Civilian Job, Reserves and Volunteer Fire? Have any of you juggled three obligations?

I did a regular job, Reserves, and full time MS program. Bottom line, I have no memory of those 2 years. You can get so saturated where there's no quality. Don't know how'd I do it if I had kids at the time. What you have to realize is there's pretty much no part of your life that you can own so it can be done in short bursts. I don't recommend it for the long term.

I put in 13 years in the guard and I am in my 16th year in the fire service. I volunteered the entire time I was in the guard while also working and/or going to school. Currently I am the Chief of a Professional Volunteer Fire Department (professional does NOT equal a paycheck) and a career firefighter/AEMT for my full time job. I still go school whether it be fire service/ EMS related or college and make time for my fiance who has stuck it out with me for the last four years. Sure sometimes it is a drain and as chief I have more on my plate than my average fireman but if you have the ability to prioritize things in your life then you will be fine. Understand that the first year or so joining a department will take up most of your free time due to training requirements and the fact that you want to make a good impression on your brothers and sisters. Once you get whatever certifications out of the way that the department requires and off probation, the pace will back off a bit. I saw in another comment where you currently do not have family obligations and want to do something rewarding. Go for it now while you have the time available. The average service time of a volunteer firefighter in this country is five years. A lot of folks join young and with no family obligations. As life changes, so do priorities and that's ok. Who knows, you may fall in love with the fire service and make a paid or volunteer career out of it. Most volunteer departments are happy to have veterans as well as those still serving as members. Best of luck to you.

Totally, I work as needed in an ER, will be starting full time at the VA here hopefully soon, I am the MRO for my unit and down-trace unit (my reserve unit is a 6 hour drive from my HOR), I have a side gig as a consultant for a skin care line, I am wanting to write for a clinical journal and presented at a national conference in June (that was a lot of work !), a mom to a high school kiddo who plays sports, a wife to an AD Air Force Nav... and a dog mom.
At one time - not too long ago - I was in school from 2008-2014 to get where I am now along with working full time in the ER, working as a SANE on the side, doing my reserve duties, taught RN students for a semester during 2012 - moved across the country and back to the midwest .... always burning the candle at both ends.. It can be done. Some people thrive on stress/being busy... you can always put one thing down if you feel your pulled in too many directions. If you don't try, you won't know what your capable of. So why not ! Cheers.