Am I required to attend Annual Training in the same year as my AIT?

PV2 Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 04 Apr 2019 00:34:46 -0400

I just finished AIT training last month and found out annual trialing is coming up about a month and a half from now. I was told by my RSP prior to my ship date that I wouldn’t have to go for the reason that I did AIT the same year. Is this true or false?

Response by SSG William Jones made Apr 4 at 2019 12:38 AM

SSG William Jones — Thu, 04 Apr 2019 00:38:52 -0400

Your AGR can tell you, I believe.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 4 at 2019 1:20 AM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 04 Apr 2019 01:20:22 -0400

Nope.
Your unit can make you go to AT. It is a unit training event like any other.
You will be expected to attend all of them, unless specifically excluded for some reason.

Response by SFC George Smith made Apr 4 at 2019 1:34 AM

SFC George Smith — Thu, 04 Apr 2019 01:34:12 -0400

Used To Be You were Only Required To Do 1 14 day "ADT ' Active Duty For Training A Year … You Could More For More Points For Retirement But You Have To Get With The S-1 for Specifics...

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 4 at 2019 2:43 AM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 04 Apr 2019 02:43:26 -0400

It will be up to your unit. Annual training and military education come from different funding sources and are not technically interchangeable, but in practice, most units recognize that it can be a hardship for employers to have their citizen soldiers conduct much more then 14-21 days of duty. Typically, you will be afforded the opportunity to attend if you want to and your leadership should ask you about it. There are many reasons to want you to go, despite already having training time. The most important reason is this will be your first opportunity to see how your role with your newly minted MOS will work within your unit's mission. I suggest, generally, that these types of questions are better off asked of your first line leader. Even on military themed social media, the best we can do is provide general educated guesses

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 4 at 2019 7:06 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 04 Apr 2019 07:06:07 -0400

I don’t see any reason you would be excluded. Although, it’s will depend on your unit and as said before, your leadership would have the best answer for you.

Response by SSG Brian G. made Apr 4 at 2019 8:42 AM

SSG Brian G. — Thu, 04 Apr 2019 08:42:21 -0400

Basic/AIT comes out of one group of funds, AIT comes out of another. Short answer is that you will need to contact your unit to find out. Having been in the reserves, I can almost 100% say the answer is yes, you will have to attend AIT.

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 4 at 2019 9:16 AM

SGM Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 04 Apr 2019 09:16:49 -0400

Your Company Commander can excuse you from AT for having just finished a long school in the same year, or any other reason. He can excuse you, but does not have to.
The authority to excuse a Soldier from drill or AT does not go below Company Commander level.

Response by SPC Casey Ashfield made Apr 4 at 2019 3:16 PM

SPC Casey Ashfield — Thu, 04 Apr 2019 15:16:02 -0400

Commander's discretion on whether or not you go to AT. I would suggest 2 things: largely forget what your RSP told you. Their job was to get you ready for BCT and AIT. What they say now has little to no influence how your unit will run things. And strongly consider going to AT. AT will put everything into perspective of what you learned at AIT, use it as a chance to learn.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 4 at 2019 6:09 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 04 Apr 2019 18:09:37 -0400

Here is the gist. You don't HAVE to go....however....if the Commander NEEDS you to go based on the mission and the Metrics of DMOSQ Soldiers needed to go, get your bags packed. It's up to the Commander to excuse you or not. IMHO, I would recommend you go so as you do not miss out on a training opportunity to employ your newly found/trained skills. Plus....if you perform well above standard and knock the socks off your Leaders with your abilities and knowledge, you could very well walk out of AT with your first earned award and add a ribbon to your chest.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 4 at 2019 9:16 PM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 04 Apr 2019 21:16:57 -0400

Totally up to the commander, but is coming home from AIT really a valid excuse? I personally do not think so, you are a private, that means you need to be given many opportunities to learn. I do not see why you wouldn’t want to go to AT. It all boils down to the mission and the metrics, if your commander doesn’t need you to go per se he or she may excuse you, I personally would not though.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 4 at 2019 9:21 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 04 Apr 2019 21:21:24 -0400

The more training, knowledge and experience that you can get from the leaders in your unit, the better off you’ll be when it’s time to use them.

Response by CPT Brad Wilson made Mar 27 at 2021 10:56 PM

CPT Brad Wilson — Sat, 27 Mar 2021 22:56:26 -0400

Most commanders won’t require you to but want you to. You will get to work with the gun section you will be assigned to and your section chief and crew will want to pick your brain for the latest and greatest info and manuals (which sometimes are hard to get) from the Schoolhouse