How much time a week do you spend doing your actual MOS?

2016-04-29T13:43:10-04:00

Question is also for reservists, but for drill weekend. Doing as in learning or practicing skills you already know.. I can say if I wasn't in IT as a civilian, I would not be able to do my job.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 29 at 2016 1:51 PM

2016-04-29T13:51:07-04:00

It was most of the weekend a couple months ago. Now that I have been transferred and preparing for a deployment, the answer is none.

Response by 1stSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 29 at 2016 2:01 PM

2016-04-29T14:01:51-04:00

As an infantryman, I spent all of it.

Response by SSG Kyle Johnson made Apr 29 at 2016 2:03 PM

2016-04-29T14:03:17-04:00

SPC Bernardy,

During the Drill weekends my section constantly train to the standards of the Infantry. We do not have the time or the luxury of wasting our time not training for what we must do in the field. I task each member of my section to set up some sort of course of instruction from my Squad Leaders to the lowest lever. These tasks can range from basic battle drills mounted and dismounted, TOW training, Marksmanship and PMI.

I also encourage my soldiers to work outside of the drill weekend to ensure proficiency.

Outside of my drill weekends I will usually go over Ranger Handbook, FM 3-55(FM7-93) Long Range Surveillance Unit Operations, and FM 3-21.12 The Infantry Weapons Company, and The Army Study Guide regularly between drills. In the Guard we do not have as much time to train as our Active counterparts so we have to have the discipline to make time to review and keep ourselves ready and prepared at all times.

On average I will spend 15-18hours a week reading through these FM's and working out in order to make sure that I am technically and tactically proficient because I know that my Soldiers lives depend on the knowledge and experience that my decisions when we are deployed. When you you don't stay on top of your craft you make mistakes and in our profession those mistakes can be be the deciding factor of if you go home with everyone or not.

Response by SPC Rory J. Mattheisen made Apr 29 at 2016 4:57 PM

2016-04-29T16:57:28-04:00

When I was in I did my Job 5 days a week, Parachutes will not pack themselves.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 29 at 2016 10:37 PM

2016-04-29T22:37:43-04:00

The SSG hit it on the head. As Guardsmen, we have precious little time to train, so every second is milked for the greatest training value. Little sleep, much training is the norm. Each drill is a three day field problem or series of exercises. The reiterate what he said, to be a truly proficient infantryman, you have to dedicate your civilian time to study. I often wish I could get more training time with my fire team. PT is also done on your own time, and requires a lot of discipline to do on your own. I'm sure as active duty, you have more time to train on your MOS skill set, and therefore more time available for non-MOS duties as well.

Response by TSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 30 at 2016 8:16 AM

2016-04-30T08:16:12-04:00

SPC Bernardy, this is a very good question. Most answers you will get will be people stating they do their job. I will say that when I am not on a deployment we do not do enough to prepare for our job. Yes, we check the boxes and met our METL training requirements. Is it enough for us to go to a built up area and get a RIP-TOA and perform? Yes. Is it enough to set up a new theater of operations without guidance? Probably not. We are too focused on hitting the mark on paper, but we do not look at the entire picture that is truly required.

Response by PO1 William "Chip" Nagel made Apr 30 at 2016 8:43 PM

2016-04-30T20:43:33-04:00

Which one. I had several. Usually ended up doing the one I disliked most, more often.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made May 1 at 2016 12:30 AM

2016-05-01T00:30:54-04:00

I do my MOS about 1 or 2 days a year, but I do SNCO duties every weekend. Though may find that as you go up in ranks, especially in reserves, your duties get more and more broad.

Response by Jordan Gaudard made May 1 at 2016 7:56 PM

2016-05-01T19:56:36-04:00

Good question, and the answer is the same for a week as it is for my military career. ZERO.