Is US Air Force Reserve AGR worth it?

I did 12 years active and then Vietnam ended and I was passed over, joined the Reserves at Barksdale AFB. LA and was able to complete 10 years, get promoted to Major retired and at age 60 started drawing retirement pay with full benefits. I had over 5,000 points so I draw 50%. That was 14 years ago and it has worked out very well. My reserve unit was well founded, flying A 10's so I deployed every summer for 2 weeks including trips to Europe and served as the deployed Chief of Maintenance, not bad for an EOD Officer. In short it was well worth it and the retired pay plus SS and other retirements pays very well.

I transitioned from Active to Mobilization Augmentee in 1977 as an O-3 (USAF) so the rules may be different now, but it was a great move for me. My husband continued his USAF career until retirement as an O-6 and my position was not geographically specific, but M-Day specific, i.e., a go to war position. I just found a new training site with our every move. I eventually retired as an O-5. Guard/Reserve units are stationary and the Guard is a state job. I was mobilized in Desert Storm while we were stationed in Stuttgart and I worked right there...no travel. Check into Mobilization Augmentee..I only heard about it from someone who was one. My personnel office did not offer it!!

Matthew, I've recently transitioned from one AGR to another then took a Technician position with Title 10 opportunities. The transitions are seamless. There are several ways to get paid in the Guard. As an AGR I found no substantial differences in pay, points or retirement. The unwritten rules are pretty simple, you are whatever the CC tells you to be. There is a distinct difference between an ANG Technician and an AGR. First, AGRs have a bullet in most job descriptions "other duties as directed by supervisor", this basically means you can be assigned additional duties at the whim of the command/supv. Second, Technicians are held to their job descriptions as in their position description with little variation. Lastly, you will have to go to drill for no additional pay whereas a Technician will receive drill pay for those days. It's a good opportunity and I've enjoyed my time as an AGR and now as a Technician. There is no PCS from base to base as an AGR. You can be laterally transferred from position to position but that is a rare occasion. I almost forgot... AFSC dependent, all positions in the ANG are O4. O5 and above are control grades meaning, they have to be available through the state and congressional approval. I know it's a long answer. Look me up on global for a deeper discussion if you'd like. Good luck.

Capt Kennedy--AGR is worth it, however many of the other questions you pose really depend on your AFSC, growth in your career field, and your interest in obtaining other higher positions of responsibility. I am not certain who led you to believe that a PV promotion is "easy." Your OPRs, awards and strats will provide you with a better indication of your chances of promotion, but PV is a highly competitive selection process.

Sir, I am a technician with the Massachusetts Air National Guard. I work with AGR'S and yes it is worth it.

I've had the pleasure of working with Reservists for the last three years. What I've learned is that there are full time and part time slots. AGR is full time. If the position is for a higher rank and you get it, then you receive a promotion. When it's time to retire and you do the full 20 you will receive all of your benefits. The difference is that if you are working a full time position you will receive your retirement pay immediately. If you're working a part time position you will not receive retirement pay until you're 60. Talk to the reserve unit that's offering you the job to confirm this information. They'll be plenty helpful. Hope this helps!

Capt (Join to see)
I have a couple of friends who are AGR. One is Army National Guard and one is Air Force Reserves. I also used to work with a few AGR Air National Guardsmen at my last job and they loved it. From what I remember them telling me, as long as you're not a dirt bag, retention isn't going to be an issue, you only PCS if you can find a unit that will take you/has an available position (and your unit is willing to let you go), and promotions are pretty standard compared to the Active Component.

Is it worth it if you are an Air Reserve technician for 20 years where my civilian job is tied to my reserve job and they want to switch to AGR.

I’m in my last year of a 6 year sign on and have heard many good things about the advantages of the AGR program. Can one join the AGR program if you’re already in the Reserves?

I had the opportunity to go Active Reserves when I separated and due to other circumstances was not able to transition in however I have multiple friends that are either guard or reserves most of their pro's and con's are what others have said, now the only thing I would suggest is if you choose to go this route to cross train to recruiter once you have completed a full year of service in the Reserves, there's is a little unknown secret that if you are a recruiter you time continues as if you were on active duty, you still get all entitlements ie BAH/BAS ect and when you reach 20 years you can retire at 20 and not have to wait until your 55 or whatever the exact age is, just a thought. If you want to still serve and the 20 but not have deal with the politics and ever changing requirements.