Is it harder to go to Special Schools in the Army Reserves? If so, why?

2021-07-16T17:38:13-04:00

Airborne, Air Assault, Pathfinder, Ranger, etc

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 16 at 2021 5:42 PM

2021-07-16T17:42:08-04:00

Yes and it's the same with the National Guard, the issue is unit composition and funding.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 16 at 2021 6:31 PM

2021-07-16T18:31:10-04:00

In the reserves they don’t have any units that would require those schools. You MIGHT get air assault, but most likely not the others. In the Guard there’s a very small handful of airborne units. There used to be anyway. Most of those slots that the Guard has go to the 19th and 20th SFGs though. The Guard has Infantry units so Ranger school isn’t unheard of.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 16 at 2021 7:36 PM

2021-07-16T19:36:01-04:00

"Special Schools" isn't a category other than one you've made up.
Airborne is a school tied to a unit status, an SQI.
Air Assault is a. ASI available to anyone
Pathfinder is a highly technical ASI; if you aren't familiar with the formulae of DZs and LZs, it's not for you.
Ranger School is just a leadership school. Try if you dare, not for the weak or faint of heart.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 16 at 2021 8:04 PM

2021-07-16T20:04:46-04:00

Most likely harder. And if you happen to get one of the schools be prepared to be treated like less than the active duty by others.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 16 at 2021 8:07 PM

2021-07-16T20:07:26-04:00

Schools and qualifications are sometimes given as an incentive. That is not always the case. Some schools are required. For the regular Army it is not that difficult to send someone to a school. I was in the National Guard and there isn't a set amount of funds for schools. In the Regular Army the Soldier is already getting paid and there is little to no expense for someone to go to a school. In the reserve components you have to bring them on orders. Just to send a Soldiers to a school for a month can cost enough to prevent that Soldier from attending AT and all of the drills that year. Unless the unit has planned for their Soldiers to go to schools then there isn't any funding to send them.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 16 at 2021 10:06 PM

2021-07-16T22:06:01-04:00

Compared to what?

Response by SGM Bill Frazer made Jul 17 at 2021 12:43 AM

2021-07-17T00:43:10-04:00

Yes, if your unit doesn't have any slots in their MTOE for that additional identifier, then they will not send you to those schools especially the USAR

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 17 at 2021 6:30 AM

2021-07-17T06:30:58-04:00

Yup, you essentially have to win best warrior for your unit to entertain sending you. There are a handful of units on jump status that will send soldieds to airborne and jumpmaster. But for the most part the other schools are rare for reservists due to commands not willing to fund sending soldiers. So your best bet is to go to best warrior and compete for the chance to go.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 17 at 2021 12:56 PM

2021-07-17T12:56:32-04:00

For the ones you listed basically impossible. Because the reserve has no combat arms, no airborne, no air assault, no pathfinders, and no rangers. Therefore no budget to send people to those schools. When I was a reservist the reward for winning soldier of the year for the "division" was a chance to go to air assault school. There are lots of options for schools related to whatever your MOS is though and you should take advantage of them. you can also go to BLC and such just as easily, if not maybe a bit easier than AD.

Response by SSgt Christophe Murphy made Jul 19 at 2021 7:24 AM

2021-07-19T07:24:07-04:00

It’s not harder to attend schools but being in the reserves the school would need to be required for your MOS/billet for them to fund it.

Response by SGT Charles Bartell made Jul 25 at 2021 12:20 PM

2021-07-25T12:20:24-04:00

The simple answer is yes it is much harder to get some schools.
The main reasons are as Fowles.
1. Does the unit have the slots for any of the specialized personal.
2.Does your unit have the budget to send people to the schools?
3.If the first two are yes, How much time is left on the persons contract. ( I.E. is it worth sending them to any of these schools.
4.Why does the person want to go to the schools? Just to get a tab or other SQI's.
5. If all are met can the person make it thru the schools?
All of these play into any and all schools.