Junior enlisted in need of advice, Army Reserves. What to do?

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 09 Jul 2018 00:52:18 -0400

Hello everyone,

Some background: Transferred from the IRR to the Reserves in July 2016. E4, 11bravo.

Been on my unit for two years now and have not been sent to mos reclass school. Never failed an APFT, always green on medical. I go above and beyond for the unit by going TDY within 48 hours notice when no one is able to go to be the NCOIC of a white cell mission. Show up to every drill and AT. I really like the unit and the friendships I have built. But I am not getting anywhere, I want to promote but they won't send to BLC without being mos-q.

What should I do? I don't want to continue wasting time, all my buddies in the unit have deployed or are on their way to deployment. I hate being stuck and not being able to do anything about it. I'm considering going to the National Guard as an 11B, that way I'll be mos-q and able to promote quicker.

My other option is to join a Drill Sergeant unit, I have been in communication with the 1SG of that unit and it sounds awesome. I would hate to go that unit without the experience though of an NCO.

Can anyone offer some advice? I am eager to learn and do more in my career.

Thanks for your time!

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 9 at 2018 12:58 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 09 Jul 2018 00:58:49 -0400

Give your branch manager a call. They should be able to help out or at least be able to point you in the right direction. Have you thought about going Active Duty?

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 9 at 2018 1:09 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 09 Jul 2018 01:09:30 -0400

I spent two years in the national guard and never went to school to reclass like I was supposed to. You're already MOS-Q so you're a low priority.
I would suggest either switching to NG and staying 11B, or hassling your unit to send you to school until they do.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 9 at 2018 1:42 AM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 09 Jul 2018 01:42:56 -0400

Use your Civilian and Infantry skills, be airborne qualified, go to language school and this outfit offers air assault all while you could be in ROTC and go green to Gold. There are also non-airborne Civil Affairs Units though this one here is in NJ. You can check out this unit, get MOS-Q in CA and make E-5 quickly.
https://m.facebook.com/404CABN/

404th Civil Affairs Battalion, Airborne

404th Civil Affairs Battalion, Airborne, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, NJ. 1,078 likes · 25 talking about this · 106 were here. Welcome to the 404th Civil Affairs Battalion (Airborne) Facebook...

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 9 at 2018 1:57 AM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 09 Jul 2018 01:57:43 -0400

You need to request to talk to your CSM, through the open door policy (let your NCO support chain know). The CSM should get you answers and help develop a plan of action

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 9 at 2018 2:12 AM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 09 Jul 2018 02:12:24 -0400

Thanks for Endorsing Me! I was once an E-4 like you!

Response by CSM Darieus ZaGara made Jul 9 at 2018 5:35 AM

CSM Darieus ZaGara — Mon, 09 Jul 2018 05:35:50 -0400

SFC Squires has the answer. If you find that your CSM is not responses and does provide you with timely support (does not mean a fast turnaround, weather an answer that makes sense and is tied to a solution) then you should consider a transfer using your current MOS. the Drill solution is an exciting option but you stated yourself you need field experience for credibility. Thank you for your service.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 9 at 2018 7:28 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 09 Jul 2018 07:28:14 -0400

I would take the advice of those below and talk to the chain of command, I do not understand why your unit has failed to get you MOS-Q, that is one of the metrics a unit has looked at by the higher command. Not sure what your unit does or what it's mission is.

Response by SFC(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 9 at 2018 7:52 AM

SFC(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 09 Jul 2018 07:52:29 -0400

Ok so I can give you some sound advice for a drill sgt unit since I been in one on and off since 2008. You will make E6 very fast and possible E7 if you really want it. I am not sure where you are right now but if you are in the 98th div foothold they will get you squared away and prepped for Drill Sgt school fast that is there biggest thing right now coming down from the 108th div for drill sgt candidates. They will get you to BLC so you can get promoted to Sgt then send you down to Fort Jackson to DSS. Once completion of DSS it will just be a matter and time for ALC once you hit the zone. But you are pretty much guaranteed SSG as a drill since most the slots are E7 slots.

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jul 9 at 2018 8:10 AM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Mon, 09 Jul 2018 08:10:55 -0400

I've gotta keep these answers really short, this tablet conks out a good deal of late....

Response by SSG Erik McKinster made Jul 9 at 2018 8:11 AM

SSG Erik McKinster — Mon, 09 Jul 2018 08:11:05 -0400

It's pretty fucked up your unit didn't send you to training for your first or even your second AT. That should have been their first priority with you, because you're actually a black mark on their rolls until you are. Go tell your First Sergeant you need to go to school in place of regular AT or you'll have to move on to the Guard where your career can progress.

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jul 9 at 2018 8:11 AM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Mon, 09 Jul 2018 08:11:25 -0400

The language school and Green to Gold with ROTC is obviously good....

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jul 9 at 2018 8:11 AM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Mon, 09 Jul 2018 08:11:56 -0400

I wasn't prior enlisted, it would've helped me enormously had I been, on reflection....

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jul 9 at 2018 8:12 AM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Mon, 09 Jul 2018 08:12:55 -0400

I would've been more prepared and oriented to svc existence had I been enlisted first, certainly....

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jul 9 at 2018 8:13 AM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Mon, 09 Jul 2018 08:13:53 -0400

Try to elaborate, hobbies, interests, sports esp martial arts, ambitions, objectives, motivations....

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jul 9 at 2018 8:14 AM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Mon, 09 Jul 2018 08:14:48 -0400

Do you want senior enlisted? Warrant? Commissioned? Do you have flight interests? STEM fields? Non-STEM? Clinical? Non-clinical?

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jul 9 at 2018 8:15 AM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Mon, 09 Jul 2018 08:15:21 -0400

Did you get any AP credits in high school? What was your high school GPA?

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jul 9 at 2018 8:16 AM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Mon, 09 Jul 2018 08:16:08 -0400

What college have you done thus far toward assocs? Bach? What major have you tried for? What major or range of majors would you want?

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jul 9 at 2018 8:16 AM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Mon, 09 Jul 2018 08:16:40 -0400

Do you want to do the full 20 yes? Do you want civilian mixed with Guard or Reserve?

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jul 9 at 2018 8:17 AM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Mon, 09 Jul 2018 08:17:52 -0400

Have you looked at Guard Tech? Reserve Tech? AGR? Going interservice at all? If so, which svcs, if any, or are you committed to Army, I merely ask to gauge your interests, that's all, hones....

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jul 9 at 2018 8:21 AM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Mon, 09 Jul 2018 08:21:20 -0400

I was Army ROTC 3 yes first, didn't finish, went USAF OTS after, many others at Lack land while I was at OTS were prior enlisted in other svcs, one guy even wore Navy enlisted dolphins...I nearly enlisted Navy nuc 6-yr enlisted, I was gonna try for Navy OCS and the NUPOC program, as I'd have had my Bach in elec engrg (EE) at that point, USAF OTS picked me up instead, I'd wanted also the clinical side, the conflicting ambitions bollixed up a good deal of what I'd wanted to do, as I didn't have a clue what I was doing, quite honestly, also on reflection, which was why having been enlisted first would've helped, as I'd said....

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jul 9 at 2018 8:22 AM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Mon, 09 Jul 2018 08:22:14 -0400

Do a detailed bio sketch, if you can, take the time to type it up in detail, and paste it in from the website, if you have time, coursework, grades, GPA, both high school as well as college....

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jul 9 at 2018 8:23 AM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Mon, 09 Jul 2018 08:23:09 -0400

Are you working civilian now, since you're Reserve, as you'd said? If so, so far as you can say, what type of work, not specifics, only generalities, technical, nontechnical?

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jul 9 at 2018 8:26 AM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Mon, 09 Jul 2018 08:26:02 -0400

What other types of civilian work have you done, in what areas, what types, for how long? Would those translate to any other possible MOS? Also, if you'd want flight at all, have you looked at Army high school to flight school, as college isn't needed, of you'd want to go WO1 for rotary wing through WOCS at all? I ask, as we have a family friend who was Army enlisted, got it, then was warrant a fair while, finished his Bach in aviation at Embryo Riddle, then intersvcd to USCG for rotary wing, where he finished out his 20 yes as O-3, so it can def be done....

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jul 9 at 2018 8:28 AM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Mon, 09 Jul 2018 08:28:10 -0400

If you're within the age range, would you want to try for one of the academy prep schools, they're at West Point, Annapolis, and USAFA at Colo Springs, I'm speaking of the academy prep schools, not the academies themselves...also, look at the various state maritime colleges, VMI, and the Citadel as well, or the mil junior colleges, my best friend in USAF was VMI for EE, he'd wanted physics, he was told he had to go for EE instead....

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jul 9 at 2018 8:29 AM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Mon, 09 Jul 2018 08:29:58 -0400

The more you elaborate, the more I and others here can suggest, I can suggest a good deal, I think, it depends on your background, and range of interests, which is why more info would def help, OK? No rush, take your time, and give thought to what I'd said here, then send in more, take your time, write it out resume style, though verbal, and send it in, it'd really help all of us try to help you, OK?

Response by COL Charles Williams made Jul 9 at 2018 9:15 AM

COL Charles Williams — Mon, 09 Jul 2018 09:15:27 -0400

SGT Private RallyPoint Member You need to do what is best for you, and will make you the happiest. It is obvious, you are not happy there. Step 1 is figure out your short and long term objectives. Step 2 is to figure out which course of action will best enable that.

Response by CW3 Kevin Storm made Jul 9 at 2018 11:35 AM

CW3 Kevin Storm — Mon, 09 Jul 2018 11:35:40 -0400

You need to sit down with your First Shirt and explain your situation. They have a score card and have to answer why you haven't been. is it that there is no school slot? Has your S-3 put you in for a school seat? If these haven't been done, and it happens for a variety of reasons, then you need to start being a little more vocal, and advocate for yourself. The squeaky wheel. ..

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 11 at 2018 12:43 AM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 11 Jul 2018 00:43:24 -0400

Don't worry about your friends deploying. Focus on getting constructive credit for your Police officer standard training for your basic, intermediate and advanced post certificates if you have them. I'm thinking that if you can get like 60 units of your military career with your police career combined, it may not take you more than a couple years on your off time to finish a bachelor's degree through the link I sent you offline. Then you could go deploy as a platoon leader and make three times as much money or more and that does not include additional money for basic allowance for housing for the same risk.

Response by MAJ David Wallace made Jul 17 at 2018 10:20 AM

MAJ David Wallace — Tue, 17 Jul 2018 10:20:16 -0400

SPC Ramirez, take a look at the Army Reserve Drill Sergeant program. Army Drill Sergeants are a highly valued group of people. BCT units are also branch immaterial, so you wouldn't have to reclass. If you become a physical stud and do well on the APFT, you will fast track to DS School. Many BCT units have their own training cadre to get you up to speed for school. Work hard with them, and they will set you up for success. But if you are a slacker, they'll send you packing. The Drill Sergeant mission is not easy; if it was, everyone would be doing it. There are many opportunities out there for DSs. You may be with a unit that trains CONUS for 2 weeks, several months, or possibly a year or more. You may even get put on an advisor team and embedded with a foreign army to train them. I was fortunate enough to go to the last was, OIF 3, with a MTT team composed of strong Drill Sergeants and NCOs. That was my best assignment ever, active or reserve. Check out the possibilities and see if you qualify. Best of luck to you!!

Response by SPC David S. made Sep 30 at 2019 3:45 PM

SPC David S. — Mon, 30 Sep 2019 15:45:40 -0400

Did you ever get this resolved?

Response by SFC Melvin Brandenburg made Feb 4 at 2021 9:43 AM

SFC Melvin Brandenburg — Thu, 04 Feb 2021 09:43:00 -0500

SFC William Squires advice is solid. Be up front and respectful, candor is important when speaking with the CSM.