iraq as cargo handlers, and wound up driving 5-ton trucks in convoys twixt hither and yon), and sometimes as "backfill" to take a stateside position so the ADP (active-duty puke) could deploy.

But the last two years I was in, I volunteered 16 times to deploy, and could never get either my commander, or his commander's approval, so it's anybody's guess (and it IS a guess!).

[Dan]

There's really no such thing as a non-deployable job. I worked in a training brigade in the USAR for years. The battalions taught MOS-producing schools, and BNCOC and ANCOC. Seems safe enough, right? Our wartime mission was to backfill a Basic Training brigade if those Soldiers were deployed. Well, many of our Soldiers were cross-leveled to deploying units. We even ended up sending a rather large team to Kuwait for several months to teach classes.

On the other hand, I did almost 7 years in the Reserve and 20 active and the only place I heard a shot fired in anger was Columbus, GA. So, who knows?

Don't count on the recruiter knowing what slots are open in the local unit. Definitely talk to the unit. They have their own recruiters. Armorers are in the logistics field, and support troops are absolutely necessary in the box.

Point is, if you enter with the expectation you'll not go anywhere, you are bound to be disappointed.

[randy]

and get a job that is "non-depolyable."

No such thing. There are some career fields that are less likely to be deployed than others, but at bottom line your enlistment contract basically says you agree to go anywhere the Service decides they need you.

In the example you gave, Armorers are needed even more in the forward areas to keep things running when it means life and death, not just a gig on an inspection or a qualification shoot.

Anyone that tells you that they can guarantee that you will never deploy is lying to you.

Just an example of what can happen. iIn the AF in the 80's, there was a computer career field and a communications career field. The computer guys spent their careers moving among CONUS bases. The comm guys spent their careers with one assignment overseas, one CONUS and back, with at least 1/3 of those being 'Remote" tours (isolated, austere conditions, no dependents).

In the mid 80's the Communications and Computer career fields merged. Guess who moved to the top of the list to staff remote tours?

[Ben S]

Hrm....discouraging thought. Perhaps I should fill in some more details. The recruiter told me that certain MOSs do get shipped out. But that some actually stay. Also he said that once a unit is deployed, it is not deployed again for 5 years...found it interesting. Not sure I trust it though (given the impartial source).

He says that as soon as JAG gets wind that I am in law school (slated to graduate Dec. '09), they'll want me doing stuff for them. And that since I don't graduate for another year, and will then be starting up work as a junior associate in a law firm (therefore unavailable to be deployed because it would be catastrophic for my job), I can be put on a "stabilized" list which means I stay here in the USA. I wouldn't mind if i get shipped shipped around on humanitarian stuff (ie. 2 weeks in California helping victims of forrest fire, or some other such thing). It's just a long term deployment that would kill this idea for me.

[Ben S]

Wow. two new replies. Thanks for getting back to me guys.

this is indeed interesting. The guy did not guarantee that I wouldn't be sent anywhere. But that some jobs just don't get deployed. Not that they can't, but they don't.

He did recommend that I talk with the commander of the local unit before I commit to anything.

[randy]

Now that we've pissed all over your dream

There are alternatives if you want "do something".

See if your state has an active "State Guard". This is NOT the National Guard which are now basically just another level of Reserve formations for the Active forces. These are actual organized State Militias that work ONLY for the Governor and do not activate to fill in for/augment regulars.

In Ohio it's an MP Brigade that trains to provide back fill for disaster and other situations around the State when the National Guard is deployed or otherwise engaged.

See if your local Emergency Management Agency has volunteer positions. Or if there's a Police/Sheriff's office Auxiliary. The American Red Cross, Salvation Army and FEMA all have teams of volunteers that activate and deploy to disaster areas for periods ranging from a few days to weeks (i.e. Katrina). Volunteer with USO. Once you are a practicing lawyer, volunteer to assist service members and their families with Pro Bono legal services

Your circumstances may preclude taking active part in operations "over there", but there are lot of things you can do to help with the home front and help the warriors keep their attention focused in front of them and not worried about their family back "in the world".

[Ben S]

I looked and I can't find a Conencticut state guard. Apparently, we are unguarded.

I like your idea about Red Cross, FEMA etc... volunteer groups. It's a great idea. But I also really want to serve in the military. Heck, even if it can only be Coast Guard reserve I want to do something. (yes, I know coast guard is now homeland defense). Time to reevaluate my position.

I really appreciate the advise guys. Like, really. I would not want to go into it half-assed. I had a gut feeling I wasn't getting the whole story from the recruiter, but it's good to have your corroboration. Even if you did piss on my dream It's cool. better to go into something knowing the truth, than to go in thinking it's something it isn't. Right?

I do still plan to take the ASVAB and see what is available. If I can get a commander to tell me that I'm not going to be sent somewhere for longer than, lets say a month at a time, I think I would still be ok with Army Reserve. I would be very proud to wear the uniform of our Army. I think I'm willing to make certain compromises on my end for it.

[First Shirt]

Ben;

They may be listed under State Defense Forces (that's the way the Alabama unit is listed), and they may not have a web site, depending on who's doing what. According to my info, there are 27 states that have a state defense force/militia/guard, some (like Alaska) also have a naval militia. Might take a little digging to come up with the info you need.

Good luck, with whatever you decide to do. (Hey FWIW, one of our C-130 pilots at Maxwell was a civilian lawyer, he said he needed the flying time to keep from going postal!)

[JAG2955]

Ben, you're too smart to enlist. Do yourself a BIG favor and look at the officer programs. It might be difficult if you want to go reserves, but it'll be a much smarter choice in the long run. (No disrespect to the former E-dogs among us) I really have no clue what kind of enlisted jobs there are in the law fields, but I can guarantee that a JAG won't really pull much weight around a command.

As for being an armorer, you'll work long hours with people who really don't have much of a clue about guns.

Remember, recruiters have to fill quotas. That's a main driving force behind what they'll tell you. I don't want to bash all recruiters, but some of them give the others a really bad name.