Posted on Jan 22, 2022
How hard is it to go active in AIT from the Reserves?
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How hard is it to go active from reserves in AIT? Im in a small MOS. My SGM actually comes into class often and has said he would be willing to help us get stationed where our skills would be best. I’m the only 92m at my reserve unit, but they haven’t really missed me or kept in touch even with being injured at bct and delayed. how hard would it be to convince my unit to let me go if I have his support, even though they’ve paid for my training? Is there a time limit? Or is it just up to my command? I know I have to talk to a recruiter but that’s about it.
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 7
It's not about how hard from AIT it is...it's a matter of how hard the request process is in general regardless of where you are at. A DD Form 368 still has to be processed thru your Chain of Command. Bear in mind that at no time in that process is any Commander in your Chain required to grant you release. Of course, the ultimate decision will be on your CG. But first, you need to speak with an Active Duty Recruiter. Regardless of what the SGM said, there is still a process.
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CPT (Join to see)
I've never seen it happen unless Big Army simply takes them away, and when they do take reserves away it's never permanent. We just get activated and put on orders. A CG has no interest in giving up soldiers.
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SSG Bill McCoy
CPT (Join to see) - As MSG (Join to see) inferred, his best bet is to see an Army Recuter. I found it very easy to go from Naval Reserves to Regular Navy though, adimittedly, I have NO idea how it is these days. Again, an Army Recruiter would be his best bet, and love having another slot filled. When he returns to his HOR, he should see his Recruiter there I'd think best bet.
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CPT (Join to see)
SSG Bill McCoy - Of course I can't say "don't try", but the soldier being a 92M in the USAR under a logistical chain of command where I commanded, I've never seen any of my soldiers successfully transfer out of the USAR into AD.
To try and do so now, while still in AIT, when the $$$ is contracting for us all I think the possibility is remote.
What I do think is a stronger possibility is to work within the USAR system, seek out deployments, rack up time on orders. Effectively, keep oneself so busy it is effectively like being on active duty.
To try and do so now, while still in AIT, when the $$$ is contracting for us all I think the possibility is remote.
What I do think is a stronger possibility is to work within the USAR system, seek out deployments, rack up time on orders. Effectively, keep oneself so busy it is effectively like being on active duty.
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SSG Bill McCoy
CPT (Join to see) - Solid advice sir! Whatever he decides to try, I hope he's successful. For me personally, Reserves was more of a chore than when I went active, but that's just me! :) I especially enjoyed my Army time more than the Navy although I'd have loved sea duty. As a Corpsman however, trained for the Fleet Marines, that wasn't in the cards or was at least unlikely.
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You can’t. You will need a conditional release from your state to go active
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Since you went in with a college degree, too bad you couldn't go to OCS and become a lieutenant? You can expand your knowledge other than Mortuary affairs. You could go into Logistics. You'll get paid more money and have more opportunity. Not sure if your injury is going to prevent you from passing the OCS physical? I went in his military police enlisted and six months later I went into a California Army National Guard OCS program. If you follow the OCS path, make sure that it's federally recognized. Others have told me that some State National Guard ocfs programs are not recognized by the federal government. It never prevented me from getting deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan but having a federal recognition o c s under your belt will make it easier for you to transfer to active duty if you chose to do it. You also have Tour of Duty and mob cop that you can look at your unit volunteer in tours or Inn locations worldwide. This is if you still stay in the Army Reserve or National Guard. I was in the Army Reserve so Tour of Duty with easy for me when I went on duty for 60 days helping Fifth Army in San Antonio Texas coordinate Observer controller trainers to a huge exercise in Canada called Maple Resolve.
MSG (Join to see) SPC Elijah J. Henry, MBA SFC (Join to see) SPC (Join to see)
MSG (Join to see) SPC Elijah J. Henry, MBA SFC (Join to see) SPC (Join to see)
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LTC Stephen Conway
The selection rate for LTC in 38A was 90% so you will be selected!SSG (Join to see) SFC (Join to see) MAJ Byron Oyler CPT (Join to see) MSG (Join to see) SGT (Join to see)
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CPT (Join to see)
LTC Stephen Conway - Sir I'd chase, 38G in Civil Supply, Commerce, or Economic Functions.
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LTC Stephen Conway
CPT (Join to see) a lot has changed. I was a generalist when I took my civil Affairs Q course in the summer of 2006. I have an international business degree in marketing background soap that would probably my specialty if I were your rank today. Sounds pretty interesting!
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SSG Bill McCoy
SGT (Join to see) - With your credentials, I hope you do become an officer. I don't know if there are officers in CBR branch, but there surely is something related I would think.
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Did you drill with your unit at all before reporting to basic, or were you brought to the unit by your recruiter for a quick meet and in-process? Making a statement that your unit doesn't care or miss you is pretty flippant without that kind of information. As for changing your contact from reserve to active shouldn't be difficult. Had a guy from PR in my BCT platoon change his contract
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SFC (Join to see)
(Hit the send button by mistake) so one of my fellow recruits had his contract changed from Guard to active duty with no problem.
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SPC (Join to see)
Thank you for the information about your battle, SSG. It’s not so much that the unit doesn’t care, just that they don’t seem to be on top of things that should be straight forward. No need for specifics but I’ve gone to a few drills and spent a few months trying to fix what ended up being simple problems. I understand they have a lot of soldiers under their command, but I haven’t seen the structure I expected. It’s more so that I feel like they may not notice my absence if they allowed me to leave since they haven’t really kept on top of when I would be able to finally be there “full time” I guess. There doesn’t seem to be any urgency for me to finish my training and report to the unit.
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SFC (Join to see)
SPC (Join to see) I'm sorry that you've gotten such a bad first impression from your unit. That boils down to leadership and mentoring (or lack thereof). You should have had a sponsor assigned to you upon reporting for your first drill prior to basic. They would have helped introduce you to the flow of the unit and what's expected of you, as well as providing contact info to maintain communication with you. I wish you the best in your budding career!
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SGT Tom Moore
SPC (Join to see) Unfortunately my experience with the Reaerves is exactly as you describe this. To me there was a huge difference leaving Ft Bragg after 6 years arriving at my Reserve unit and seeing how terrible it was. I can only blame it on the weekend soldier mentality but, to me it was disappointing to say the least. There were still a lot of good people in that Unit it was just…. Unorganized! Good luck switching over Active. Make the most of your time.
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For more details, I’m a year into my contract already, 8 months under tradoc status due to injury. I came in as a SPC, and I could probably go to BLC to be promoted to SGT soon. The SGM is good friends with the general and could probably pull us for assignments pretty easily so I could get stationed where I want to go.
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SPC (Join to see)
TIS is 18 months, I’m 12 months into my contact. I should be looking at 6 months to become promotable to sgt, which means I’m probably looking at BLC soon to become a CPL and be promotable.
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SGT (Join to see)
SPC (Join to see) TIS is 24 months in the primary zone and 18 months in the secondary zone. To get your p status in the secondary zone a waiver has to come down. Your NCO has to agree to it and write a letter of recommendation. You will then go to the board where you will either get your p status or not. It is not automatic at the secondary level and if you spent so much time in Traddoc and your unit doesn't know you, it's unlikely that you will be able to get the waiver. You definitely won't get it while still in Traddoc as you haven't really shown your expertise in your MOS.
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SGT (Join to see)
SGT (Join to see) I stand corrected. Primary zone for SGT is 36 months TIS and not 23 months.
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No, you cannot switch to AD in AIT. Switching to AD is a whole process that requires you to go back to the MEPS. You have to get a conditional release signed by your Commanding General, THEN meet with a recruiter, then go to MEPS. The current guidance from the Commander of USARC is that Soldiers are expected to honor their contracts and won't be released unless it's for hardship and they can show that going active will alleviate that hardship. That means that your Commanding General is under instructions from their higher command to deny conditional releases.
Once you go to MEPS there is no guarantee that you will keep your current MOS, which you most likely will not. The jobs you're allowed to choose from will be based on the strengths of the Army. 92M is very small and frequently over strength, you will most likely be offered a different set of jobs to choose from.
Once you go to MEPS there is no guarantee that you will keep your current MOS, which you most likely will not. The jobs you're allowed to choose from will be based on the strengths of the Army. 92M is very small and frequently over strength, you will most likely be offered a different set of jobs to choose from.
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The thing is, if you keep your MOS I believe there is only ONE ACTIVE DUTY Mortuary Affairs unit.
All the other Mortuary Affairs units are Reserve. It's a shame when soldiers come in as Jr enlisted in the USAR at levels higher than Company. Being the only in your MOS you're not going to really get mentorship. I suggest finding an MA Company if you can swing the commute and transfer.
You'll probably get plenty of opportunity to deploy as MA being the USAR is where the Army keeps them.
Finally....... it is a weakness of the USAR to lose track of TRADOC soldiers until they finally graduate.
You are in a limbo until you finally do. Big Army feels like they are baby sitting, and USAR is on the hook for your training, and won't hear anything about you unless you really messed up.
Now, as much as a complaint one might have about your home unit, all the Active folks in AIT don't even have that. The moment they stepped off the bus they don't know if they are going to Korea, the US, or anywhere for that matter.
My complaint is Active Army will dump recent AIT grads on us with RED in MEDPROS. They can't get kicked out yet for Red MEDPROS, and they don't want to pay to make them green (usually just lapsed annual exams). So poof, here's a new soldier, and right out of the gate pushing down my readiness numbers.
Show up to your unit green in MEDPROS and you will be appreciated.
All the other Mortuary Affairs units are Reserve. It's a shame when soldiers come in as Jr enlisted in the USAR at levels higher than Company. Being the only in your MOS you're not going to really get mentorship. I suggest finding an MA Company if you can swing the commute and transfer.
You'll probably get plenty of opportunity to deploy as MA being the USAR is where the Army keeps them.
Finally....... it is a weakness of the USAR to lose track of TRADOC soldiers until they finally graduate.
You are in a limbo until you finally do. Big Army feels like they are baby sitting, and USAR is on the hook for your training, and won't hear anything about you unless you really messed up.
Now, as much as a complaint one might have about your home unit, all the Active folks in AIT don't even have that. The moment they stepped off the bus they don't know if they are going to Korea, the US, or anywhere for that matter.
My complaint is Active Army will dump recent AIT grads on us with RED in MEDPROS. They can't get kicked out yet for Red MEDPROS, and they don't want to pay to make them green (usually just lapsed annual exams). So poof, here's a new soldier, and right out of the gate pushing down my readiness numbers.
Show up to your unit green in MEDPROS and you will be appreciated.
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SPC (Join to see)
Thank you for the information CPT. There are 2 active units— both are at Fort Lee, but the MOS sends teams around the world to Germany, Korea, Japan, and Hawaii (along with combat areas). I have special skills that would make me a good candidate to be selected for the Hawaii missions and I have the support of the SGM who is close friends with the BG for the quartermaster corps. It would not be a guarantee, but it would help me in getting into the interview process to go where I’d like. I’m hoping my reserve unit will let me out of my contract— even if I have to wait a few months to do so.
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